Hello, I’m Ashish Kumar, and I’m excited to announce that I’ve been selected to join the Indian Navy after successfully passing the SSB interview at SSB Kolkata. My family has a strong military background, with my father serving as a Subedar in the Armoured Corps and my elder sister in the Military Nursing Services. This family legacy inspired me to pursue a career in the armed forces.
My journey to this achievement wasn’t without its challenges. I faced setbacks, including being conference out from the NDA and the 10+2 B.Tech entry, but these setbacks only fueled my determination. I prepared diligently, keeping up with daily news by reading The Times of India and staying informed about current affairs through YouTube.
During the screening day, I successfully answered all 100 questions in the OIR test. I had rehearsed my personal story thoroughly and narrated it confidently during the interview. I actively participated in the Group Discussion, which led to my selection among the 30 out of 112 candidates.
The second day involved the psychology test, where I felt confident due to extensive practice using books. I completed all 11 Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) stories, drawing inspiration from current events and personal experiences. I also met 60 words in the Word Association Test (WAT) and provided 43 responses in the Situation Reaction Test (SRT), prioritizing quality over quantity.
On the same day, I faced my interview with intelligence and confidence. I prepared for the Group Testing Officer (GTO) tasks. The first GTO day included Group Discussions, Group Planning exercises, Progressive Group Tasks, Half Group Tasks, and a lecture. I contributed valuable points to the GD, drawing from my newspaper readings. In the GPE, my logical solutions earned me the group’s nomination for presenting a common solution. My ideas in PGT and HGT played a key role in task completion, and during the lecture, I delivered a clear and confident presentation.
On the second GTO day, we tackled individual obstacles, a group race, a Command Task (CT), and a Final Group Task (FGT). I completed all challenges and even repeated two, maintained a positive attitude during the group race, and offered thoughtful alternative solutions in the CT. The FGT was particularly enjoyable, and we finished it within the allocated time.
This journey has been a valuable learning experience, where I built on my previous attempts and focused on continuous improvement. My dedication and unwavering determination finally paid off, and I maintained high morale throughout. I am proud and grateful to be on the path to commission in the armed forces.