I’m Abhishek Dattatray Pawar, and I want to share my success story with all of you. I come from Maharashtra and am excited to tell you about my recent accomplishment – passing the SSB interview at 18 SSB Prayagraj on my first attempt through the CDS OTA entry. This achievement is special because it was also my first attempt at the written exam.

My journey to this success is different from that of other defense aspirants. After graduating in 2020, my main focus was preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE). However, I found the CDS exam relatively easier compared to the UPSC Prelims, so I managed to clear it without specialized preparation.
The challenge came when I had only 20 days to prepare for the SSB interview right after my UPSC mains exam. I decided to prepare for the SSB independently, without coaching and used resources like SSBCrackExams to understand the process. I was intrigued by the unique SSB experience and was eager to take it on.

Throughout the process, I remained composed and confident. Interestingly, I applied what I had learned during my CSE preparation to the psychological tests and stayed true to myself in the interviews without exaggerating my abilities or experiences. Despite an average score in the Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) and Group Tasks (GT), my honesty during the interviews and psychological tests was crucial in my selection.

For instance, when asked to choose between civil and defence services, I confidently stated my preference for civil services, which I consistently maintained even during the conference stage. This honesty was key to my selection.

My experience taught me an important lesson: in the SSB, confidence and honesty are just as important, if not more so, than mere preparation. Demonstrating the necessary Officer-Like Qualities (OLQs) authentically is crucial, as these qualities cannot be faked and are closely observed by the officers.