Important Points Related To SSB Interview
Education and Training- This field is of special interest to the IO. This is the stage that encounters all the major factors that shape the personality of an individual. Education and training reflect the interests, abilities, and achievements of a person with which he takes his first step toward independence i.e. enters into a vocation. The span of education and training period is fairly long and it passes through many stages of human growth. Let’s be reminded that education begins during early childhood and ends in adulthood. The foundation of good habits, sound academics, and citizenship is prepared during the stages of late childhood, puberty, and adolescence.
Believe the psychologists- each of these stages run through a few years and bring with them their own peculiar challenges regarding intellectual, emotional, and social development. For example, later childhood is the stage of gregariousness while puberty is known to be the ‘silent’ stage (internally turbulent but externally quiet). Adolescence is the period of heightened emotionality, conflicts with authorities, and hero worship. During these stages, a child learns to handle his emotions and others’ expectation. Social tact and strategy for conflict resolution take a seat mostly during the stages of puberty and adolescence. The social tact and skills for conflict resolution learned at this stage become habit patterns at later stages.
Also, each of these stages demands its own doses of love, care, acceptance, attention, and assurance. If provided in optimum, the child becomes a confident, optimistic, and capable individual. Else, in the majority of cases, he remains anxiety ridden, eccentric, and less successful in human equations.
A military officer has to be a forthcoming, optimistic, sociable, energetic, and useful citizen. The stages of education and training equip him with strength if his development is supported by positive nourishment, supplements, and reinforcements. And due to these reasons, the IO focuses in great detail on these aspects.
Early Home Background- According to developmental psychologists, the early phases of life (early childhood, late childhood, and puberty- say the first 10 years of life) are extremely important in shaping the personality and future achievements of a person. During this phase, maximum gains come from a sense of security and emotional nourishment from parents. Contributing to the early home environment are a variety of factors like-
- The education level of parents.
- The financial condition of parents.
- The equation between parents.
- Structure of family (nuclear or joint)
- Core values practiced at the family (religious, materialistic, moralistic, society oriented, food habits, etc)
- Quality and nature of upbringing (preferences i.e. reward or punishment, availability or control, authoritarian or participatory)
- A number of siblings.
- Concerns like death, financial setbacks, prolonged illness of any family members, etc.
Also- a wanted child receives a free flow of love and care from parents. In our country, most of the parents wish for a certain type of child (say male or female, fair or dark complexion, quiet or active, academic or sports-loving......and many more). A wanted child receives preferential treatment. It should not be done but this is the ugly reality!!
Unhappiness during childhood phases distorts the personality in some way or the other. Parents are the first role models for children. Quality of parentage, their status, and resources, values being practiced at home provide the foundation for an optimistic and self-assured personality.
If you read the lives of many tyrants, criminals, and terrorists you will find most of them were unfortunate as far as happiness during childhood is concerned. They were generally deprived of parental love and care compounded by the deprivations of money, resources, and acceptance.
Every child is influenced by the equation among the parents. The quarreling, disagreeing, shouting parents would make only an uncomfortable environment at home. A child’s mind is very tender. Most of the problematic children and non-performers have reported parent’s mutual incompatibility.
Spare time interests, hobbies, and sports- Perhaps this is the most difficult thing to comprehend and digest for a person of the modern generation. The fact today is that a child is loaded with the weight of academics, co and extra-curricular activities- and the pressure of coaching classes, home-works, projects, and assignments, especially during his higher secondary classes. The situation has come up due to a manifold increase in the syllabus contents (particularly in the science stream) and the need to enter into a quality institution for a professional career.
The examination system today makes it possible to secure 100 percent marks; which was not so some 30 years back. Today even 75 percent of marks are not considered good enough in the science stream. This situation instead of easing the students; has only pushed them into a competition wherein they are constantly haunted by a motivation to do well and anxiety of not coming into the top scale (90 percent and above). The result- least there exists a feeling of ‘spare time’ to the students of today. Spare time activities keep you constructively occupied and ‘spare you from the negative influences’.
Notwithstanding this, this is also a fact that students carve out some time for fun and relaxation. It’s also a reality that gadgets like cell phones, tablets,
The internet and various social sites consume a lot of time and energy of youth today. There has been a significant drop in the ‘activities’ like reading, adventure pursuits, indulgence in craft, and other creative arts nowadays.
No point in lamenting over the comparison of past and present. The fact remains that spare time activities fill the time gap in a constructive manner and condition the mind to find a sense of achievement. Besides, they prevent you from boredom and monotony.
Yes, one important point. Games and sports keep you healthy. Your body is the biggest asset and your stay in the armed forces is subject to your physical fitness. Active participation in games and sports creates a ‘sportsman’s spirit’ in you. You learn not to mind injuries and team-spirit through sports. Games and sports come instinctually to human beings and through these learn many psycho-motor skills besides learning a host of social qualities. And hence, participation in games and sports is highly favorable in shaping the desirable personality. You cannot take to games and sports after joining the armed forces as a passion. The passion takes its root in the early stages of your life.
Present social adjustment (for serving candidates) – This portion of the interview (CIQ) is applicable to those candidates who are already serving the armed forces as soldiers/sailors/airmen. The IO wishes to know whether you are happy, healthy, and motivated enough to take higher responsibilities. Particularly important in this section is the ‘attitude towards others’. As have been mentioned in the early chapters, armed forces are human forces. We draw our strength, inspirations, and happiness from our colleagues. Attitude towards others must be favorable and accommodating. Armed forces need a holistic social adjustment and attitude. Hostility or selectivity has no place in the armed forces. Not in the least.
