The idea for this book came in pre-COVID era. Back then I used to teach a very narrow audience which primarily comprised of underprivileged children. This was a small clout which entirely focused on cracking the SSB for the armed forces. The process of that interview is known for being very meticulous and these students had little to no access to resources. Hence, I started mentoring them.
If you’re least bothered with such introductory remarks, then don’t beat around the bush and simply click here to get the PDF of the book. Else, be my guest and read the entire post. You will find the link to the book at the bottom of this page.
Soon that audience began changing from aspirants to selected students and I shifted to e-teaching. The transformation helped me reach out to a huge audience and ultimately more than 100 students of mine became officers in the Armed forces. This was beyond what I could have imagined.
Having been recommended twice in the armed forces SSB, and qualifying civil services interview with good marks myself, I learnt a lot about the interview process. That clubbed with the experience of teaching the students and training them for SSBs helped me see what assessors see in a candidate.
As I entered the civil services, I was unable to teach via any platforms. Because of this I decided that I must continue with the idea of the book for guiding on the interviews, particularly SSB. This book is a reference document that will help you see the personal interview from various perspectives and ace it. It will talk about various values and parameters that are usually observed during the process. I will talk about the various officer like qualities, and also include some examples to elaborate upon the fact that why is that value so important.
One ground rule: This is a workbook, and not a book. It must not be read and forgotten. It must be used well. Read out loud when you practice something in it. Use your pencil on the book. Make it your personal diary. Let us see how far you can take it. Just remember to follow this book consistently. It also has a daily journal component. If you do not have anything to write in the journal for the day, then simply write “I do not have anything to write because of……”. Be very truthful, even if it means that you write “I do not have anything to write because of my laziness.”
This book shall have Activities and Exercises. While the activities are important for teaching you what this exam has to offer, the exercises will help you in understanding your own personality. Do them both rigorously. The more serious you are towards these, better shall be the benefit of this book.
Free your mind from all the prejudices and preconceived notions. This will help you learn better and become more flexible so that your chances of making through increase exponentially. Remember that OLQs are not developed overnight, but are built through a consistent effort. Without much ado, let us begin with the workbook. All the best!
