My Interview Experience

GOPAL SHUKLA
1AFSB,Dehradun [RECOMMENDED]

As soon as I entered the room and took my seat the IO started firing questions!
IO: where are your certificates?
ME: I don’t have them with me sir.

IO: you have been to the SSB so many times didn’t you know that you are supposed to get them with you?
ME: sir, I was never asked for my certificates earlier. I am sorry sir for the mistake.

IO: you need not apologize but this will go against you, your PIQ is a waste without certificates. as I said earlier you have been to SSB previously also so you know what to expect, without any formalities lets get started. I need to know about……..fired a set of questions related to education, family and friends

I answered them comfortably, missed a couple of questions but he did not remind me again.

IO: you say your favorite subject is maths but you have hardly scored yaar, any specific reason?
ME: (I was tempted to say yaar too) Sir, I agree that I have not scored much in UNIV exams but I have cleared a lot of competitive exams and this has been possible due to my command over maths.

IO: what all exams?
ME: I named a few…

IO: ye toh aise hi hai yar.. have you won any Olympiad and all in maths.
ME: No sir. I participated but no outstanding achievement as such.

IO: tell me when have you fought with someone?


I narrated an incident from college when I had spoken on behalf of my roommate. He grilled me on this for over 10 minutes asking questions like: why were you being his mouthpiece? Was he dumb? Do you act as spokesperson for everybody or was he someone special? Have you ever stopped anyone from breaking traffic rules or urinating in public? I get the impression that you speak up only when it convenient for you.

I ended the debate by saying that “Sir, in my view what I did was necessary and if the same situation arises again I will take the same course of action”


IO: have you been ragged in college?
ME: yes sir

IO: what were you made to do?
ME: singing, dancing and little introduction.

IO: have you ragged anyone?
ME: yes sir

IO: what did you make them do?
ME: singing dancing and little introduction

IO: but, its illegal.
ME: (foolishly) No sir its not illegal.

IO: (jumped!!!) what? Supreme court has passed a law, don’t you know about it?
ME: I know sir, what I meant was that ragging in controlled way is essential for interaction between seniors and juniors, but if it is taken beyond a limit it is harmful for the morale of a student

IO: WHAT? You mean there is no other way of interaction?
ME: this one is the most effective sir.

IO: suppose somebody doesn’t want to interact then?
ME: its an individuals wish sir, nobody can force him but I have benefited a lot from it as my seniors are my very good friends and its all in a healthy spirit.


My interview was a high pressure one, what I have recounted above is just crux of the matter. It went on for 1 hour and 5 minutes he tried to pressurize me in various ways and said things like “you have done nothing in your life, Baap ke paise barbad kiye hai bas novel padh padh ke (literally he said that)” and many other things. I learnt many important lessons which I would like to share.

1. To be very frank he had my tail between the legs but on my face I never showed any emotion and maintained a smile.

2. He grilled me extensively on roommate and ragging issue, I did not back down from my stand but I was never impolite. Polite and firm is the phrase.

3. I was not flustered by my mediocre records at academics, sports and previous attempts at SSB. Be proud of whatever you have done and show character akin to a warrior.

4. Even the minutest gesture, syllable and sentence is monitored by the IO. So, take sufficient pauses before answering. Think before you speak.

5. In case of such interviews it becomes all the more important to ask a question at the end of the interview as it shows that you are not ready to run out of the room at the first given opportunity. My advice will be to prepare a worthy question for your IO and fire it as and when your chance comes.