The complete details of the 5-day SSB interview procedure are given below. The Indian Army, the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, and the Indian Air Force have adopted a 5 days SSB interview procedure to test whether the candidates have officer-like qualities and qualify to become officers in the Indian Armed Force. In this article, we have given all the rights from the reporting day; we will cover each and every aspect of the five days SSB Procedure here.
What is SSB?
The Service Selection Board was established to assess the capability, personality, and eligibility of aspiring defense candidates. It is a comprehensive 5 day SSB process divided into two stages, after which recommended candidates undergo medical examinations. The SSB was created by the Defense Ministry of India. The Service Selection Board is an organization established to conduct the interview & selection process of eligible candidates for becoming officers in the Indian Army, Navy, & Air Force.
Read More: Indian Army Agniveer Technical Recruitment 2025
SSB 5 Day Procedure
The SSB interview lasts five days and is nearly identical throughout the three branches of the Indian Armed Forces. The SSB interview is performed in two stages.
Stage I Screening—Select potential officers through Officer Intelligence Rating tests and Picture Perception exercises.
Stage II It goes deeper with psychological tests, outdoor tasks, personal interviews, and a final meeting to decide who gets recommended. Each step helps to understand the candidate better and shows if they have the qualities to become an officer.
Role of Different Testing Officers
Three experienced officers work together to judge the candidates at the SSB
- Interviewing Officer (IO): Masters of personal assessment who probe leadership traits and personality depths
- Group Testing Officer (GTO): Field commanders who gauge officer potential through challenging outdoor tasks
- Psychologist: A scientific mind who decodes candidate psychology through specialized tests.
Check the SSB Interview 5 day Procedure
Stage I: Screening Process
Day 1 is the screening day. As per notification, for some exams like the AFCAT Exam, the reporting day and the screening day will be the same.
Day 1 is divided into two activities.
- OIR, or the Officer Intelligence Rating Test.
- PP & DT (Picture Perception and Discussion Test).
OIR Test Preparation Strategy
- Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) demands swift mental agility. Two test booklets present 30-50 questions each, with precious minutes ticking 17-30 per booklet. Victory demands mastery over both verbal and non-verbal reasoning domains.
Picture Perception and Description Test
- PP and DT are two different sub-divisions of the same test. PP stands for Picture Perception, and DT stands for Discussion Test.
- 1. Picture perception: In this, an image is displayed for 30 seconds, and the candidates need to note down the basic details of the picture. The candidates then create a story based on the image in 4 minutes.
- 2. Group discussion: In this test, a group of 10-15 candidates is formed, and they all need to narrate their stories and discuss in the group to reach a common consensus.
The results of DAY 1 are declared, and the shortlisted candidates are moved to the next round, known as DAY 2.
DAY 2: Psychological Test
Candidates who reach the second day of the SSB 5 day procedure move one step closer to their dream. On this day, they take several psychological tests. These tests include
- Thematic Apperception Test [TAT]
- Word Association Test [WAT]
- Situation Reaction Test [SRT]
- Self-Description Test [SD]
On Day 2 of the SSB interview, candidates go through several psychological tests. These tests help us understand their thoughts, behavior, and personality. The main tests are:
- Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
In this test, candidates are shown 12 pictures, including one blank slide. They have 4 minutes to write a story for each picture. The time limit checks how naturally and quickly they respond. - Word Association Test (WAT)
Here, 60 words are shown one by one. Candidates have to write the first sentence that comes to their mind after seeing each word. The total time for this is 15 minutes. - Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
A booklet with 60 real-life situations is given. Candidates must write their reactions to each within 30 minutes. This test checks how they handle different situations. - Self Description Test (SDT)
Candidates have to write about themselves based on some given points (like what their friends, parents, and teachers think about them). They get 15 minutes for this.
DAY 3 – Group Testing-1
This day is dedicated to group testing. Various outdoor activities are conducted for the candidates. These activities are designed to see if the candidate is capable of working in a team or not.
These group activities are as follows:
- Group discussion
- Group planning exercise
- Progressive group task
- Group obstacle race
- Half group task
DAY 4 – Group testing 2
This day is again based on group testing. Several other activities are conducted to check the team working skills of the candidates. These activities are as follows:
- Personal Interview:
Each candidate has a one-on-one interview. The questions are about their family, career plans, hobbies, and personal life. - Lecturette:
Each candidate gets 4 topics to choose from. They must pick one and speak about it for 3 minutes. - Individual Obstacles:
Candidates have to complete 10 different obstacles within 3 minutes. - Command Task:
Every candidate gets a turn to act as a commander. They are given a task to complete, usually with the help of a few team members. - Final Group Task:
The whole group comes together again to solve a task. They must work as a team and complete it as quickly as possible.
Now, the final day of the SSB interview.
DAY 5 – Conference
This is the final day of the SSB interview. Candidates pack their bags, have breakfast, keep their luggage in the shed, and wait for their turn in the hall. One by one, candidates are called into the conference room. All the assessors (psychologist, GTO, and interviewing officer) sit together and discuss the overall performance of each candidate. If they are unsure about someone, they ask a few more questions to clear their doubts.
For candidates with no doubts, the questions are usually simple—like how was their stay, how they felt about the food and tests, and if they have any suggestions
After five days SSB Procedure Medical Examination
Once the SSB interview is over, the selected candidates have to go through a detailed medical check-up. Those who are found medically fit are considered for the next steps.
However, candidates who are permanently unfit due to certain health issues cannot appeal or reappear. Some common reasons for permanent rejection include:
- Sweaty palms
- Flat feet
- Knock knees
- Kidney stones
- Pigeon chest
- Color blindness (CP2 and CP3 for Flying Branch, CP3 for CDS entry)
- Elbow carrying angle issues
Candidates who are temporarily unfit can apply for a re-examination by paying a fee of ₹40. They need to apply for an Appeal Medical Board (AMB). If someone is declared underweight or overweight, they can appeal again after 42 days once they meet the required fitness level.
The medical re-check (AMB) takes place at the following hospitals:
- Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt.
- Command Hospital, Southern Command, Pune
- Command Hospital, Eastern Command, Kolkata
- Command Hospital, Central Command, Lucknow
- Command Hospital, Western Command, Chandimandir
- Command Hospital, Northern Command, c/o 56 APO
- Command Hospital, Air Force, Bangalore
- INHS Ashwini, Mumbai
SSB OIR Best Books
| Book Name | Book Type | Book Link |
| Stage 1-SSB OIR (Officer Intelligence Rating Test) Complete Study Guide Book By Sahil Kumar For SSB, AFSB, NSB, FSB Exams 2025 (English Medium) | Guidebook | View Book |
SSB 5 Days Procedure FAQs
Ans. The SSB 5 Days Procedure is conducted in two phases. Phase I: Screening and Phase II: Psychological Test, Group Test, and Interview.
Ans. The SSB Interview evaluates candidates’ psychological capacity, physical strength, personality, and intelligence.
Ans. After screening, candidates move forward with the psychological tests, which include the Thematic Apperception Test [TAT], Word Association Test [WAT], Situation Reaction Test [SRT], and Self Description Test [SD].
Ans. The SSB Interview takes place from Day 2 to Day 4. Candidates have a personal interview with the Interviewing Officer (IO), where they are asked questions based on their daily activities.
Ans. Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for entries like NDA, CDS, AFCAT, TES, or university entry schemes can apply. Each entry has specific requirements related to age, education, and physical fitness.
Ans. Day 1: Screening Test (OIR and PPDT), Day 2: Psychological Tests, Day 3 & 4: GTO Tasks and Personal Interview, Day 5: Conference
