Neeraj Kumar Verma

Recommended for flying branch in 14th attempt to join Indian Naval Academy (AIR 23)

“Dreams are those which don’t let you sleep & if you want to live those dreams then chase your dreams”

Hello everyone, I am NEERAJ KUMAR VERMA from Mhow (Army Cantt. Area), Indore (MP). I am a Civil Engineer from MNIT, Jaipur. I want to dedicate this story to all my “REPEATER” brothers who are striving hard to achieve their goal. I want to tell you all that the day you will get recommended you will find that all those hardships which you have gone through was worth it. I am from a civilian background as my father is a Govt. Clerk and mother a private teacher but I have seen the life of a defence officer living near cantt. area and found it to be different from the rest. I wanted to live that dignified and adventurous life so I decided in class 9th that I will join Indian Armed Forces.

My journey started on 31August, 2012 when I went for my NDA SSB but got conference out and after that  11 conference out and 1 screened out. I have given SSB for many entries like NDA,TES,AFCAT,CDS etc. but failed in all. Every time I failed I thought to give up but then I reminded myself that I did not start my journey to give up I started to become an Officer. This was my 14th attempt on 22 july,2018 and there were lot of things going on in my mind. This attempt was for Indian Coast guard (Flying branch).

There is one thing i want to say specially for repeaters : Please don’t try to show them what is required to get recommended because when we try to show them anything then we hide our own responses and try to show off. Do not think what assessor will think of you, Instead if we give them our own response it matches our thinking in every task which ultimately helps us to get recommended. “Do what you feel is right everywhere and leave rest on assessors”  

Day 1 : Screening test

OIR was good and but in PPDT picture was quite hazy but I could make out it was a fire scene and I made a story on Fire tech Engineer in a factory who fights the fire due to machine fault,  keeping staff and everything safe, prepares a report on safety measures to be taken to avoid such incidents in future.

My narration was quite good and in GD everyone liked my story, I gave 2 points on which everyone agreed also nominated me to give group story. Got Screened in. Total 58 got in.

PS: OIR is very important don’t underestimate it and correct analysis & observation of picture is important for good story but narration is most imp because GTO & Psych assess you at the same time, contribute in GD as well.

Day 2 : Psych day. Working in daily life will improve psych. Reading novels will help a lot. Practice won’t help until you work on ground to improve yourself.

TAT :I made very realistic and simple stories which initially I thought were not good enough for me but I gave my ideas freely (jo mujhe sahi laga) without thinking much for anything special.(Blank story :I wrote about my football tournament win, best experience of my life).

WAT : I wrote 56. Write your own beliefs and observations of daily life.(So observe things in life closely and read a lot to improve sentences)

SRT : I did 51. I put myself in the situation and then solve it. Read situation carefully and always look at positive side of it. (Solve every situation in life considering it as SRT)

SD : Ask parents, teachers, friends opinion and your own opinion should be mix of it. It’s a confirmatory test as psych knows everything about you from TAT, WAT, SRT so he will confirm it from SD. So being honest here would help you a lot.

Day 3 &4 :Interview :My interview was worst of all my attempts as I couldn’t answer a lot of questions. My interview lasted for 25 mins.(approx.). I was asked question about my achievements in exams and failures in SSB. He grilled me to ask my weaknesses and I told him the efforts I am doing to improve on them.

Know everything about yourself, parents, friends, your game, your strength-weakness, your place or whatever things are related to your life.

IO: tell me basic controls, parts and functioning of Aircraft?

Me: Sir I don’t know.

IO: Shouted and said why you came for flying when you don’t know about it?

Me: Sir I am not 100% sure so I don’t want to give any wrong answer.

Knowledge or your answer doesn’t matter what matters is your answering technique.

IO: tell me your 2 weakness?

Me: over talkative and over excited

IO: Again shouted and said do you mean it. tell me any incidents, why you think they are your weakness?

Me: Sir I talk a lot to keep myself calm(liveliness)in tensed situations and my friends say that I play football with so much excitement(passion for game) that I suffer injury that’s why.

After I finished my interview I was sure of rejection but I thought to give GTO with good mood as single task doesn’t decide your selection.

GTO. It’s all about “JUGAAD”. Work daily to improve. Improve routine, organize own room and home, repair things at home (cycle, electric items or anything that needs Jugaad). Here good communication skills are must.

GD: My GD was good. Only participation won’t help you need to contribute (Contribution means you participate to put your point to take GD in right direction).Your own views matters a lot supported by a fact, figure, logic and current affair related to that topic.

GPE: It was average .Priorities of problems, assigning of resources, time-distance calculation, individual plan, your contribution all matters here.(Consider your daily routine tasks as a small GPE and then do it)

PGT,HGT,CT&FGT: Ideas, group contribution and JUGAAD will do it for you. Don’t try to show GTO anything, just do what will take  your group ahead and your aim should be that your whole group should get recommended to fight war with you.

Lecturette: Mine was Average .(Practicedaily5topics) Organize your content well like Introduction, importance of topic on national or international level, present conditions of it, problems or challenges, solutions to problems (your own solution or views).

Individual obstacles : Do it as per a proper sequence in your mind.

Day 5 : Conference

I waited for about 5 mins and My chest no.36 flashed on board I entered the room

IO: asked to rate my performance in ascending order

Me: GTO, PSYCH, Interview.

IO: why interview last?

Me: sir I missed a lot of questions

IO: tell me all questions and answers?

Me: answered all

IO : if rejected here then what

Me: Engineering Services cleared, got College placement, I take classes for ES get 50000, AFCAT and CDS interview.

Then president nodded to IO and he also nodded back. I left Our psychologist came to declare results and gave a motivating speech.

Then he started chest no. 9,10,16,28….36 yes yes yes that’s it, it was me I did it. 37,38 were also there, tears rolled down my eyes all my failures, struggle flashed In front of my eyes and I thanked my God my parents who worked hard to support me all my life. I also want to thank Col. Nikhil Diwanji from NIKS ACADEMY, INDORE for his invaluable guidance

I have gone through medical and CPSS to get AIR 23. I will join INA on 20Dec, 2018.

If anyone need any help, call or mail me anytime. I am there to help you all. Contact no. 7987531855  Mail id : neeraj.niks.nv@gmail.com