The SSB conference day is the culmination of your performance at the selection centre. Candidates from across the country attend the interview and await the final results to become officers in the Indian Armed Forces. But, not many know what happens inside the closed doors of the conference hall. Today, we unravel this for you.
What is the SSB Conference Day?
The SSB interview is a five-day process to select officers for the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Candidates undergo several assessments over four days and showcase their officer like qualities (OLQs). The fifth day marks the culmination of these efforts.
The entire board, including the assessors who have assessed each candidate over the four days, sit together and discuss their suitability to become officers. This is the SSB conference day and it carries 225 marks in total. It is headed by the President of the concerned board alongside the Deputy President, and a technical officer (TO). Generally, the psychologists sit towards the right of the President, and the GTOs sit towards his left.
The Preparation
The SSB conference day starts at around 0730 hours or later, as decided by the concerned authority. All candidates pack their luggage and report in their formals at the said time. Here, an NCO or JCO rank officer introduces the process and teaches them the expected behaviour for the day. After this, candidates park their luggage at a designated spot, and wait inside a waiting hall or room.
Inside the conference hall, the TO arrives before the board members and ensures all devices are functional. He carries a laptop and might be the one responsible for display of candidate profiles on the screen during the conference.
Eventually, an officer (either the President of the board or someone of equivalent rank) gives the closing address to candidates inside the waiting hall. In AFSBs, the Duty Selection Officer (DSO) does the same. Candidates listen eagerly to the address, hoping to be one of those recommended.
The Conference Begins
After the closing address, all board members take their seats inside the SSB conference hall. The formal conference starts here. Candidates are discussed in order as the TO displays their name, chest number, and roll number on the display screen. Each assessor pulls out their analysis and says the marks allotted loudly.
In absolute numerical terms, a candidate requires at least 90 marks by each assessor, that is, the psychologist, the interviewing officer, and the GTO, to get recommended. The rough outline of who gets recommended based on marks is as follows:
- 270 marks (90 from each assessor): Clearly recommended candidate
- Between 240 and 270: Borderline candidate
- Below 240: Not recommended candidate
As shown above, if a candidate manages to score above 240 marks in SSB, they are considered as a borderline candidate. Such candidates are discussed at length in the conference to determine their suitability and a lot of times, asked questions to get a clearer picture. If your waiting time exceeds the usual limit, you must be prepared for a mini interview on the SSB conference day.
Please bear in mind that these numbers are just for reference and not absolute deciders of your result. The final verdict depends on whether you have the 15 OLQs to lead the soldiers you command or not. This cannot be subjected to mere marks.
Final Result
Once marks of all the candidates are registered, the President signs off the documents having the total marks (those allotted by the psychologist, IO and GTO as well as the ones in the conference) and a list of recommended candidates is prepared for announcement. Soon, the TO (DSO for AFSBs) or the psychologist motivates the candidates before announcing the chest numbers of recommended candidates. These undergo documentation and other processes before they become officers in the Indian Armed Forces.
Common Questions Asked in SSB Conference
While the presiding officer can ask absolutely anything under the sun, a general set of questions posed to candidates on the SSB conference day are as follows:
- How was your stay?
- Which task did you enjoy the most?
- Which task would you like to repeat and why?
- How many friends have you made here?
- What did you learn in these five days?
- Name any three candidates you think would get recommended.
- Any suggestions for us?
If you are a borderline candidate, they might ask you questions about your performance in a task, reasons for a life decision, or anything that they are unclear about. Therefore, a night before the conference, be honest to yourself and reflect on your performance over the past four days for smoother answers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. How many marks does SSB conference carry?
A. In absolute numerical terms, the SSB conference day carries 225 marks.
Q. How do I know that I am a borderline candidate?
A. Borderline candidates generally have a longer waiting time before they are called inside the conference hall. At the same time, they are asked specific questions about their life, performance, or even given SRTs.
Q. Can my answers in the conference hall affect my recommendation?
A. This is not a yes or no question. If you are a clearly recommended or not recommended candidate, your answers to generic questions will not affect your outcome. However, if you are being asked SRTs, or specific questions, the quality and reasoning behind your answers will affect the outcome.
