The SSB marking scheme is something that incites curiosity in the minds of candidates. They try to decode it from several sources, but these lack uniformity. Hence, today, we share how you are marked in the SSB interview, as shared by ex-assessors.
Meaning of SSB Marking Scheme
Firstly, let us understand what this marking scheme means. When you were in school/college and gave exams, you must’ve noticed that each question carries marks. When you total these, you get the maximum marks for it. Something similar happens at SSB.
Each assessment in SSB carries certain marks, which decide your recommendation. Please bear in mind that the SSB marking scheme is different from other exams, that is,
Not each assessment carries the same set of marks in SSB. Some are marked higher than others, based on their importance in personality assessment.
How Does the SSB Marking Scheme Work?
The marking scheme isn’t just for show but to decide whether you will get a recommendation or not. To earn the plus sign, a candidate requires at least 90 marks in each assessment, that is, psychology, interview, and group tasks. This makes their total 270.
If you score above 240 but below 270 marks, you are a borderline candidate. However, anything below 240 signifies a not recommendable candidate. Consider this hypothetical case of two candidates:
Candidate I
| SSB ASSESSMENT | MARKS ALLOTTED |
| Psychology | 75 |
| Interview | 90 |
| Group Tasks | 90 |
Candidate II
| SSB ASSESSMENT | MARKS ALLOTTED |
| Psychology | 90 |
| Interview | 65 |
| Group Tasks | 70 |
As you can see, the first candidate did not score 90 marks in each assessment, but her total score is 255 marks. So, she becomes a borderline candidate in the conference as per the SSB marking scheme.
For the second candidate, despite scoring 90 marks in psychology, her total score is 225 marks, which is below 240. So, she will not be discussed in the conference.
SSB Marking Scheme: Explained
Now we come to the meat of the argument. Before we begin, please keep in mind that this is a rough outline of the SSB marking scheme as shared by ex-assessors, and is subjective in nature.
The exact breakup of marks for each assessment is not based on a summation of marks, but the personality profile of a candidate.
Anybody who tells you that each assessment carries equal marks is sharing a very surface-level understanding.
Psychology Tests
The psychology assessment carries 225 marks in total. Here, TAT is the most important set as it involves deep analysis and carries maximum marks.
The Word Association Test follows the give SSB marking scheme.
- Positive response earns you one mark.
- Negative response costs you one mark.
- Factual sentences/Idioms/Phrases neither earn nor cost you anything.
Similarly, the Situation Reaction and Self-Description Tests are marked for each candidate.
Personal Interview
The personal interview carries 225 marks but remains the most important part of the SSB interview. A bad interview will cost you rejection irrespective of a strong performance elsewhere. A good one will boost your overall score in the SSB marking scheme.
The interviewing officer asks you two sets of questions: the first, related to your personal life, and the second, related to general awareness. The latter fetches you more marks. Hence, you must be aware of what’s going on around you.
Group Tasks
The group tasks carry 225 marks as well, but there are two parts in it:
- Most important tasks: Group discussion, GPE, PGT, and HGT
- Confirmatory tasks: Command task, individual obstacles, lecturette, FGT
The GTO assesses the candidates in the first four tasks to separate the recommendable from non-recommendable candidates. The confirmatory tasks confirm his preliminary assessment for the SSB marking scheme.
Conference
Finally, the conference also carries 225 marks. Candidates are categorized as clearly recommendable, borderline, and non-recommendable based on their total marks. The conference for the first and third group is roughly similar with questions about their stay, and suggestions echoing in the hall.
The real test starts for the borderline candidates. Assessors discuss them in-depth, and the President or Deputy President asks questions from them to clear any doubts in the mind of an assessor. You can read more about the conference here.
Hence, the SSB marking scheme if for a total of 900 marks. Those who get recommendation after the conference undergo medicals and await the final merit to join the academy of their dreams and become officers in the Indian Army/Air Force/Navy.
