Page 12 - Failure to Triumph - Journey of A Student

My Target Service Selection Board (SSB)

Beating Nervousness in Screening Test

SSB Interview Screening test is the very first thing where you have to face the board people
and your group mates. Also you have the pressure of performing well in Screening, because

your entire testing further depends on passing this test. To know more about how to break the
trap of screening, see ‘Breaking the Labyrinth of Screening’.
Since screening is so important it’s quite natural to get nervous in your screening. Especially

in Picture Perception and Discussion Test.
Screening is a stressful exercise where you are to face a large number of people at one go.
Many of you who have not been much into extra-curricular and on stage will be even more

nervous sometimes. So here are a few points which you should keep in mind to beat the
nervousness and tension during Screening.
1. Practice will make you confident: Be it OIR or be it story writing or even Discussion, you

can beat the tension by practicing hard, and you must start immediately! You can practice
for OIR from some good Reasoning books. For PPDT you have to make an extra effort,
look for PPDT exercises on our websites or in SSB books, you can even imagine a random

scene and write a story on that following the guidelines. Now imagine few people around
you, or make your friends or family sit around you, sit erect on a chair and tell them the

story. You can even have a discussion over it. This way you'll feel confident.
2. Take a break: When you are done with writing your story you are provided with a break of
5-10 minutes and then you are proceeded for the discussion. So utilize that break, take
deep breath and keep on revising your story in your mind. This is a great confidence

booster and also prepares you to speak.
3. Make friends: You get ample of time while being directed from one place to another. So in

that time talk to your group mates, you’ll feel much better after that because then you’ll not
be amongst complete strangers.
4. We are all the same: That girl in the formal attire or that boy who is in polished shiny

shoes and excellent formal tie might be as nervous as you are. Your pair of jeans or
sneakers don’t make you stand out! When you’ll talk to other candidates then you'll realize
that they also at the same stage where you are, hell nervous and super tensed. On

learning this you'll feel much better. So take it from me now only that 98% people in SSB
will be nervous, so relax take a chill pill.
5. Attitude Matters: Think all the time that you are there to be an officer. Do officers panic?

Do they feel nervous? No! So show the attitude of what you are there for, being an officer,
so feel like one. Think in your mind that it is easy, I’ll crack it, trust me when you’ll say this
in your mind three times confidently, and you’ll reduce your nervousness to a great extent.