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Comprehension Test. This acts as a precursor and a screening test to the second part which is the
Machine Test. This test is also divided into two parts. They are the CVT or Control Velocity Test and
the SMA or the Sensory Motor Apparatus. Both these tests are designed to test the basic aptitude of an
individual for flying before inducting him into the Air Force as a Pilot trainee or into the Flying Arm of
the other two Services.
Leadership and Selection
I shall now briefly touch upon the aspect of leadership and selection to quote Joseph E
Brooks “Show me a country, a company or an organisation that is doing well and I’ll show you a
good leader. Show me a country or a company that is not doing well and I’ll show you a bad
leader.”
There is a certain amount of Halo around leaderhip. A leader is seen at work in various spheres,
i.e., in administration in industry, in politics and on the battle field. Success in any of these activities
depends to a large extents on component leadership. The term leadership has many facts and has been
defined in several ways. It involves so many things like ability to administer plan, teach, dominate,
persuade and bully etc., Leadership tend, to vary with the group and the pattern of leadership function
depends upon the type of group in which leadership is exercised. Leadership depends upon the
relationship of all the members of the group.
For the purpose of our testing, leadership may be said to be ‘the measure and degree of an
individual ability to influence and be influenced by a group in the implementation relationship
between three basic variables, namely : the individual, the group, and the task.
The quality and level of leadership is measured in terms of group effectiveness revealed in stressful
group tasks. Group effectiveness is the sum total of an individual’s contribution to the group and its
task. It has the three components which I have previously specified i.e.,

1 2 3

The effective Group
level of cohesiveness, Stability.
functioning and

Stress and Stability
And finally we come to that aspect which has always been there but has lately taken on alarming
importance. I speak of stress and stability. Stress is a state of mind and body in which the situation or
events produce unpleasant emotional tension or a feeling of discomfort. Stress is caused by conditions
which tend to threaten an individual security and well being. An individual security and well being
depend on the satisfaction of his needs. If the needs are satisfied, he feels safeguarded. If these needs
are not satisfied, his security and well being are thwarted, and he experiences stress.
The lack of capacity to adjust i.e., the adaptive failure on part of the individual, causes
conditions which result in frustration of his needs and causes stress. The amount of stress that
an individual experiences, therefore, depends upon the degree of his adjustability to the
unfavourable circumstances.
Stress thus caused may be considered under two dimensions, duration and intensity. It may last for
a short time or may be extended over a longer period of time. It may be mild, moderate or severe. It
will last as long as the conditions, which bring about frustration of an individual’s needs, persist. It’s