Page 75 - Failure to Triumph - Journey of A Student

7

Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PP&DT)

Introduction

PP&DT is a simple yet a very powerful test to eliminate undesirable/below par candidates. It is a
broad filter to screen in candidates who have some chance of making it in the stage 2 testing process.

The Conduct

On completion of the Intelligence Tests, candidates are shown a somewhat hazy picture and asked to
write a short story based on their perception of the picture. The picture will be shown for 30 seconds
and thereafter four minutes are given to write a story. Thereafter, candidates are made to sit in a semi-
circular fashion in a group of 15 to 18 and asked to narrate the story one by one bringing out the

various characters identified in the picture, their age, gender and mood, the situation perceived by the
candidate, what must have led to that situation and the likely outcome. Candidates are given 60 to 90
seconds to narrate their story. After all the candidates have finished narrating their story, the group is
expected to discuss and arrive at one common story.

In this test, one each Interviewing Officer, GTO and Psychologist are present and depending upon
the performance in the Intelligence Test and Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PP&DT), about
40 to 50% of the candidates are retained for Stage 2 testing. It is therefore important to do well in this
test. The intelligence tests are normally easy and most of the candidates pass in that. It is in the

PP&DT where many candidates get rejected.

Mistakes Normally Made

(a) It is quite a stressful activity as there are 15 to 18 candidates present and in addition there
are three assessors sitting in front. Many candidates feel nervous and fail to even utter a
word. This requires some practice and one must have some confidence to handle this
activity.

(b) To beat the nervousness, candidates prepare some story that they have read in SSB books and

narrate it even if the picture shown was entirely different. This is a sure case for failure as
synthetic or pre-conceived stories are not acceptable.

(c) Some candidates narrate their story but do not take part in the discussion as they are unsure
or lack confidence.