Every job has a specific selection process, depending upon the roles and responsibilities they have to handle. There is no selection procedure, which can ensure a guaranteed desired result. The duration of the selection procedure is normally short which sometimes provides only brief information about the candidate’s potential. In some cases, their history and their record of development can become a very useful initial guide. For every defense aspirant, it is important to know about the SSB or Services Selection Board Selection Procedure and what exactly they will face at the SSB. However, it is equally important for the candidates to understand what the SSB expects from them. Many candidates face their SSB interview without any focused preparation and have no hint about the qualities on which they are assessed at the SSB. These qualities called as – Officer Like Qualities are based on certain parameters to check the overall personality of the candidate. In this article, we will discuss in detail these OLQs or Officer like Qualities. Thus, OLQs are explained in detail what is seen in a Candidate at the SSB Interview.
Every defense expert and Ex-Selection Board member says that there are 15 Officer Like Qualities and 4 main factors based on which their selection depends, and they are the key to clearing the SSB interview. So, let’s understand what these Officer Like Qualities are.
Table of Contents
Why OLQ is required in a Defence Aspirant?
- Nature of Job role is very different
Job in defense forces is considered to be one of the toughest jobs, which requires an in-depth and foolproof mechanism to select the officer for these roles. Their jobs have can affect the national security of the nation and the lives of thousands of soldiers and common people.
- Lead a team of loaded soldiers
SSB looks for candidates that can lead and inspire soldiers even in the toughest conditions of the world. They have to maintain their composure and maintain the calmness of their team under every pressure situation. One wrong decision can change the life of many individuals or can affect the entire nation.
- High Level of Mental Toughness
The mental strength of these officers is tested day-in-day-out by various situations and problems they come across every day.
So, to make sure that the candidates possess these qualities and traits, they are being evaluated from three different testing mechanisms – i.e. – Psychology, Personal Interview, and Group Testing. If there is any doubt or border case, then they even ask questions in the “Conference” conducted on the last day. Thus, it is very important that every defense aspirant possess or develop these qualities
What are Officer Like Qualities or OLQs?
So now let’s understand the factors on which they are assessed and the OLQs which fall under these factors. They are
- Factor 1 – Planning & Organizing
- Factor 2 – Social Adjustment
- Factor 3 – Social Effectiveness
- Factor 4 – Dynamic Nature
The Factor I: Planning and Organizing
This factor comprises four qualities, which are related to the mental aspect and how they manage tough situations.
- Effective Intelligence: The ability of a person checks how they get solutions to practical problems. A person can be intelligent by does not know about practical problems. So, your street smartness is checked through various intelligence tests, both Verbal and Non-Verbal. It is different from basic intelligence. The evaluator checks if they can solve day-to-day problems and manage minor complications of everyday life.
- Reasoning Ability: The ability of a person to grasp a given situation and arrive at the most logical conclusion by rational thinking. The evaluator checks their receptivity, inquiring attitude, logical thinking, and the ability to see the nitty-gritties of any problem.
- Organizing Ability: This ability checks the resourcefulness of the candidates and uses every resource efficiently to produce effective results. The assessor is interested in seeing how you use the various resources to produce results.
- Power of Expression: This ability checks how effectively you can convey your message or idea to the other person with ease and clarity. Whether you are able to convince the listener or not is checked through Power of Expression.
The Factor II: Social Adjustment
This factor comprises three qualities, which are related to the emotion/morality of the person.
- Social Adaptability: this ability checks how quickly and easily they adapt themselves to their social surrounding and adjust to other people and social groups. The testing officer is concerned with your skills to adapt to other group members, and how you communicate and tactfully deal with them and other individuals at the selection center.
- Cooperation: The ability of the candidate to participate willingly and in coordination with other group members to achieve their dream. Every defense aspirant must give priority to the group’s goal over their personal one. They have to be a team player. The evaluators will be keen on checking your team’s attitude.
- Sense of Responsibility: The ability of the candidate to understand the values of their duty, social standard, and what is anticipated from them as an individual and then give their energy and attention. Instead of waiting for others, they must take the lead to perform any activity.
The Factor III: Social Effectiveness
This factor comprises five qualities that are an outcome of the above two factors, i.e. mind and heart.
- Initiative: The ability of the candidate to take lead and originate action. The evaluators check whether they are able to take the lead at the right time in the right direction and continue until they achieve their desired result.
- Self Confidence: The ability of the candidates to have faith in their own abilities and to have confidence that they can handle any stressful and unfamiliar situations.
- Speed of Decision: A defense officer has to make lightning-quick decisions with utmost accuracy to achieve their goal.
- Ability to Influence the Group: This is the ability of the candidate to influence or convince other members of the group to achieve their objective. If they can persuade other individuals, they can easily manage the soldiers efficiently without any force.
- Liveliness: It is the capability of the candidate to remain calm and cheerful when they face any difficulty. They have the ability to bring about a cheerful atmosphere in the group. The assessor checks whether the candidate gets unduly worried or bothered when faced with difficult situations.
The Factor IV: Dynamic
This factor comprises three qualities, which are related to the efficient usage of your body and synchronization of your mind and body.
- Determination: The ability of the candidate to put in sustained and continuous efforts to achieve their goals in spite of obstacles and setbacks. The evaluators check whether the candidate is focused, able to concentrate on the task, and constantly working towards their goals.
- Courage: The ability of the candidate to appreciate and take calculated risks. They should take risks only where it is essential and that too after watchful thought. Any rash decision can endanger the life of subordinates.
- Stamina: The ability to withstand the prolonged physical and mental strain. This considers both – physical and mental endurance.
Hope now you would be clear about what an OLQ or Officer like Qualities are and what is seen in the SSB Interview. The candidates are judged on these OLQs. In the next article, we will discuss how to develop these OLQs in your personality.
All the best for your upcoming SSB. Check the Indian Army’s official website to know about details of upcoming entries.
If you have any questions or need any further explanation or clarification, do mention them in the comment section or mail directly at [email protected].
Jai Hind.
