" My Adventures at Indian Airforce Selection Board-Mysore "

October 4, 2008

My Adventures at IAF Selection Board-2008

Hurray....i got selected in Indian Air Force as an Officer.....i started jumping inside myself.......but it wasn't yet fully confirmed.I was still in KLCE college campus,Vijayawada.I went there to attend  an off campus interview for IAF.Me and  around 45 students of my college mates  gave a written test and only a few(around some 5 or 6 members) got through.I was one among them.

Then we had a 2nd round.....thats called picture perception round (we have to write a story by seeing a photograph shown as a slide.example slide shown in pic to the left).

The final round was a GD and i got through it too...Hurray..... i thought i got the job.But there was a twist in the story there.....we were given an entry ticket for the further rounds that are going to be held in INDIAN AIRFORCE SELECTION BOARD MYSORE....!!

                There started my journey towards IAF.We reached yashwantpur railway station.We were total four students from our state(myself included).From there we went to majestic Bus-stand Bangalore by prepaid auto (this is for the first time i ever came to know of 'prepaid auto' system).Bangalore city railway station is very near to majestic.We got a train to MYSORE.It was around three/four hours journey.Outside Mysore railway station,where we were instructed in our call letters to wait,we waited for about an hour.At sharp 6.50 Am, an IAF bus came ther and it started to the selection board at sharp 7'o clock.Within 15 mins, we entered "NO-2 AIRFORCE SELECTION BOARD-MYSORE".

FIRST DAY:- 

It was like another world inside mysore city!! (Picture at the right is that of an old plane kept at the entrance for display)  we were given Tea and snacks to eat and were made to sit in the seminar hall within few minutes.

1. TWO PSYCHOLOGY TESTS (written) were taken without gap.
2. Followed by PICTURE PERCEPTION TEST for 12 successive slides (the picture display time is very less...may be few seconds) were given.
3. Followed by SITUATION REACTION TEST for 45 questions were taken.
4. Then immediately ENGLISH WORDS USAGE TEST was taken.
5. Then at 2 pm or 3 pm approximately,we were arranged lunch in the canteen. 
   

After Lunch we were given chest numbers before conducting all these tests.my chest number was "6"!!!

SECOND DAY

GTO(Group Testing for Officers)TESTS :---

1. 1.Two sucessive GROUP DISCUSSION(indoor)were taken.
2. 2.Followed by a GROUP TASK (a city or country map is given,we have to tackle various situations as per the given task).
3. Then after that, we went outdoor for PROGRESSIVE GROUP TASK. (It consisted of 4 sets of obstacles.Time given for us was 45 minutes.We completed it in time.ours is a group of ten members i.e chest numbers form 1 to 10 named GROUP-A).
4. Then after that task,we had a race called SNAKE RACE (The tent used by army jawans is rolled in the form of a snake and was tied firmly by a rope all around so that it looked like a snake.All  ten members of our group had to carry the snake on our shoulders and participate in a race, in which we had to cross TEN OBSTACLES (Somewhat Harder task) to reach the finish line.While our Group-A started,simultaneously other two groups D and G raced parallel with us.

The obstacles were like

1)A Car Tier will be hung from a support at a height of 5 feet.we have to jump through the tyre without losing contact with the snake.While crossing any obstacle, at least 3 team mates should be in contact with the snake.If this rule was broken by any team,the G.T.O officer watching each of our groups gives a penalty. 

          

              If the rule was broken, the GTO officer will give us a penalty depending on the severity of the rule broken.For example...If the rule was severely broken,then the G.T.O officer shouts out the number "twenty" upon which, everyone of us should stand still and count numbers  from 20 to 1 in descending order and then start again.While we were having penalty, the other groups will be marching forward.

The other snake race obstacles were like

2)A wooden plank hung between two wires, on which we have to walk and cross.(The plank used to swing and we had to balance ourself with the snake still on our shoulder).

3)A structure shaped "8" will be hung. We have to move through inside of it in the shape of "8" (No pic available).

4) We have to climb a Ten foot wall and cross to the other side(most difficult because of the snake).

5)Other obstacles were tougher enough.

              After successfully completing the race, our necks were full of dust and gunny bag wool, as we had to carry the snake on our necks.Finally, among the three competing groups,ours was the first to win the race.our G.T.O congratulated us.Our winning slogan was "CHAK-DE" (chosen by us). We had to shout it loud and we did it in winning josh.

             Now the second day testing was all over.We went to our mess.Ate bellyfull and got to rest.Everyday we had free hours from 2 pm onwards.In the evenings,we used to go out to roam out in the streets of Mysore.

           

             We visited the Mysore ZOO.Wow...!!!It was a wonerful feeling...!As i never visited a zoo before,it was a good feeling to be visiting a zoo,that too in a beautiful place like Mysore.....!!

We saw the worlds smallest monkey called pocket monkey, many cockatoos, white and different coloured peacocks, birds and we saw white tiger, ordinary tiger, indian elephants, african elephants, deers, wildbuffallos.

Zirraffees are the most interesting ones that i saw in the entrance of the zoo.as it turned out to be 6 pm in the evening, as it most often does in Mysore, it began to rain heavily.

       Then we saw a board on which it was written "This is the only zoo in India exhibiting a Gorilla".We wanted to see it too, but becoz of rain, we ran towards a shelter and we missed the gorilla.morover, the zoo will be closed by 6.30pm.so we had to leave soon.as we came out, we ate some panipuri, murmur, kheera and returned to the IAF hostel.we had a good dinner and slept.

THIRD DAY:-

      Everyday, starting from the first day of our stay, we had to assemble infront of our hostel in threes by 6:45 Am.So we used to get up early @ 4:30 am, get ready and  used to assemble in time. Everyday @ sharp 6:50 am,the wing commander used to come there and used to inquire  regarding the comfort of our stay and about our health and he asked us for any complaints, etc.

      As soon as he finished his addressing,it was around 7 am and we had to go for further testings.on the third day, we had group testing second phase. We had to wear white and white(or a track suit) for GROUP TESTING.

     As we went for group testing, we were given a strip, on which 4 topics will be written.we have to choose one, think for it for 3 minutes and give a seminar in front of our group mates for 3 minutes.Since ours is a group of ten , we completed those seminars in 30 minutes.

    Then came a COMMAND TASK.ie each one of us will be acting as a commander individually.When acting as a commander, have to call up any two members of our group and make them do a task by commanding them through instructions while i was doing the task, the remaining members of the group should remain facing towards a wall.Means they shouldn't see what iam doing.

      Like this, each one of us were called one after the other.Finally, it was a very time consuming process.When not acting in command task,i.e while seated facing the wall, one should have good patience.It was boring heavily in that mean time.

When this command task for all ten of us was completed, we had to face INDIVIDUAL TASKS.There were ten obstacles to be passed for finishing the task.

Obstacles are:

1) A small inclined slope.(we have to jump over it by stepping on it).

2) Four feet High Jump.

3) Balancing walk on a wooden plank placed horizontally in between two vertical wooden poles at a height of 7 feet.

4)Have to jump a wall of 10 feet high (Tough and have to be smart enough).

5) Two ropes were tied between two vertical poles at about 15 feet high above ground  and 20 feet high.we have to climb the pole, catch hold of the 20 feet high rope and walk on the 15 feet high rope and  cross on to the other side and then climb down.(The ropes swing u like anything.so one need to be  steady but keep  a watch on running time and should be confident.Most of the members lost much time here).

6) we have to climb a platform about 12 feet high, from there jump on to a platform at about 8 feet high(both platforms separated by  3 feet gap), then jump from there to ground.

7) Have to climb a rope, thats hung from a support @15feet high,touch the top surface, then again climb down slowly(should not slide over the rope).

8)monkey crawl:- we have to crawl upside down, like a monkey and cross to the other side.there will be a wooden bully hung between two ropes.it swings vigorously as we crawl on it.

9)Sorry i don't remember the ninth one.

10)Finally there was be a platform at 12 feet height.We had to climb over it and jump and catch hold of a rope hung from a pole at a distance of 4 feet from the platform and then climb down slowly.(This is where i felt my heart beat increased...i climbed on to the platform with ease but jumping and catching hold of a rope at a distance is really harder...if the rope swings due to air and u miss it...oh my..u will be in the dispensary with severe bruises...so i thought there on the platform for a few seconds...and climbed down the platform and reached the officer to report the task completeion.Shortest time  counts).

          Their difficulty increases from 1 to 10.Marks will be awarded as follows: 1st obstacle will be awarded 1mark, the second one two marks and so on........!! If all ten obstacles were crossed, we will get 55 marks(sum of one to ten).I scored 36 marks( i had no time for 10+9 marks/obstacles).Do u know whats the time given to cross all these ten Obstacles??

Believe me its just 3 minutes!!!! Just imagine how hard it was...to do such hard tasks keeping in view of the time constraint and keeping ourselves safe.  

      Then finally, the day was over for testing.Then we had lunch and set out on I.A.F bus for a tour(paid by us).We saw Mysore Palace, Tippu Sultans Battle Field where he fought a battle with britishers and was killed in the battle (place called as srirangapatna) .His Tomb where even today he receives lots of respect.Then we went to see Brundavan Gardens.

       FInally, at night 8pm, our bus was on its way back to the hostel.As usual..we had our dinner and fell a sound sleep..zzzzzz lol :)

FOURTH DAY:-

        We faced personal interview lasting about half an hour per person .It was very casual.But u cant bluff or be fake with the interviewer because interviewer is too clever(officer brains are too sharp). Even if u wish to bluff, he will get every truth out of you by successive twisted questions.

JUDGMENT DAY ( FIFTH AND THE LAST DAY ) :-

        Finally, it is the day we have to face the conference.About 13 officers will be seated in the form of an "U" like structure.and there will be a chair placed in the opening of the "U" structure, on which each member will be called to sit and would be interviewed.It was a casual interview(but be cautious about your formals and the body language and walking style).It just lasted for 5 minutes.They will test your confidence and suitability to the forces.

  finally after having lunch,we are called to know our result in the same seminar hall, where we were seated and tested on the very first day.

              Finally, the group commander declared the result....."lub dub"....."lub dub"(Every one was smiling but were praying silently with fingers crossed...thinking about the journey we had throughout..the tasks we did..the friends we made...everything...every thing flashed in our minds in just a few seconds like a lightning .

           After a breath stopping suspense,the commander started calling out the names of selected ones and asked them to come on to the stage.Oh god..what is this..my name...how did it miss?? grief...but had to control it...and show a smiling face out...aah felt like heart stopped beating for a few minutes...and tears rolling in the eyes...but had to send them back in to those pores..where they came from...without wiping them off..just by blinking the eyes twice or thrice...!! yes...i sent them back..now could see the stage clearly.Only 6 out of 56 were selected.my name was not in the result.

         All the unselected candidates were in pale faces..but some of us like me..tried to hide that situation by saying the fact that.."Even Abdul Kalam sir was not selected in an I.A.F interview so nothing to be felt bad about....".With a sense of humour out of pain...i said "Thank god i was not selected because i cant get up every day at 4 Am" :)

Na Na wait baba...wait..wait..the movie is not yet over...even those 6 selected members were not confirmed of the job in IAF. They were further sent for physical and medical tests.Few weeks later through a friend i came to know that only 2 of then got the FINAL SELECTION !!!!! 

              Then i thought "how sad those remaining 5 might be????"

NOTE: INDIAN AIRFORCE INTERVIEWING PROCESS IS SAID TO BE THE SECOND MOST TOUGHEST INTERVIEWING PROCESS IN THE WORLD (FIRST PLACE BEING THE RUSSIAN ARMY)

I have written this blog just that it could be of some help to future IAF aspirants..                                                                                   
                                                                ALL THE BEST..