Umer Zahid
Pakistan armed forces are one of the best in the world and many youngsters of the country aspire to join them to serve the nation. If you’re among those who wish to join the armed forces then you’ve probably heard about ISSB. It is a 4-day selection test where candidates’ personality, ability and aptitude are tested.
Also Read: How to join armed forces of Pakistan
How to Prepare For ISSB At Home
So, if you have received the ISSB call letter and want to know how to prepare for ISSB at home then you have come to the right place. Here we will guide you regarding different types of test in ISSB and the things you need to focus on to increase your chances of passing the test.
Types of Tests in ISSB
There are three types of tests in ISSB which are:
- Psychological test
- Indoor and Outdoor tasks
- Interview
Psychological Test
The psychological test is divided into three parts that are as follows.
- Intelligence Test (Both Verbal and Non-Verbal; candidates who fail the intelligence test will be sent back home).
- Personality Test (Written Analytical and Projective Test)
- Mechanical Aptitude Test (it assesses candidates’ basic mechanical sense)
In the psychological test, there is a word association test where a candidate has to make a sentence from the given words. Picture story writing, pointer story writing and sentence completion are some of the tests that are taken in different parts of the psychological test.
Indoor and Outdoor Activities
Indoor and outdoor activities are as follows:
- Group Discussion (Discussions are conducted on a given topic or subject)
- Group Planning (Group has to plan a solution of a given problem)
Outdoor Activities
- Command Tasks (One candidate is appointed as a commander of the group and given a practical task which requires several men).
- Group Tasks (Three group tasks are conducted in which candidates are presented practical situations and left to solve them. Normally this comprises obstacles over which the group has to carry objects of sufficient weight).
- Individual Obstacles (Simple obstacles that a candidate has to overcome).
Interviews
Once all the indoor and outdoor activities are over, the candidates are called for an interview. In this step, the candidates are asked about the personal life, academic career, life goals and their opinions regarding different aspects.
Now you are aware of different types of tests in ISSB so you can prepare yourself accordingly. For a written and verbal test, you can check different sample tests on the internet. For instance, to prepare yourself for picture story writing, you can take any picture and write a short story about it. Set a timer as well so that you can do this activity on time. For physical tasks, you can lift weights and do some exercise so that you can do all the physical activities easily.
However, there are a few things which you need to focus on if you want to get selected for the armed forces. Following are some of the qualities and abilities which the selection committee looks for in a candidate.
Appearance | How to Prepare For ISSB At Home
A person’s appearance matters a lot in the ISSB. The selection board looks for personal pride in the candidates. You need to focus on your personality; how you communicate with others and how well you carry yourself could mean the difference between your selection and rejection.
For example, when you go to your office, you put on nice clothes and always look into the mirror before leaving. For ISSB, you have to look into a mirror and ask yourself if you are ready to make a good impression or not? You can ask your family and friends about personality and appearance and can work on it according to their advice.
Self-Confidence
It is imperative to have self-confidence if you want to get selected in the armed forces. This can only be developed by believing in yourself. To build up self-confidence, you can participate in different group activities and discussions. If you want to know more about boosting your confidence, you might want to read on how to boost self-confidence.
Expression
The selection board looks for candidates who have a good expression. It means the candidate must have good language proficiency (Urdu or English). You must have a good sense of grammar and vocabulary. You can build this quality by talking with your friends or family members on different topics and by joining different group debates and discussions.
Look into a mirror and talk about any topic you like for a while so you can assess yourself on how you look when speaking and how many pauses you take.
Academic Ability
Your academic ability can get you through the written part of the ISSB test. If you are good at Mathematics and English then you have got a plus point, because you can do quite well in the written test such as story writing, word association, sentence completion, etc.
Leadership
This is quite important because you will be commanding a group in the outdoor activities of ISSB. So, you need to have leadership quality if you want to pass this test. You can look at different world leaders and study them to see what qualities they have and how they dealt with pressure. You can also become a captain of your sports team to develop such leadership qualities.
Fitness
It’s not just about your physical fitness, it’s about your mental fitness as well. Go for a run and do exercise to keep yourself fit. You can do yoga or other physical activities that can keep you emotionally and physically fit. You can lift weights and go for timed runs to build stamina for all the outdoor activities.
Motivation
Motivation is the key if you want to get selected in the armed forces. You should know why you are applying and should be convincing and sincere in your reasons for wanting to join armed forces. You should be clear about your goals and must be motivated about them.
Awareness
How well-aware and connected you are with the world around you will also matter greatly for your selection. Look around everything and see what’s happening in the world. Read newspapers, watch TV, and search on the internet to know all about the current affairs. Research about history and defence because there will be some general knowledge questions in the ISSB test. You should discuss any trending topic with your friends and family members so that you get a greater grip on them.
There you have it! This is all about how to prepare for ISSB at home. If you have any queries pertaining to the topic then feel free to ask it in the comments section.
