By Rubab Ali
Are you planning to join the armed forces but are confused about the aim of the ISSB test?
Is it horrifying for you to wonder whether you will be able to pass the ISSB test or not?
Well! Do not worry. After you know the real aim behind taking ISSB tests, you will be relieved and won’t stress out.
Aim of ISSB Test
Every year armed forces open their indications for the intake of candidates who are capable of serving, protecting and defending Pakistan.
Candidates are assessed and evaluated and those who fulfill or fall under the criteria of having characteristics of an armed force officer are sent for training.
The motto of Inter-Services Selection Board ISSB ‘We select defenders for Pakistan ‘ clarifies the aim which is to search the skillful, competitive, determined officers for defense forces of Pakistan, who would complete the necessary training and have physical, mental, social and self- motivated abilities to rise up as succeed leader during peace as well as war.
Selection of Candidates
The service headquarters is responsible for selecting the total number of applicants to be tested/ inducted in different courses as per their overall requirements/ schedule.
However, the final list of selected candidates is forwarded by the ISSB but it is not mandatory that whoever passes ISSB will have his name in the final merit list.
Administration of ISSB Tests
Psychologist officers, Deputy Presidents and Group Task Officers conduct the tests and evaluate the candidates to make the results. Although, the evaluation of a single candidate is entirely based on his performance during three-dimensional 3D tasks
- GTO tasks
- Psychological tasks
- Interviews
Psychological Tests
These tests mainly consist of intelligence, personality and mechanical aptitude tests. They are scheduled to be taken in the morning of the first day at ISSB testing centers.
Intelligence Tests
They are held in two ways depending upon their types i.e. verbal and non-verbal.
Candidates who fail to pass the test or reach the minimum standards required to pass the tests are omitted and they are sent back to their homes on the very first day of ISSB.
Personality Tests
Written tests,based on analytical and projective types, in which a candidate’s responses administer suggestions.
Mechanical Aptitude Test (MAT)
This test is held to access the basic mechanical sense of the candidates.
Group Tests
Candidates are put in groups to assess the degree of officer-like qualities in each candidate.Team spirit, ingenuity, resourcefulness etc. are assessed in each individual. These tests are conducted to filter out the candidates who fit the personality of an officer. Thus, groups are formed.
The test comprises of:-
- Group discussions which are informal but are based on specific subjects to evaluate the candidate’s perspective.
- Group planning in which the plan of group is evolved for specified problems on the given model.
- Group Tasks are those in which candidates are required to take objects of enough bulk and weight over hindrances. There are three group tasks in which candidates are given practical conditions to solve.
- Command tasks include the design in which each group member is chosen the commander of the group (in turns) and given a practical problem to be solved with numerous men.
- Individual Complications/ Obstacles are simple problems that a candidate holds or faces and they are to be solved individually.
Interviews
Informal interviews are held in an objective manner. The candidates are inquired about their life, academics, consciousness and general features on which a candidate gives his/her point of view.
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