The backbone of SSB Testing - Officers Like Qualities (OLQs)

Update on 03 April

Life in armed forces is tough. It is full of challenges. It becomes a matter prime importance for the testing officers to find out suitability of the candidates who could survive themselves and sustain different working conditions in this organisation. Moreover, it is not only about survival but also about the efficient survival. There are certain specific qualities which are very important for this purpose. These qualities are checked in SSB.

In SSB candidates are assessed by different techniques and by different testing officers. The whole testing is divided in three parts - psychology, interview and ground tasks. In all of these the testing officers assess candidates on the behalf of officer like qualities they possess in themselves. Different assessors are kept to minimise human error and luck factor. These qualities are further divided in four factors. These are:-

Factor 1: Planning and Organizing
1) Effective Intelligence (EI)
It is the ability to solve day to day problems practically.

2) Reasoning Ability
It is the ability to quickly come to conclusion after grasping situations.

3) Organizing Ability (OA)
It is the ability to effectively utilize the given resources to get the desired results

4) Power of Expression (POE)
It is the quality to put one's views easily and clearly.

Factor 2: Social Adjustment
5) Social Adaptability (SA)
It is the ability to adjust, deal and interact with people and social groups.

6) Cooperation (Co)
It is that quality of a person because of whic he/she live in harmony with others. It directly reflects social adjustment of a person.

7) Sense of Responsibility (SOR)
It is that capability of a person by which he realize one's duties and then give his/her best efforts to fulfill it.

Factor 3: Social Effectiveness
8) Initiative (Inv)
It is the ability to lead in originating actions.

9) Self Confidence (SC)
It is faith of the person in his/her abilities.

10) Speed of Decision (SOD)
It is the ability to take decisions quickly.

11) Ability to Influence the Group (AIG)
It is the ability of a person to convince others for the objectives set by him/her without forcing them to do so.

12) Liveliness (Liv)
It is the ability of a person to remain cheerful in stressful condition.

Factor 4: Dynamic
13) Determination (Det)
It is the ability to focus and concentrate on the task and consistently work to achieve it.

14) Courage (Cou)
It is the ability to take collective and purposive risks.

15) Stamina (Ata)

It is the capacity to withstand stress. It is of two types - physical stamina and mental stamina.

Testing officers are not looking for prepared officers, they are looking for that seed which can be grown in a plant after nurturing it. On the basis of the qualities mentioned above, the assessors come to know whether the candidate could be trained effectively or not. Each quality is equally important. If you will notice these qualities carefully then you will find that these are the basic qualities to live our life effectively. These qualities will help you in every phase of your life. Also, these qualities are interrelated. Working on gaining any particular quality, one can also possess few others.

The best way to find which quality you have and which you don't is to analyze and introspect. The best person who can do it is you only.