Defence and Police

Officer entry into the armed forces goes through the Services Selection Board, a five-day assessment that is unlike any written examination. It is worth understanding before deciding to pursue an officer entry.

• Day one is a screening test — an officer intelligence rating test and a picture perception and discussion exercise. A majority of candidates are screened out here and return the same day.
• Psychological tests, conducted over the following days, including thematic apperception, word association, situation reaction and a self-description exercise.
• Group testing tasks — group discussion, group planning, outdoor obstacle tasks, command task and a lecturette. These assess how you function with and lead others.
• A personal interview.
• A conference on the final day, where the board collectively decides.
• Recommended candidates then undergo a detailed medical examination, which is thorough and disqualifies a meaningful number.

Every defence and police entry has physical standards — height, chest, weight — and a physical efficiency test with defined timings for running, long jump and high jump, which differ by gender, category and sometimes by region.

Medical standards are applied strictly and at the end of the process. Vision, hearing, dental fitness and a long list of specific conditions are assessed. Check the standard published with the notification before committing to a long preparation.