Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) – A complete Guide

Bilal Ahmed
Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) Irfan CCC of cadet college

Achieving Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) commission exam in armed forces of Pakistan is the most reliable and fundamental step taken by the aspirants after completing intermediate/ Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC). To achieve the dream job, applicants have to go through a proper recruitment and selection process of the armed force Centre, called Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB). To know about the ISSB selection procedures, this write-up is highly recommended for the aspirants.

After completion of intermediate (HSC) in Pakistan, students are offered to join armed forces through service commission in armed forces of Pakistan (Army, Navy, Airforce, medical/Engineering core). It’s always a dream of almost every student to cash this golden chance and serve the nation in uniform. But not every individual passes to pursue the dreamlife. For clearing the commission test,  aspirants are expected to be physically, mentally, and psychologically perfect to the demanded requirements of the recruitment and selection procedure of the armed forces.

Procedure to apply for armed forces

After applying online for the armed forces, aspirants will need to come across two major steps. These steps are as follows:

  1. Preliminary Tests

  2. Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) Test

Preliminary tests

These tests are being carried in Army Selection & Recruitment Centers (AS&RCs) available in almost every metropolitan city of Pakistan. There are mainly 4 tests being carried at the AS&RCs as a part of the preliminary test. These tests are as follows:

  • Initial Test: This is also called E-testing, this is being conducted on computers. This initial test includes Verbal, Non-verbal and academic test. These tests are designed in a way that after passing the first test, aspirants will lead to the next. Failing any of these three tests will lead to the exclusion of the next process.
  • Physical test: After successfully passing the initial test, candidates are asked to appear for the physical OR medical test. Depends on the availability. Most of the physical exams are taken in early of a morning, probably in a very next day of the initial test. A physical test usually includes 1.5 miles running in a minimum of 8 minutes, push-ups, reach-ups, and ditch crossing.
  • Initial Medical test: In the initial medical test, mainly the height, weight, chest, eye-sight, earning capability, color-blindness, knee-knocking, and skin issues are being thoroughly checked. All of these tests have a pre-described measurement (minimum/maximum requirement).
  • Initial Interview: After clearing the physical and medical test, candidates are usually asked to appear for the initial interview. This interview is also a part of the preliminary test and being conducted at the AS&RCs. This interview is usually being carried by a board of two to three specialists. The board has a minimum one psychologist member as a basic requirement of completing the board. This interview is mainly aimed to know about basics of the candidate’s family background, talking behaviour and mental sharpness. Those who will meet criteria will be asked to fill ISSB form and submit it at AS&RC in a given time.

Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) Test

Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) Test, is designed for the selection of the right person for the right job at the right time. This is a comprehensive test being conducted in 5 consecutive days. Candidates are asked to show their presence at the appropriate ISSB Centre, and they will have to live for 5 days under proper supervision and investigation. To predict ones future behaviour is not an easy job, especially for military, stakes are much high than financial profit or loss. Military leaders are required to possess some special leadership qualities, which make them different than civil managers and leaders. In that matter, ISSB board has to put high efforts to recruit the future leaders of three defense forces of Pakistan.

There are four ISSB Centres in Pakistan. A letter for the call of ISSB has been released to every successful candidate of the preliminary test to appear for the ISSB in prescribed ISSB Centre. These  Centres are as follows:

  1. ISSB Centre Kohat
  2. ISSB Centre Malir, Karachi
  3. ISSB Centre Gujranwala
  4. ISSB Centre Queta

Usually, allotment of Centres is based on the province bases or nearer area to the residency criteria. But candidates can be called randomly as per the availability.

Actually one has to remain in ISSB Centre for five days but officially arrival day could not be counted, so four days are given to Centre in order to predict one’s nature, knowledge, skills, leadership qualities and abilities to work individually or in teams.

Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) Testing and activities

 Reporting day or arrival day:

  • Candidates have to report in the afternoon at the appropriate Centre
  • Block, room, and the bed are allocated to the candidates
  • Documents are checked by staff and chest numbers are allocated to the candidates.
  • Forms are filled by the candidate
  • The candidate is photographed with chest number
  • President addresses in the candidates’ hall

Note: Remember that your single movement is watching by someone either you are informed or not so be serious and conscious at every place.

Day 1 of Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB):

On day-one formal tests are started, the very first test is a screening test which consists of verbal and non-verbal intelligence test.

The overall test consists of 90 questions time allowed is 30 minutes, remember that those who will fail the test are sent back immediately at that time.

And remaining will be asked to continue mechanical aptitude test (MAT), keep in mind that in this test there is negative marking so try to answer those questions you think are 100% right otherwise it’s recommended to leave the answer blank.

After that candidate are led to another hall where the following tests are conducted. Must read Nine reasons behind not Recommendation in ISSB

Word Association Test (WAT)

Around 80 to 100 words will be displayed on a big screen one by one. Candidates will be expected to make a sentence on each word within 7 to 10 seconds.

Sentence completion test

Two sets of Urdu and English 48 each half-sentences will be given to the candidates to complete them in 8 to 10 minutes each set.

Incomplete story (Story making)

Candidates have to make a story continuing given sentence in 3.5 minutes, three sentences are usually displayed on the same big screen. Candidates will need to make an appropriate story. 12 to 15 lines story is recommended.

picture story (Story making)

Make story on a picture displayed on the projector, time for writing each story is 3.5 minutes each picture will be displayed for 30 seconds, three pictures will be displayed in this test.

Self-description test:

In this test candidates are asked to write five of their merits and demerits time given to them for this task is usually 10 minutes.

DAY 2 of Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB):

In the officially second and normally 3rd day, Group Testing Officer (GTO) will appear, and candidates will be divided into groups of 5 to 11 members. Usually, these groups are based on 9 members. The group chest numbers will be allocated and all the GTOs will leave with their groups to evaluate candidates via different tasks. These tasks comprise of Indoor and outdoor tasks.

Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) a group photo with chest numbers
A Group 8 members with GTO allocated chest numbers during Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB)

GTO’s Indoor Tasks

  • group discussion: Two different topics are given to a group of candidates one in English and other in Urdu. GTO narrate the group to start discussion on the topic, each topic is expected to be discussed for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • 2-mints individual speech: After group discussion, individuals will be asked to deliver at least 2 minutes of speech in English or in Urdu. It’s highly recommended to opt for the language in which you’re good.
  • Group planning: After group discussion and speech, candidates will be led to another room where a model of group planning is already placed on a table. GTO will narrate the briefing and group will be given 10 to 15 minutes to think and discuss problems and solve the hindrances. After a given time, GTO will ask for mutual conclusion from one or more than one candidate from the group.

GTO’s Outdoor Tasks

Progressive Group Task (PGT): It is an outdoor task. This is the largest group task, all the group members have to participate in a task in order to complete it. GTO will narrate all the situation, and some helping material will be provided to the group of candidates. GTO will also brief the group regarding inbound and out-of-bound things/area (for material and persons) in a prescribed task field. Candidates will then have to discuss, plan, and act to gather to successfully complete the task along with allocated helping material. Helping material could be the rope, drums, planks and bamboos. Time for this task is usually 40 minutes.

Half-Group tasks (HGT): Group of 3-4 candidates have to perform this task, it is also called a semi-group task. Some practical conditions will be narrated by the GTO just like Progressive Group Task (PGT). Group has to overcome the field and obstacles with the helping material in time for this task. For this task, there are usually 15 to 20 minutes allocated to each half-group.

Interviews:

After GTO  tasks, this day will end-up with the Psych-Interview OR the Dypty-Interview. Remember that Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) is comprised of 3 board member and a president. Three members are GTO, Psychologist, and a Dypty (who conducts a comprehensive interview which includes testing of the knowledge, skills, and abilities).

So, in this day, half groups will have to appear for the Dypty interviews and half groups will interview to the psychologist. These groups will shuffle in the 3rd day simultaneously.

DAY 3 of Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB):

Out-door GTO task will continue with command task (CT):

In the command task, all members will need to participate in their respective number. In command task, one member is opted by the GTO to be assigned as the commander of the rest of the group member. The commander then will be assigned a field task. GTO narrate the instructions of inbound and out0of-bound areas and available material. Then asks the commander to plan, and call the rest of the member of the group to instruct them as well. Usually, 3 members are excluded from this task by GTO to make it a bit concise to evaluate.  Commander is expected to act with a consensus of the team members and cross the field obstacles to reach in the finish-line along with all team members and material in potentially available 8 minutes of time.

This task is repeated with each member as a commander in different task fields. All members get an equal chance to participate in the command task being as the commander and acting as the team members under the supervision of a commander.

Final group Tasks: This task is resembling with progressive group task time is 40 minutes and the population of the group is as same as a progressive group task, but group members could be varied or shuffled. The task is usually based on a one field, and GTO sometimes plays with the mentality of the members by providing them a 10 seconds everything inbound or alike activities.

Individual Obstacles: One of the most important outdoor tasks, which is to perform individually. Each candidate has to cross the different 9 types of obstacles in 2 minutes. Each obstacle has its own importance and marks. These obstacles are usually monkey bridge, rope climbing, tyre crossing, zig-zag moving, boxing ring, long jump, high jump, tarzen swing. Individuals will be expected to score maximum and need to overcome all these obstacles in given two minutes. If time remains one can repeat the task to maximize the score.

Interviews:

Now the interviews of the Dypty and Psych will be carried as shelled from the last day.

DAY 4 of Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB):

Interviews, re-interviews/re-tasks/re-obstacles:

A few candidates are required to re-interviewed by board officers, usually comprising deputy or president of the board to cross-check the evaluation. Or, they can be asked to perform re-task or re-obstacles to validate the evaluation.

After that, all candidates are asked to assemble their personal luggage, collect the TA/DA (Travel and Disturbance Allowance) and can leave for their homes. The result of the test is usually sent to the provided address of the candidates. It could be in the shape of the recommendation of the ISSB, Deferred (chance not missed) and Not-recommendation of the ISSB. Anyhow, the candidates will expectedly receive their ISSB result in 15 to 30 days of their ISSB attempt.

Note: The author was supervised By Mr Farhan Ali Soomro (PhD Scholar) & Teaching Assistant Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur.