Hello Defence aspirants,

This is Sumit Kumar. I was born in the Bulandshahar district of Uttar Pradesh, but my upbringing took place across India since my father serves in the Army. I completed my 12th from APS Ambala Cantt in 2019, scoring 87.6%, and also cleared JEE Mains before joining AIT Pune.

Growing up in cantonment areas, surrounded by friends from military schools and engaging in adventurous sports like swimming and horse riding, I naturally gravitated towards the Armed Forces. My father has always been my role model, inspiring me through his service.

However, no one is perfect—I, too, struggled with communication skills and self-confidence. My SSB journey was full of ups and downs, including four conference outs (C/O), two screen outs (S/O), and finally two recommendations. There’s a saying: “Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” This became my mantra—I never lost hope and kept working toward my goal.

Thanks to my friend Kaushal Pal from Military School Bangalore, I decided to seek guidance for SSB and enrolled in Georgians Defence Academy (GDA). It was one of the best decisions I made.

At GDA, every faculty member is supportive and kind. I spent about a month at the academy, focusing intensely on my communication skills through regular lecturettes and group discussions. Special thanks to KP Sir, whose immense knowledge and guidance helped me organize my content and improve my body language. For psychology, Deepak Sir was instrumental—he’s a motivating mentor who helped me with TAT, WAT, SRT, and self-reflection through case studies.

The academy’s approach of regular mock interviews and honest feedback pushed me to self-introspect and work on my weaknesses. What sets GDA apart is the hard-working nature of the faculty. They provide individual attention, motivate students through talks, and instill confidence and determination to work hard. I genuinely feel that GDA doesn’t just coach—they prepare us for life.

Mentors at GDA emphasize being a good person above all. SSB is ultimately a personality-based test, and GDA is doing a fantastic job of nurturing good morals and ethos. The environment is always encouraging, and their philosophy is clear: “SSB is a game—enjoy it, and you’ll win.” I embraced this mindset, and it made all the difference.

Tips from my side:

• Inculcate good hobbies and interests like reading, running, and meditation to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally strong.
• Always maintain a positive attitude. Whatever happens, happens for good.
• Be motivated and determined if the Armed Forces is your true calling—don the uniform with pride and responsibility.
• Seek guidance, whether from friends or mentors, like I found in GDA.

All the best to all Defence aspirants!