Greetings everyone!
I’m Ujjwal Dobhal from Dehradun, Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. Today, I’m excited to share my journey of achieving three consecutive Service Selection Board (SSB) recommendations—after being conferenced out in my first four attempts.
Being from the Garhwal region, I’ve always had immense respect for the Armed Forces. Listening to the stories of courageous soldiers and their adventurous lives inspired me to dream of wearing the uniform. I graduated with a BSc. CS (Hons.) from CVS College, Delhi University, joined NCC, participated in the music society, and worked on building my interpersonal and organizational skills. Despite my efforts, my first two SSB attempts for TES and then AFCAT did not bring success.
I reflected on my setbacks and realized the need to improve my knowledge, especially for GD, Lecturette, and Interview Officer (IO) rounds. My psych test responses were also vague and unorganized. That’s when I started a journey of honest self-observation—analyzing my behavior and actions both individually and in groups. Alongside physical fitness, I focused on studies to clear the IMA cut-off in CDS.
During the 2020 lockdown, I began taking guidance from the Georgians Defence Academy in my third year of college. KP Sir and Deepak Sir became my real mentors. Deepak Sir’s approach to psych tests was invaluable—especially his advice to relate TAT stories to my own experiences and interests. For GDs and Lecturettes, I improved my knowledge by regularly reading newspapers, watching informative videos, and practicing in daily sessions at the Academy. I also took numerous mock interviews, identified my weak areas, and worked diligently to overcome them. The environment at Georgians was motivating, surrounded by like-minded aspirants and mentors providing regular feedback.
Even after all this effort, I couldn’t make it in my next two CDS OTA SSBs in Allahabad and Kapurthala. However, I remained confident that my breakthrough would come.
The turning point arrived in January 2021. After being conferenced out at Kapurthala on 17th January, I had another SSB scheduled just four days later in Dehradun for the AFCAT entry. Feeling disheartened, I considered skipping it to prepare better for my next IMA attempt. But KP Sir encouraged me, advising me to treat this attempt as a mock and focus on enjoying the process rather than the outcome. I followed his advice—and to my delight, I was recommended for the AFCAT flying branch! From there, my confidence soared, and I went on to achieve three consecutive SSB recommendations (1 AFSB on 25 January 2021, 24 SSB Bangalore on 8 May 2021, and 1 AFSB again on 11 June 2021).
I am grateful to everyone who contributed to my journey: my parents, my school St. Joseph’s Academy, teachers, friends, NCC seniors, the Georgians Defence Academy, and my dedicated mentors.
To every Defence aspirant reading this—keep working hard, stay positive, and be humble. Don’t get discouraged by setbacks. If you’re truly passionate, success is just around the corner!
Best wishes,
Ujjwal Dobhal
