Aim of Inter Services Selection Board is to select potential officers for the defence forces of Pakistan who have the requisite capabilities to successfully complete their course of training at the military academies and also possess physical, mental, social and dynamic qualities to make successful leaders during peace and war.Inter Services Selection Board caters for selection of candidates for training as potential officers for all the three services of Pakistan. Services Headquarters, however, plan the total number of candidates to be tested/inducted in various courses as per their overall requirement/schedule.
The selection technique followed by the ISSB is three dimensional. All candidates appearing before the ISSB are to take three different types of tests, i.e, psych tests, GTO tests and Interview.
The Psychologist Officers, Group Testing Officers and the Deputy Presidents, who are specialists in their respective fields, administer these tests.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS
These tests include intelligence and personality tests and are held on the morning of the first day.
Intelligence Tests
These are of two main types; verbal and non verbal. Candidates who fail to come up to the minimum standards are screened out. They are allowed to proceed back to their homes after the test on the first day.
Mechanical Aptitude Test
It is designed to assess candidates’ basic mechanical sense.
Personality Tests
These are written tests of analytical/ projective type. Responses provide indication.
OUT DOOR TESTS
Out Door Tests
Group Tests. In group tests the candidates are put through a number of standardized situations to find out the degree of officer like qualities in a candidate i.e., team spirit, initiative, resourcefulness etc, and whether the candidate’s personality fits him for a practical role that an officer has to play in the Armed Forces. For these tests, the candidates are divided into groups. The tests include:-
Group Discussion
Informal discussions are conducted in a group on given subjects.
Group Planning
A group plan for a given problem on the model is to be evolved.
Group Tasks
Three group tasks are conducted in which candidates are presented practical situation and left to solve these. Normally these comprise obstacles over which the group is required to carry objects of sufficient bulk and weight.
Command Tasks
Each candidate is in turn appointed the commander of the group and given a practical task requiring several men.
Individual Obstacles
Simple obstacles which a candidate is required to tackle.
INTERVIEWS
Interviewer assesses the candidates in an informal and objective manner. The questions would mainly pertain to the candidate’s life, academics, awareness and general aspects requiring the candidates’ views.
TESTING PROGRAMME
Following are the activities you have to perform each day; A indicates Arrival while 1, 2, 3 & 4 indicates days.
AReception
Checking of Documents
Allotment of ID / Chest numbers
Photographs
Administration Staff’s address
Completion of Board Questionnaires
01Opening Address by a Deputy President
Intelligence Tests
Announcement of screening out result
Remaining Psychological Tests
(Screened out Candidates will not attend the subsequent tests)
02Briefing
Indoor Tasks
Group Discussion
Group Planning
Outdoor Tasks
Progressive Group Task (PGT)
Half Group Task (HGT)
Interviews
03Individual Obstacles
Command Task
Final Group Task (FGT)
Interviews (leftovers)
04Conferences
Preparation of all the results
Dispersal of candidates
