Abhishek was recommended through the AFCAT 2 2025 entry from 5 AFSB, Guwahati. He received the recommendation in his 5th SSB attempt.
Background
Abhishek originally belongs to Bihar. Due to his father’s transferable job, he completed his schooling in West Bengal and lived in different places during his childhood.
Motivation to Join the Armed Forces
Serving in the armed forces had been Abhishek’s childhood dream, which motivated him to continue preparing despite multiple attempts.
How R2R Helped
Abhishek joined the R2R Psychology Batch in 2024 and later opted for one-to-one counselling.
He realized that his major weaknesses were in the TAT stories and the Self Description (SD). Although he understood the concepts, he was unsure about the correct approach to writing them. During the counselling sessions, he received detailed guidance on structuring his stories and presenting his personality effectively.
One of the most valuable aspects of the counselling was the personalized review of his stories. The mentor explained:
- what actions the main character should take,
- how emotions should naturally reflect in the story,
- how to maintain a realistic thought process, and
- how to conclude the story with a meaningful and practical outcome.
This individual feedback helped him significantly improve the quality of his psychological tests.
Difference Between the Recommended Attempt and Previous Attempts
Compared to his earlier attempts, Abhishek focused on improving his personal interview. He worked on understanding:
- what to say,
- how to present his experiences,
- and how to communicate his thoughts more effectively and confidently.
This improvement in communication and presentation made a noticeable difference in his final attempt.
Message for Aspirants
Abhishek’s advice to aspirants was simple:
“Focus on continuous improvement. Identify your shortcomings honestly and work consistently to improve them.”
Most Challenging Aspect
According to Abhishek, the most challenging part of the SSB process was understanding what the assessors actually evaluate in a candidate. Once he gained clarity about the purpose behind each task and aligned his preparation accordingly, he was able to approach the SSB with greater confidence.
