The Boy once dared to dream of becoming an Officer in the Prestigious Armed Forces in early childhood. While his friends were grabbing mind blowing packages in college placements, He kept preparing for defence exams, not worrying about the fact that selection rate is near to 0.1%.

After getting coferenced out for OTA entry with the whole batch being washed out, it set for him a minor setback, but it did not stop him from analysing his mistakes and working hard to improve them. FINALLY, the efforts paid off and the feeble setback turned to stronger come back.

This is my story. I am Zaid Zafar and I have GOT RECOMMENDED in Indian Air force for Flying Branch from 3 AFSB Gandhinagar in my 2nd attempt (AFCAT Entry)

STAGE 1 : Screening Test

The stage started with 150 candidates assembling in the hall after breakfast and writing 2 sets of OIR tests with 50 questions each and sufficient time to complete the whole with good accuracy (or so I presume). After OIR, PPDT picture was shown and it was very blurry but observable enough to perceive that some soldiers were getting out of helicopter and looked some sort of rescue mission. In the GD part, most made the similar story and I was the last one to narrate mine. As soon as I finished narration, without a big pause, I started the GD and the fish market followed.

67 were screened in. Be confident and smooth in narration as it is the only moment when all the candidates and assessors, all have their eyes on you.

Stage 2:

1. Psychology Tests

Psyche tests happened the same evening and as we were all a bit tired, I had a good strong black coffee to stay alert. The tests went really good as Col Balasubramanian had made me majorly focus upon this section. He got me set my thinking straight like what an officer would do in the scene or situation. I attempted 50 SRTs, 57 WATs and all TATs.

2. Personal Interview

My PI was scheduled the very next day at 1100H. I was relaxed and a bit anxious both at the same time. I was recalling some facts when the clerk took me to IO’s room and I found out that it was scheduled with the Board President, Air Cmdr Tejpal Singh.

Interview as a whole went fine but I messed up with some factual data, but I believe that’s quite alright. PIQ related questions went smoothly and most portion of the PI was based on that itself. I stayed confident, and believed that I’m an Officer already and I shall answer in that way only, which really helped me to stay calm and BOLD.

PI went for about 50 mins.

3. GTO

Now this was the part which I believed I had messed up in my first attempt so the load was a bit more than normal.

GTO tasks started with GPE and no one had a common solution. There was a lot of dominance and shouts and I found myself some opportunities to speak up in GD and put some Brave hearted Officer points such as, not directly taking help from authorities and solving the problems by ourselves as brave young men. I think those points showed the courage in me.

GDs went fine and I initiated one of two GDs and grabbed some 4-5 chances to speak and put my perspective. Topics were Indian Ocean Region Significance and Why Indian Education is suffering. Reading editorials of Indian Express regularly helped me to put a unique point of view.

In Outdoor tasks, I couldn’t give much ideas in the early stages but never backed down to help my group in any situation. I gave some solutions later on when my group was stuck in one of the obstacles. We, as a group utilized the USPs of all the members such as strength, ability to tie good knots, lightweight etc.

In Outdoor tasks love your group mates and think as they are your fellow officers in some covert operations (:p) and work smartly.

I did 7/10 Individual Obstacles and did it bravely without having second thoughts before jumping off to catch the million miles away hanging rope from a million feet high platform.

Command task was also good and I was called last among my group mates. I was called as a subordinate for 3 times. The GTO increased the difficulty level of my task but with my brave and trusting subordinates, we finished it in time.

Conference Day:

Our conference day was overlapping with the 2nd GTO day. So, we ran quickly from GTO ground and changed to formals and kept our bags already packed. After a zillion hours, conference started and we were called in for 30-60 seconds each. I observed that there was a longer gap before they called me in. As usual conference went for about a minute in which they asked the meaning of my name (which is ‘to grow’) and asked me how have I grown from my previous attempt. And other basic accommodation/suggestions questions to which I replied all was very good.

After sometime, in the common hall, the results were announced and I was numb for a

second when they said “Chest No. 40 is recommended ”. That moment was one of the best

ones in my life and will remember that for the rest of my life.

We were 3 candidates recommended among 67. (2 repeaters, 1 fresher).

With Allah’s grace, I’ve cleared my CPSS as well as Medicals for flying branch and awaiting

for the merit and joining letter and let my wings go free to FLY for MY NATION.

With the experience, I could rightfully say that Boy DO NOT settle for less and man if you think that YOU HAVE IT IN YOU, just be patient and keep doing what feels right and you’re almost there.

JAI HIND!

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PROFILE

NAME :  ZAID ZAFAR

EDN     :  B TECH (ECE)

NATIVE : NEW DELHI