SSB Prep Sheet

101 topics in 9 sections, in the order worth learning them — each with the points to know and the question an Interviewing Officer is likely to ask. Made with SSB ex-assessors and recommended candidates, and kept up to date with current trends.

Know Yourself

Most interview questions come from your own PIQ. Start here, not with the news.

Know Yourself: Your background

Your home town and district (Must know) — likely question: “Tell me about your home town. What is its biggest problem, and how would you fix it?”
Your state (Must know) — likely question: “What is going well in your state, and what is not?”
Your family (Must know) — likely question: “Who are you closest to in your family, and why?”
Your school, college and marks (Must know) — likely question: “Your marks fell in Class 12. What happened?”

Know Yourself: Your choices

Why do you want to join the forces? (Must know) — likely question: “Why the forces, and not a well-paid civilian job?”
Your service and branch choice (Must know) — likely question: “Why the Navy over the Army? What will you do on your first posting?”
Your hobbies and sports (Must know) — likely question: “You wrote "reading" as a hobby. What did you read last month?”
Strengths, weaknesses and failures (Good to know) — likely question: “What are your weaknesses? What are you doing about them?”
Your previous SSB attempts (Good to know) — likely question: “You were not recommended last time. Why do you think so?”

Armed Forces Basics

You are joining them. Knowing how they work is the least the board expects.

Armed Forces Basics: Structure

How the three services are organised (Must know) — likely question: “What does the CDS do, and why was the post created?”
Ranks and their equivalents (Must know) — likely question: “What is the Navy equivalent of a Colonel?”
Commands and their headquarters (Good to know) — likely question: “Which command looks after the border with China in the East?”
Theatre commands and jointness (Good to know) — likely question: “Should India move to theatre commands? What could go wrong?”

Armed Forces Basics: History and people

India's wars since 1947 (Must know) — likely question: “What lesson from 1962 still matters today?”
Recent operations (Must know) — likely question: “What did Operation Sindoor show about how India now answers terror?”
Gallantry awards and heroes (Good to know) — likely question: “Tell me about one Param Vir Chakra winner who inspires you.”
Joint exercises with other countries (Go deeper) — likely question: “Why does India train with foreign militaries?”

Armed Forces Basics: Reforms and people policy

Agnipath scheme (Must know) — likely question: “Is Agnipath good for the Army? Give both sides, then your view.”
Women in the armed forces (Must know) — likely question: “Should women serve in all combat roles?”
Veterans and One Rank One Pension (Go deeper) — likely question: “How can the country use the skills of retired soldiers better?”

Defence & Security

The threats India faces, inside and outside, and how it answers them.

Defence & Security: Borders

India–China border (LAC) (Must know) — likely question: “How should India deal with China — talk, compete, or both?”
Pakistan and cross-border terrorism (Must know) — likely question: “Can India ever have normal ties with Pakistan?”
Border infrastructure and Vibrant Villages (Good to know) — likely question: “Why do border villages matter for national security?”

Defence & Security: Inside the country

Jammu & Kashmir after Article 370 (Must know) — likely question: “What has changed in J&K since 2019, and what still needs work?”
Left-wing extremism (Naxalism) (Good to know) — likely question: “Is Naxalism a law-and-order problem or a development problem?”
Northeast and Manipur (Good to know) — likely question: “What will bring lasting peace in Manipur?”
Cyber security (Must know) — likely question: “Is cyber war a bigger threat than a border war?”

Defence & Security: Building strength

Make in India in defence (Must know) — likely question: “Can India become self-reliant in defence? What is holding it back?”
Indian Ocean and maritime security (Good to know) — likely question: “Why does the Indian Ocean matter so much to India?”
Nuclear policy (Good to know) — likely question: “Should India keep its No First Use policy?”
Drones and the changing face of war (Good to know) — likely question: “Will drones make tanks and big ships useless?”
Space and defence (Go deeper) — likely question: “Is space the next battlefield?”

International Relations

Who India works with, who it competes with, and why.

International Relations: Big powers

India–US relations (Must know) — likely question: “Is the US a reliable partner for India?”
India–China relations (Must know) — likely question: “Can India reduce its trade dependence on China?”
India–Russia relations (Must know) — likely question: “Why has India not condemned Russia over Ukraine?”
Strategic autonomy (Must know) — likely question: “Is it wise for India to stay friends with everyone?”

International Relations: Neighbours

Neighbourhood First (Must know) — likely question: “Why do some neighbours tilt towards China?”
Bangladesh (Good to know) — likely question: “How should India handle the new Bangladesh?”
Nepal and Bhutan (Good to know) — likely question: “What makes the India–Nepal bond special?”
Sri Lanka and the Maldives (Good to know) — likely question: “Why do small island countries matter to India?”
Afghanistan and Myanmar (Go deeper) — likely question: “Should India engage with the Taliban?”

International Relations: Groups and regions

Quad and the Indo-Pacific (Must know) — likely question: “Is the Quad an anti-China group?”
BRICS and SCO (Good to know) — likely question: “What does India gain from BRICS?”
G20 and the Global South (Good to know) — likely question: “Can India be the voice of the Global South?”
UN reform and the Security Council (Good to know) — likely question: “Is the UN still useful?”
West Asia (Middle East) (Good to know) — likely question: “How does a war in West Asia affect an Indian village?”
Russia–Ukraine war (Good to know) — likely question: “What has the Ukraine war taught the world about modern war?”
Act East and ASEAN (Go deeper) — likely question: “How can Act East help India's Northeast?”

International Relations: India's influence

Soft power (Must know) — likely question: “Give an example of India using soft power.”
Indian diaspora (Good to know) — likely question: “Is brain drain bad for India?”

Economy

Money, jobs and prices — the topics that touch every family.

Economy: The basics

GDP and growth (Must know) — likely question: “India is a big economy. Why are so many Indians still poor?”
Inflation and the RBI (Must know) — likely question: “Why do onion prices become national news?”
The falling rupee (Good to know) — likely question: “Is a falling rupee always bad?”
The Budget and fiscal deficit (Good to know) — likely question: “Are freebies good or bad for the country?”

Economy: Jobs and people

Unemployment and jobs (Must know) — likely question: “How can India create jobs for its youth?”
Farmers and agriculture (Must know) — likely question: “Why are Indian farmers struggling when India grows so much food?”
Poverty and inequality (Good to know) — likely question: “Is growing inequality a problem if the poor are also getting richer?”

Economy: Business and trade

Make in India and manufacturing (Good to know) — likely question: “Can India replace China as the world's factory?”
Digital India and UPI (Must know) — likely question: “How has UPI changed life in your town?”
Startups (Go deeper) — likely question: “Should a bright student start a company or take a job?”
Trade, tariffs and trade deals (Good to know) — likely question: “Should India protect its industries or open up to trade?”
Energy security (Good to know) — likely question: “How can India get cheap power without hurting the planet?”

Polity & Governance

How India is run. Officers swear an oath to this Constitution.

Polity & Governance: The Constitution

Constitution basics (Must know) — likely question: “Which Fundamental Right matters most to you, and why?”
Centre and states (Good to know) — likely question: “Is India becoming too centralised?”
Uniform Civil Code (Good to know) — likely question: “Should India have a Uniform Civil Code?”

Polity & Governance: Institutions

Elections and One Nation One Election (Must know) — likely question: “Should India hold all elections together?”
Courts and delayed justice (Good to know) — likely question: “Justice delayed is justice denied. How do we speed it up?”
Panchayats and local government (Good to know) — likely question: “How does your village or ward panchayat work?”
Women's reservation in Parliament (Good to know) — likely question: “Will reservation alone bring women into politics?”
Corruption and transparency (Good to know) — likely question: “Can technology end corruption?”
Police reform (Go deeper) — likely question: “What one change would make the police better?”

Society

GDs love social issues. Have a calm, balanced view, not an angry one.

Society: Women

Women at work (Must know) — likely question: “Why do educated Indian women leave work?”
Women's safety (Must know) — likely question: “What can a young officer do to make women feel safe?”
Women in politics and leadership (Good to know) — likely question: “Why are so few Indian women in leadership roles?”

Society: Youth and education

Education and NEP 2020 (Must know) — likely question: “What is wrong with India's education system?”
Population and the demographic dividend (Must know) — likely question: “Is India's large population a strength or a burden?”
Social media and youth (Must know) — likely question: “Is social media doing more harm than good to young people?”
Drug abuse (Good to know) — likely question: “How can we keep young people away from drugs?”
Mental health (Good to know) — likely question: “Why do we not talk about mental health openly?”

Society: Society at large

Healthcare (Good to know) — likely question: “How would you improve healthcare in your district?”
Caste and reservation (Good to know) — likely question: “Should reservation be based on caste or on income?”
Cities and migration (Good to know) — likely question: “Should we stop people moving to big cities, or make cities better?”
Unity in diversity (Good to know) — likely question: “What holds India together?”
Sports in India (Good to know) — likely question: “Why does India win so few Olympic medals for its size?”

Science & Technology

Big ideas explained simply. You do not need to be an engineer.

Science & Technology: Space

ISRO and India's space journey (Must know) — likely question: “Why should a developing country spend on space?”

Science & Technology: New technology

Artificial Intelligence (Must know) — likely question: “Will AI take away more jobs than it creates?”
Semiconductors (chips) (Good to know) — likely question: “Why are chips called the new oil?”
Data privacy (Good to know) — likely question: “Who owns your data — you or the company?”
Electric vehicles (Good to know) — likely question: “Is India ready for electric vehicles?”
Nuclear energy (Go deeper) — likely question: “Should India build more nuclear power plants?”
Vaccines and biotech (Go deeper) — likely question: “What did Covid teach India about health security?”

Environment & Geography

The planet is a GD favourite. Know the map, then the debate.

Environment & Geography: India on the map

India's geography basics (Must know) — likely question: “Which states border China? Name the rivers of your state.”
Monsoon and El Niño (Good to know) — likely question: “How does warm water in the Pacific affect an Indian farmer?”

Environment & Geography: Climate and pollution

Climate change and India (Must know) — likely question: “Should India slow its growth to fight climate change?”
Solar and wind power (Good to know) — likely question: “Can solar power replace coal in India?”
Air pollution (Must know) — likely question: “Who is responsible for Delhi's smog?”
Water crisis (Must know) — likely question: “Will the next war be fought over water?”
Plastic and waste (Go deeper) — likely question: “What would you do to cut plastic use in your town?”

Environment & Geography: Disasters and nature

Disaster management (Must know) — likely question: “What role do the armed forces play in disasters?”
The fragile Himalayas (Good to know) — likely question: “Development or the environment in the hills — can we have both?”
Forests and wildlife (Go deeper) — likely question: “Is Project Cheetah worth the cost?”

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