The SSB assesses every candidate on 15 Officer Like Qualities (OLQs), grouped under four factors: planning and organising, social adjustment, social effectiveness and dynamic. Three assessors test them independently: the Psychologist, the Group Testing Officer and the Interviewing Officer. This guide lists the 15, shows which tests bring each out using the Army’s own description of the tests, and gives daily habits to build them.
How we sourced this. The Army’s description of the SSB, reproduced in a 2025 Supreme Court judgment (Arshnoor Kaur v Union of India, 2025 INSC 954), confirms that candidates are tested for 15 OLQs by the three assessors. The Indian Navy’s selection page names the four heads. The list of the 15 names below is the one printed in a training presentation of a state government training institute (the MCR HRD Institute), and it matches how SSB guides group them. The armed forces’ public pages we could read do not print the 15 names in one place, so names can differ slightly between sources.
The 15 OLQs under the four factors
| Factor | OLQs | In plain words |
|---|---|---|
| I. Planning and organising | Effective Intelligence; Reasoning Ability; Organising Ability; Power of Expression | Think a problem through, use what you have, arrange it and say it clearly |
| II. Social adjustment | Social Adaptability; Cooperation; Sense of Responsibility | Fit in with different people, work for the group and do your duty unprompted |
| III. Social effectiveness | Initiative; Self Confidence; Speed of Decision; Ability to Influence the Group; Liveliness | Start things, back yourself, decide in time, bring others along and stay cheerful |
| IV. Dynamic | Determination; Courage; Stamina | Keep going, face risk and last physically and mentally |
That makes four, three, five and three: fifteen in all. The Navy’s page words the four heads as planning and organising ability, social adaptability, social effectiveness and dynamic ability.
Which stage brings out which quality
The Army’s description says what each test is meant to assess. The right-hand column is our reading of which OLQs those aims point to.
| Test | What the Army’s description says it assesses | OLQs it points to |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence test (OIR) | Logic and analytical aptitude, rated I to V | Effective Intelligence, Reasoning Ability |
| Picture Perception and Discussion Test | Accuracy of perception; then power of expression, clarity of language, confidence, participation and ability to accept and integrate others’ ideas | Power of Expression, Self Confidence, Cooperation |
| Psychology tests (TAT, WAT, SRT, Self Description) | Checked for all 15 OLQs by the psychologist, independently | All fifteen |
| Group Discussion | Communication, expressing opinions, listening | Power of Expression, Cooperation |
| Group Planning Exercise | Problem solving, logical thinking, teamwork | Reasoning Ability, Organising Ability, Cooperation |
| Progressive Group Task | Teamwork, leadership, determination, physical stamina | Ability to Influence the Group, Determination, Stamina |
| Snake / Group Obstacle Race | Physical stamina, coordination, teamwork | Stamina, Cooperation |
| Lecturette | Communication, clarity of thought, presenting information | Power of Expression, Reasoning Ability |
| Half Group Task | Leadership, delegation, working under pressure | Ability to Influence the Group, Sense of Responsibility |
| Individual Obstacles | Physical fitness, determination, problem solving | Courage, Determination, Stamina |
| Command Task | Leadership potential, taking charge, motivating others | Initiative, Speed of Decision, Ability to Influence the Group |
| Final Group Task | Problem solving, decision making, teamwork | Speed of Decision, Cooperation |
| Interview | Your life, academics, achievements, interests, sports, feelings for family and society, awareness, physical and mental fortitude | Social Adaptability, Sense of Responsibility, Liveliness and more |
UPSC’s notice adds that there is no separate weightage for each test. Assessors allot marks after looking at your performance as a whole, and the conference marks follow your initial performance and the board’s decision. A single weak task does not decide the result. Read the full process in our SSB interview process guide. This page does not repeat it, so the two do not compete.
Daily habits that build each factor
Factor I: planning and organising
- Plan your next day each night in five lines and check it off.
- Read an editorial and summarise it aloud in one minute.
- Solve a few reasoning problems daily and explain your method to someone.
Factor II: social adjustment
- Work with people you do not usually mix with: a class project, a sports team, a community task.
- Do a household or school duty without being told, every day.
- Learn to give up an idea when the group has a better one.
Factor III: social effectiveness
- Volunteer to start something small: a tutoring session, a clean-up, a match.
- Practise deciding within a minute on everyday choices, then reflect on the result.
- Introduce yourself and speak first in a new group.
Factor IV: dynamic
- Follow a fitness routine you can sustain, with gradual progress.
- Do one thing each week that makes you slightly uncomfortable, such as speaking before a class.
- Finish what you start, even when it becomes dull.
These habits take months, not days, which is why we suggest starting well before the call-up. If you want feedback from officers’ viewpoint on your own profile, call or WhatsApp +91 70170 31757 for free counselling.
A warning against acting
The Army’s description stresses that assessors see you across several tests and several days. A candidate who performs a personality for one task is rarely consistent across all. Build the habit, not the act.
Related reading: our guides on the PIQ form, the SSB conference, GTO tasks and psychology tests.
Is the assessment different for women?
The Army’s description says the SSB procedure is common for men and women candidates, with the same OLQs tested through the same techniques. It notes one difference in the physical tasks: in the Individual Obstacles Task, women may be permitted to complete eight of the ten obstacles instead of all ten, may still attempt the remaining two for marks, and are not given the marks of a man who completed all ten for completing eight. Everything else in the table above applies to both.
How your own life shows your OLQs
The interview is where your history becomes evidence. A student who captained a team, managed a school event or looked after a younger sibling has real examples of initiative, responsibility and cooperation. You need not invent anything. You need to know your real examples well enough to describe what you did, what went wrong and what you learned. Our PIQ guide shows how to prepare them.
FAQs
Questions parents ask us.
Can't find yours? Ask on WhatsApp; a counsellor usually replies within working hours.
Ask on WhatsAppHow many OLQs are there in SSB?
Fifteen, according to the Army's description of the SSB, tested by the Psychologist, the Group Testing Officer and the Interviewing Officer.
What are the four factors in SSB?
Planning and organising, social adjustment, social effectiveness and dynamic. The Navy words them as planning and organising ability, social adaptability, social effectiveness and dynamic ability.
Which OLQs does the Command Task test?
The Army says it assesses leadership potential, taking charge and motivating others, which points to Initiative, Speed of Decision and Ability to Influence the Group.
Can OLQs be developed?
UPSC says the tests bring out the presence or absence of OLQs and their trainability. Habits built over months help.
Do all three assessors test the same qualities?
Yes. Each tests the 15 OLQs independently through their own techniques.
Is each test weighted separately?
No. UPSC's notice says there is no separate weightage for each test.
Sources
- Supreme Court of India: Arshnoor Kaur v Union of India (2025 INSC 954), reproducing the Army’s description of the SSB
- Indian Navy: selection procedure for officers (the four heads)
- MCR HRD Institute: Officer Like Qualities presentation (the list of 15 under four factors)
- UPSC: NDA and NA (II) 2026 notice (assessors, weightage)
Building these qualities is the point of SSB training at GS India Defence Academy, which runs classroom SSB training in Dehradun with separate hostels for boys and girls and a mess. See the fee structure page for current options.
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