Introduction

Screening Test comprises of three major activities, namely, OIR (Officers' Intelligence Rating) Test, PPDT (Picture Perception & Description Test) and the PPDT Group Discussion.

The OIR Test entails verbal and non-verbal reasoning ability questions. The more you practice OIR Tests the better you will become. So long as you can procure more than 60% in this test you will be safe.

Be formally dressed and reach the PPDT Testing Hall well in advance to relax your nerves and be mentally prepared to think positive.

Performance in the PPDT assumes a great importance in clearing the Screening Test. What needs to be essentially understood is that unless you know what are the essentials of story writing, you may not measure up to the required standards. The story writing entails the under mentioned steps.

Cardinals of PPDT Story Writing

• Fill up details about the characters that you have perceived in the box as directed by the Psych during his briefing.
• Look at the background of the hazy picture projected. The same would decide the setting of your story, i.e. rural, urban, market place, stadium, etc.
• Now look at the foreground and see how many characters you see in the picture.
• Identify the main character and give him/her a name, you would invariably identify the main character closest to your own age group.
• Write the Center Heading of you story, which will represent the action that you have perceived in the picture.
• The story that you write must give out the following: What led to the scene that you have perceived, what is presently going on in the scene and what would be a logical outcome of the scene that you have perceived.
• Remember the characteristics portrayed by the main character are a reflection of your personality attributes. Also, the theme of the story will represent your mental makeup, i.e. constructive/destructive, optimist/pessimist, etc.
• Hence, write a positive, constructive, realistic and a story that depicts a mature mind that is very well informed. You could make a story on some current themes, e.g. Crime against women, ragging, infrastructure development, water conservation, communal harmony, etc.
• You could show your awareness level by giving more of the actions done by the main character to achieve the goals that he set for himself.
• Since, you only get 4 mins to write your story it must be concise and to the point.

Example to Understand the Essentials

• The theme must highlight a mature, constructive and a well informed person, who understands the intricacies of our society and knows how its systems well.
• Furthermore, identify a main character with whom you can intimately relate and who is empowered to do the task that you expect him to perform in the story.
• The story must have no, or, very little flab (non essential details), e.g. Ram was a brilliant student; he worked hard and qualified the entrance test of civil services. He underwent training and got posted as a District Transport Officer, etc, etc....... This is a non essential “flab”. The story could simply begin with: Ram a newly appointed District Transport Officer.......
• The main part, giving the “actions” to resolve issues in the story is invariably missing, e.g. “The District Transport Officer observed that the traffic management in the town was inadequate, leading to congestion and problem to commuters. So he called for a meeting and deputed his subordinates to ensure there was improvement on all fronts”. Now there is no “action” to indicate, as to what was done to set the systems right, which need to be essentially listed out to demonstrate your knowledge of how systems work and what needs to be done to improve it, e.g. the points that could be included in the “Action” part are: Improving the road conditions, diverting/ channelizing traffic, making the traffic police more effective by providing them the requisite wherewithal, installing CCTV cameras to catch and penalise defaulters, removing encroachment from the roads to make them apparently wide, removed the problems of cattle / beggar menace, campaigns to reduce road rage and improve traffic and civic sense, like lane driving, information about rights, etc.
• Invariably, because you have used up the time and space to write a lengthy/ flabby introduction of the main character that you are left with no time to write about the actions and hence, the story lacks the “meat”.
• Lastly, many candidates forget to write an outcome of the story, which in this case could be: Because of the initiatives of Ram, the traffic congestion and cases of road rage and road accidents reduced considerably and he felt immensely satisfied with this achievement.

PPDT Group Discussion

• Most important part of this phase, is the individual narration of your story. Make sure that you are able to give out your story confidently, clearly and within one minute. Do rehearse it many times before you are called in for the discussion.
• Listen to everyone's story very intently and identify the common thread emerging in their stories.
• Do not promote your own story, but, go on to support the common theme of the story.
• Do not contribute with low level inputs like, how many characters, what were their ages, etc, but give quality contribution that shows your general awareness.
• Act as a moderator in the discussion by assisting the group to come to a common theme.
• Encourage everyone to participate and be sensitive to other people's views. You should be seen as a very polite, decent and pleasant person.
• Once a common theme has been selected by the group, participate with quality points that show your high calibre and knowledge.
• Do not lose your composure, do not get aggressive, and tactfully deal with some candidates who are group disruptive and rude.
• Do not speak too long at one time, but, at the same time make sure that you are positively visible throughout the discussion.

Example to Understand the Essentials

• Most candidates start repeating their own story which they had narrated and which has been already heard by everyone. Thus wasting time and annoying the assessors.
• Second mistake that the candidates make is that they talk only of peripheral issues like, what were the numbers, age, gender and mood of the characters, rather than talking about the theme.
• A good way to initiate the GD would be to say, “Gentlemen/ Ladies, most of us have perceived the main character as discussing a plan with others. There are many different themes that have emerged, however, preparing a plan to improve traffic conditions in a town happen to be the most prominent one, so let’s go with it”.
• There will be invariably a chaotic discussion, where no one to listen to anyone and a fish market type of condition will prevail. However, you must contribute sensibly by choosing the right time to enter the GD, when slightly less number of candidates are speaking.
• The most important point that you need to understand is that whenever you get that 5 second window of opportunity to speak, you must make a real relevant point that bring you into limelight.
• Especially, those candidates who have a soft voice or are slightly mild, must draw everyone’s attention before making a point by saying something like, “I wish to add to CH No10’s point, or, I have an important point to add here, please listen, etc.
• Believe in quality and not in quantity participation. If you add all the above points that we have listed out as “Action” points, every time that you get a chance to speak, it will surely set you apart from the rest of the group.

Aspects Beyond the Tests

As you are aware that Screening Test, is a dynamic evaluation of your projected personality by all the three assessors. Hence, you physical demeanour, social graces and a pleasant demonstrated behaviour will go a long way to catch the eye of the assessors.

A person who is well groomed and looks bright and active will definitely have a greater chance of success as the physical attributes are also being assessed.

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