It was the most difficult task of the day early in the morning at 0500 hrs of 2nd of October 2010 that is to wake up. We were ordered to gather near barracks at 7 AM with our luggage packed. We completed our daily business, bathed and taken food and gathered at the specified area. We are then given instructions and taken to the Stage I testing area that is Screening test in which we are to face two intelligence tests of 40-40 multiple choice questions which are to be completed in 17 minutes respectively. After the intelligence test we are shown a blunt hazy picture to write a story upon for PPDT Test that is Picture Perception Description Test. In this test a hazy picture is shown on which story is to be written making a central idea of solving a problem or some courageous story. After written part, groups are formed according to chest numbers and group discussion(GD) is being carried out in which each candidate will narrated their story and the discussion is done after that. In discussion we are to reach a common story considering all the elements of the picture. Luckily I got a chance to conclude the story as no one concluded and the I stage was completed.
It was afternoon and stomach was shouting for its companion. Then we had our lunch and queued for Stage I result and the result was announced and I was through to the second stage of the SSB and got new chest number 38. Only about 70 were left from about 140 candidates. It was a happy moment for me as I had to stay in Dehradun for other 4 more days. I called at home and told them about this and they were too happy of hearing all this.
Now the real test was set to test us. In the evening we were called up for the first test of Stage II that was Psychology test. It was the most tiring test of the whole selection procedure as we have to write like horses running in race arena. The psychology test contains various tests such as Thematic aperception test(TAT), Word association test(WAT), Situation reaction test(SRT) and Self description test. In TAT 12 images are shown one by one on which we need to make a story of about 200 words. Last slide is blank slide so you should have to make any story from your own mind. In WAT 60 words come on screen one after another and we have to form sentences on each word within 15 secs. SRT test carries 60 different situations on which we need to give our reactions. One more test is there that is self description test in which we have to describe our self on behalf of our parents, teachers and ourselves. The psycho test was the most tiring one as it was not only written one but also it made us tired mentally.
It was 9 PM and we swiftly move towards mess took up our dinner and went to sleep. That day the food was nice as compared to the previous day. May be that was a reward for us for clearing the Stage I.
Next day we were to meet our next test that was Group task officers test (GTO) and the day to wander Dehradun and I was too much excited for the next day and it was the time to sleep. So Good Night friends.

Begining of a new era...

Oh finally the day comes when I was going to enter in a new era, a new world. World of most respected uniform, bullets, snipers, Jet planes and a tag of an officer. It was October 1,2010 my cousin dropped me from my Aunt's home to railway station Dehradun near M.C.O. and here the officials of Indian Air Force and other candidates were already present. They were checking the interview call letters and assigning the respective bus to go to the selection board. I also got my documents verified and moved to the respected bus and the feeling of a little fear and excitement was engraving me. I was totally blank and just thinking what will happen?
Oh the moment came and the bus moves into selection centre. We were lined up and there were about 140 candidates and we are provided with chest numbers and I got number 37 and the tests begin after that. First of all we face Pilot Aptitude and Battery Test (PABT). This a once in a lifetime test. I f you fail once then you cannot become a pilot in Indian Air Force. It is considered that IQ of a person cant be increased or decreased so other chance is not an option here. This test contains two parts. One is INSB which is a written test based on the instruments of the jet plane. If you clear the first one, only then you are supposed to appear in the second part of the test which is machine based test. Luckily I was through to instrumentation test and appeared in the machine test. Its likely to play Video Game  in actual. A small ball appeared in the screen of the machine and it was considered as our virtual jet plane and we have to control that ball following some instructions given by the authorities. I played that as a video game based on instructions given by them. The test was over and the result was to be declared at the end of all the tests.
It was already 8 in the evening and stomach was bitterly craving for something to eat and the about after half an hour they show us the way of mess and I jumped to plate and gathered my food and oh it was not cooked well but is was awesome for a empty tummy. Then the coordinator call the candidates to line up and he gave instructions and bade us good night and we move into our respective barracks and slept early as  next day we have to wake up for screening test at 5 in the morning. GOOD NIGHT.

By luck By chance??

Stepping stone to an officer was laid down at the time I was preparing for my engineering exams. Now the days are free from tensions and anxieties as all my entrances are over and now a new quest begun that was the quest to wait for result. The wait was so difficult and finally the first result broke out that was of intermediate and I got 82.2% marks and I was fully satisfied with my performance and now the wait was for AIEEE result which broke out after 2 weeks of the intermediate result and the performance was bad as I expected because I had slept in my exam due to hypertension and I thought that time that I myself has spoiled my career. I got 85,528 rank which was not satisfying according to my ability. The 2 years of preparation was ruined and it seems like the end of the world I was feeling darkness everywhere around me. One more result was pending that was of local state engineering entrance exam ie Punjab CET ranking 1647 and got admission through this rank in GZSCET, Bathinda keeping in mind to leave this college and by again appearing in AIEEE exam next year but GOD had even more beautiful plans for me. One unexpected result broke out by luck by chance. Can you imagine what was that? That was of NDA and unexpectedly I cleared written examination of NDA. That was a graceful moment for me in my friends as very few of them cleared that but inside I was unshaken unmoved from my decision of dropping this college next year. One day my father ranged me and he was so excited while talking to me and he told me that I have received an interview call letter from Indian Air Force. It was received on August 25,2010 and reporting was in Dehradun On August 28,2010. It was difficult for me to go there and prepare myself for interview. Moreover I was reluctant to go as I was preparing again for AIEEE exam. I missed that big chance and I realized its importance after it was gone and my father also  dissapointed. They take me to CSO of the place where my father was doing job. He told us about the absentees batch and he suggests us to call at the Dehradun selection board. I then called Dehradun board and inquired about the absentees batch and they told us that there is an absentees batch and you will receive call letter for that batch soon and then my father was relieved fro his over thinking.
After a week a magical letter comes to us containing information about the SSB interview of absentees batch of Indian Air Force that is from October 1,2010. My father advised me to go for coaching of the interview. I along with Sandeep whose SSB was also near at that time went to Chandigarh for SSB interview coaching at New careers academy, sector 35-C Chandigarh. Here we were instructed by 4 teachers the main was Capt. Nirmal Singh who prepares us for written and psychology tests. 88 year old Brigadier sahib who was guest lecturer who taught us current affairs. One was an interviewer there and 4th one was son of Capt. Nirmal Singh ji who prepares us for group discussions and lecturette. I was worst student out there. Brigadier sahib used to condemn me always by saying that "Abhishek! your passion is engineering I told u. You are here just to avail your chance. You have no passion for IAF. I bet you will never got selection". To some extent he was correct because I was here due to my father's will. I really was taking my chance. i was not at all aware about how much important was that. The coaching was for 10 days but I fled from there after 6 days due my Monthly session test in college. I gave my tests and went home afterwards for rest of the days before interview.
On September 30,2010 I had my train at 0100 hrs from Ludhiana junction to Dehradun. My cousin Mani dropped me to station and I reached Dehradun at about 11 am and I stayed in my Aunts home and from next day I was going to enter in new  era.
You never wonder sometimes the events to occur but they occur for you  by luck by chance by fortune and you are unable to stop these events even if want so and slowly they become your goal and dream of life by luck by chance.

Stepping Stone to an Officer

The most busiest year, the most studious year, the year of preparation, preparation for engineering exams(2010), 18 hours study a day and you suddenly heard something that flickers your mind to an entirely different world opposite to your career for which you are preparing and working hard and that conversation was about to become an officer in  Defence Services of India through National Defence Academy (NDA) examination that has to be held a week before engineering entrance exam. If you would have been an engineering aspirant what would you do? You will move from that place and so did I. I did not paid much attention to that conversation that time but in the evening I talked about this to my father and they inspire me to fill up that exam form. I inquired about that form in nearby districts post offices as earlier that was only available with district post offices and my town Malerkotla is not a district. Unfortunately I did not found that form in any of nearby districts. As I was an engineering aspirant I did not care about NDA exam and again started the daily routine. After 2 days my mother told me about my uncle who was coming from Jalandhar to nearby town Khanna on the funeral ceremony of our relative so I phoned them and requested them to bring NDA form from Jalandhar and did so and finally I had the form and I  along with my two friends Mohit and Sandeep fill up the form and posted. Now we made a big mistake as we did not note the application number for further inquiry and details. I again did not care and move faster with my studies.

Now the days of final studies after intermediate exams for engineering entrance exams are going on. I was in Ludhiana that time for crash course preparation. I was studying for 18-20 hrs a day and no time for any other activity. My entire focus was on my entrance exams and like all other days my mother ranged me up and as the conversation was going she told me that we received an admit card of NDA written exam which was a week before AIEEE exam for which I was preparing hard and I told my mother that I not going for NDA exam as I did not want to waste a day that I can use for my preparation. The next day evening my mother phoned me as regularly and told me that my papa is upset as I am not going for NDA exam and I at once make up my mind to go for exam. He sent me money to go to Chandigarh to take up the exam. I with the intention of outing along with Sandeep went to Chandigarh for exam on 18 April 2010 and we return back to our P.G. in evening. I again concentrate my mind towards AIEEE exam and with full preparation I took up the exam.

Sometimes you do not know what is going to happen with your life and where should it go. The things for which you render your whole life never pay you back but the things that you did not imagine about become the goal and dream of your life.