SSB Center : Glance at Individual Obstacles (IO) in GTO Series

Individual Obstacles Test (GTO) in SSB Interview

Individual obstacles test is one of the important GTO tests of SSB interview. Generally individual obstacles test is conducted on third day or fourth day of SSB interview. Many Officers Like Qualities OLQ's are tested through the SSB interview's individual obstacles test. Thus, it becomes very important test in which one need to excel.

Objective of Individual Obstacles Test in SSB Interview

It is an extremely important task in GTO to judge attributes like physical strength, perseverance, stamina, decision making, and ability to fight innate fears. In this task, level of difficulty increases with each obstacle marked as 1 to 10. Candidates are given a choice to start this test from any obstacle that they deem fit. However, you must keep your nerves and stamina tight to complete it within stipulated time.

Rules of Individual Obstacles Test in SSB Interview

Individual Obstetrical are the set to 10 Obstacles which each candidate has to do individually as the name suggest. The Time assigned is 3 Minutes. Each obstacle has a Number written against it which denotes the marks that will be awarded for successfully completing the obstacle. For example if there is a number 7 written on a certain obstacle then you will be given 7 marks if you completes the obstacle in proper manner.

Total number of obstacles - 10

Total Marks - 55

Time - 3 Minutes

Conduct of Individual Obstacles Test in SSB Interview

The candidate bearing first chest no. in your group will be called first and he can stand near to any obstacle from where he wants to start, GTO will instruct him to start by blowing his whistle, after 2.5 minutes GTO will again blow his whistle which is to indicate the Candidate who is currently doing the obstacle that half a minute is still left and the next candidate will stand near to the obstacle from where he wants to start as soon as the full 3 minutes gets over then GTO blows his whistle twice to indicate the first candidate to stop doing the tasks as his time is over and to next candidate that his time starts now. So, there will be no gap between two candidates doing the task. If GTO blows his whistle twice and you are still doing the task then leave the task as it is and move out of ground or as instructed.

Let us see what are various obstacles those need to be performed by a candidate.

Army/Navy		Airforce
1.	Jumping over a slide: - This is the 1 pointer task which is the simplest. You have to run on the slope of an inclined plane and jump across a line which is marked at approximately 4ft. from the end of the plane.
2	Long jump: - It consists jump across a 6 ft.* 3ft. drum. For male and for girls the length is slightly less.	High jump: - It is a simple 3ft high jump. You can use free style for making the jump. There will be sand on the other side of the bar to avoid injury in case you happen to fall.
3	Zig-Zag Balance: - it include walk over a zig-zag balance and completion of walk and land properly. It is not used in air force.	Walking a wooden log: - Walking on a cylindrical log of length approximately 6ft. The pole will be 4ft. above the ground level.
4	High Screen jump: - candidate need to run over a slide and over a screen placed after slide.	Jumping platforms: You have to climb a platform of 12 ft. and then take two jumps. The first jump is to the lower platform which will be at 8ft from the ground. The second one is to the ground.
5	Burma bridge: You need to walk between two ropes for a distance of 25 ft. The two ropes will be tied on poles at a height of 10 ft. This obstacle starts shaking as you begin to move so maintain your body balance. It is also most time consuming task.
6	Tarzan swing:-in this candidate climb to a platform near 10-12 ft. at height then taking a rope in hand he need to swing like Tarzan and to land after a mark on the land. Tarzan swing is not in air force.	Climbing the wall: Run up the slope of an inclined plane and climb over a wall of 8 ft. this wall is actually a wooden screen. The best way is to put your one foot on top of the wall and get yourself rolled over to the other side.
7	Jumping platforms: This can be difficult if you are scared of heights but it is easily doable. You have to climb a platform of 12 ft. and then take two jumps. The first jump is to the lower platform which will be at 8ft from the ground. The second one is to the ground.	Jumping through a tyre: Jump through a big tyre with your feet first. The tyre is hung from a post at a height of 5 ft. There will be a small loop in the rope which can be used to hold and pull yourself up to get into the tyre. This is not in army.
8	Double Ditch:- it have two ditch of 8ft.3ft. and 4ft.3ft. candidate need to cross the 1st ditch with the help of a rope and the second one with jump. This is not used in air force.	Tiger leap: You have to climb up a platform of 9ft and leap a distance of 4ft to catch a rope and get down by the rope. It is important to catch the rope at chest level so that you don’t slide down and get cuts. In air force height of tiger leap is more than that of Army. It is for 10 points in army but here it is for 8 points.
9	Commando walk:-it consist walk from any side up and down from another, maintain balance. Sometimes instructions are given to shout some specific things while standing on the top platform.	Monkey crawl: You have to move on a wooden log of 25 ft. in length hung from rope suspenders at 3 ft. above the ground level. You can choose either to slide on the log or get underneath it and crawl with both your hands and feet. But since it is suspended from ropes, as soon as you climb on it the whole set up starts to swing from side to side. Not used in army.
10	Tiger leap:-walk up a podium, leap and catch hold of a rope, then to climb down.	Rope climbing: You have to climb up a vertical rope to touch the post at a height of approximately 4 to 5 meter and then to come back. Not used in army.