What is ISSB?
The Inter-Services Selection Board (ISSB) is a 4-day assessment conducted in Kohat for candidates who want to join Pakistan's Armed Forces as commissioned officers. ISSB evaluates your psychological fitness, leadership qualities, and physical endurance.
ISSB Test Structure
ISSB assessment spans 4 days and includes:
Day 1 — Screening Test
- Intelligence Test: Verbal and non-verbal reasoning (90 questions in 40 minutes)
- Picture Perception: You are shown a blurry picture for 30 seconds — write a story about it
- Group Discussion: Discuss your story with your group (narrate confidently)
Day 2 — Psychological Tests
- Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): Write stories based on pictures shown
- Word Association Test (WAT): Write a sentence for each word shown (40 words)
- Self Description Test: Describe what your parents, teachers, and friends think about you
Day 3 — Group Tasks (GTO)
- Group Discussion, Group Planning, Progressive Group Task
- Half Group Task, Individual Obstacles, Command Task
- Final Group Task
Day 4 — Interview
- One-on-one interview with a senior psychologist
- Questions about your family, education, hobbies, current affairs, and motivation
10 Tips to Pass ISSB in First Attempt
- Be Natural: Don't try to be someone you're not. Assessors can spot fakeness instantly.
- Show Leadership: Take initiative in group tasks but don't dominate.
- Stay Physically Fit: Practice running and obstacle courses before going.
- Read Current Affairs: Read Dawn or The News daily for at least 2 months.
- Practice Story Writing: Write one TAT story daily from random pictures.
- Be Confident in Interview: Maintain eye contact, sit straight, speak clearly.
- Know Yourself: Be prepared to answer deep questions about your life and goals.
- Teamwork Matters: Help your group members during tasks — assessors notice this.
- Time Management: Practice solving intelligence questions quickly.
- Stay Positive: Even if one test goes badly, give your best in the remaining ones.
Practice ISSB intelligence tests with our free ISSB quizzes!