If Day 1 is the gatekeeper of your dreams,
Day 2 is the mirror that reflects your true self.
Many candidates enter Day 2 with fear, confusion, and thousands of doubts:
- “Are these tests difficult?”
- “What if my responses are wrong?”
- “Should I write ideal answers?”
- “What exactly are they trying to see?”
Let me tell you the truth:
Psychology Tests are not about perfection. They are about authenticity.
They reveal how you think, respond, react, decide, and behave — naturally.
In this detailed guide, you will learn everything about Day 2, how to prepare, how to answer, the biggest mistakes to avoid, and a practical mindset that will help you shine.
🔥 What Happens on Day 2? — An Overview
Day 2 consists of four psychological assessments, conducted back-to-back:
- TAT – Thematic Apperception Test
- WAT – Word Association Test
- SRT – Situation Reaction Test
- SD – Self-Description Test
All four tests evaluate your Officer Like Qualities (OLQs) through your thoughts and reactions.
There is NO right or wrong answer.
There is only a genuine answer.
Table of Contents
1️⃣ Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
The Test That Reveals Your Inner Motivation
In TAT, you will be shown 11 pictures + 1 blank picture.
For each picture, you must write a story in 4 minutes.
Purpose
TAT helps assessors understand:
- How you perceive a situation
- How you identify problems
- How you approach solutions
- What kind of role you naturally take
- How you view people and life
How to Write an Ideal TAT Story (Structure)
Use the simple “PPOR” structure:
- P – Protagonist (your hero)
- P – Problem (the challenge)
- O – Objective (goal/positive aim)
- R – Resolution (action + outcome)
✔ What Makes a Good TAT Story?
- Positive (Optimistic outlook)
- Practical (Realistic actions, not heroic fantasies)
- Purposeful (Clear goals)
- People-oriented (Teamwork, empathy, responsibility)
- Progressive (Outcome should show improvement)
❌ What to Avoid
- Hyper-heroic stories
- Superhuman achievements
- Unrealistic outcomes
- Negative or revenge-based thoughts
- Copy-pasted coaching type stories
2️⃣ Word Association Test (WAT)
The Test That Captures Your First Thought
You will be shown 60 words — each for 15 seconds.
You must write the first meaningful thought that comes to your mind.
What Assessors Look For
- Your attitude
- Your emotional balance
- Your problem-solving ability
- Your values
- Your natural mindset
✔ Good WAT Responses Should Be:
- Short
- Clear
- Action-oriented
- Positive
- Reflect OLQs
Examples:
| Word | Strong Response |
|---|---|
| Courage | Courage helps overcome challenges. |
| Team | Teamwork improves efficiency. |
| Failure | Failure guides improvement. |
| Leader | Leader motivates others to progress. |
❌ Poor WAT Responses:
- Too long
- Negative
- Not related to the word
- Quoted lines
- Over-idealistic responses
3️⃣ Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
The Test That Reveals Your Real-Time Decision Making
SRT gives you 60 realistic situations in 30 minutes.
Your job is to write quick, practical reactions.
✔ Good SRT Responses Should Be:
- Quick
- Logical
- Action-based
- Responsible
- Reflective of your character
Example Situations:
Situation: Your train gets delayed and you may miss your exam.
✔ Response: “Inform officials, arrange nearest transport, reach venue on time.”
Situation: Your friend is demotivated before exams.
✔ Response: “Counsel him, help him revise, and boost confidence.”
❌ What to Avoid
- Long reactions
- Emotional reactions
- Overthinking
- Negative behavior
- Idealistic solutions
4️⃣ Self-Description Test (SD)
The Test That Summarizes Who You Truly Are
You must write what:
- Parents think about you
- Teachers think about you
- Friends think about you
- Your own strengths
- Your areas of improvement
- Your future goals
✔ What Makes an Excellent SD?
- Honesty
- Self-awareness
- Balanced strengths
- Genuine improvements
- A purposeful mindset
❌ SD Mistakes You Must Avoid
- “I am perfect.”
- Copy-pasted coaching material
- Fake personality
- Overly negative traits
- Unrealistic goals
⭐ My Personal Experience – From Rejection to Transformation
Back in 2010, when I started my SSB journey, I had zero exposure to public speaking, group discussions, or structured thinking.
My first two attempts:
- UES Army, Bangalore – Screened Out (Day 1)
- UES Air Force, Varanasi – Screened Out (Day 1)
I wasn’t able to speak confidently.
I wasn’t able to express myself.
I didn’t know what SSB truly required.
But I didn’t give up.
I worked hard, trained for 3 months, learned to speak, learned to think clearly, and learned to present my thoughts logically.
When I appeared for the SSB at Bhopal after clearing CDS written, Day 2 was different for me.
On Psychology Day:
- I wrote simple and honest stories.
- My WAT responses reflected my natural thoughts.
- My SRT reactions were practical, not heroic.
- My SD was a true reflection of who I was.
And the result?
I got recommended!
I missed joining the Army due to a medical issue — but the transformation SSB gave me stays with me even today.
Because Psychology Tests are not about intelligence…
they are about awareness.
This mindset changed my life — and it can change yours too.
🎯 How to Prepare for Day 2 – Practical Tips
✔ 1. Read daily for 10 minutes
Reading improves imagination & clarity.
✔ 2. Do 1 TAT picture daily
Not more. Quality over quantity.
✔ 3. Practice 10 WATs daily
Write your natural thought — not ideal answers.
✔ 4. Practice 5–10 SRTs daily
Speed + logic = success.
✔ 5. Prepare your Self-Description in advance
Review every 15 days.
✔ 6. Keep a clean mindset
Your thoughts will automatically become positive.
🚫 Myths You Must Stop Believing
❌ “Psychology tests can be hacked.”
❌ “There are fixed templates.”
❌ “You must write ideal stories.”
❌ “All words must show OLQs.”
❌ “Writing fast is more important.”
Truth is…
👉 They don’t want perfect answers.
They want natural, consistent, honest thinking.
This is the real secret.
🏆 Final Takeaway: Psychology Tests Are About Mindset, Not Magnitude
Your stories don’t need to be heroic.
Your responses don’t need to be fancy.
Your reactions don’t need to be extraordinary.
They just need to be:
- Genuine
- Logical
- Positive
- Human
- Practical
If you think like an officer,
your pen will behave like an officer.
📘 Related Resource
Want to learn the complete SSB process, psychology, interview, and GTO prep without coaching?
👉 Get your copy of our eBook “OLQ – How to Crack SSB Without Coaching” (₹499 only) on ssbchampions.com.
This book condenses real experiences, practical strategies, and officer mindset techniques that helped hundreds of aspirants succeed.