Details about Officer Like Qualities (OLQs)

Officer Like Qualities: Do you have it in you?
Many students after being not recommended say “Pata Nahi Kya Dekhte Hai” so here is the answer- OLQs. SSB boards are looking for 15 OLQs in you. OLQ stands for Officer Like Qualities. The SSB Interview is intended to judge the mental caliber, attitude and outlook of the candidate along with his leadership qualities and character traits and if you want to combine all these under one name then they are called OLQs.
Once the candidates are done with their Screening In process their performance through various tests will be tested on their Officer Like Qualities (OLQ’s). A candidate is assessed by three different examiners in SSB Interview, namely Psychologist, Group Testing Officer (GTO) and the Interviewer Officer who looks for Officer Like Qualities in the candidate. OLQs are all about keeping calm, whatever the circumstances, thinking clearly & correctly and acting decisively. Thus, it would be an assessment not merely of his Academic proficiency and intellectual qualities but also of his social traits and interest in current events. Keep one in your mind that SSB is not the test of your performance but the test of your qualities which are judged by your performance.

There are 4 Factors in which OLQs can be categorized.

FACTOR 1: Planning and Organizing (Relating to our Mind) – It consists of 4 OLQ’s.

• Effective Intelligence
• Reasoning ability
• Organising ability
• Power of expression

Effective Intelligence: It is the ability to solve day to day practical problems using common sense and using past experience  to display reasonable work sense. The question asked to judge this quality starts generally with WHAT?
Reasoning Ability: Any action done by a person must have a definite reason for the same. Reasons can only be existing if  candidate possesses a good amount of reasoning and rational thinking. The question asked to judge this quality generally starts generally with WHY?
Organizing Ability: This is the ability to organize any particular event or task in a given time duration with available resources and up to the expectations of the concern persons. An Officer must possess great capacity to organize and maintain discipline among the men he has to command. The question asked to judge this quality starts generally with HOW?
Power of Expression: Candidate must be able to express his ideas and views clearly and convincingly to the listeners.


FACTOR 2: Social Adjustment (Relating to our Heart) – It consists of 3 OLQ’s.

·         Social Adaptability

·         Sense of Responsibility

·         Cooperation

Social Adaptability: This quality shows that how well you are with your family, friends and society, there is one more thing included in this quality i.e.  How well you are able to manage different situations so that you can keep your surroundings stable.
Sense of Responsibility: The word responsibility can termed as some duties given to discharge but here candidate must possess a quality to understanding one’s duties by his own wits and discharging the same. One should feel proud in taking responsibility and take pride in carrying out the same.
Cooperation: To create a friendly environment one has to provide help and take help as well so that everybody can lead to progress. One should believe in Give & Take.
FACTOR 3: Social Effectiveness (Leadership) – Consists of 5 OLQ’s.

·         Initiative

·         Self-Confidence

·         Speed of Decision

·         Ability to influence a group

·         Liveliness

Initiative: It nothing but taking first step in a new direction, giving your best and sustaining the same level of effort till last, reveals high degree of Initiative.
Self Confidence: It is all about faith on the decisions taken by the candidate himself/herself to tackle the situations involving unfamiliar and stressful environment.
Speed of Decision Making: This is the ability to choose the best possible solution quickly as both quickness and correctness of decision are equally important.
Ability to Influence Group:  One who possesses self confidence in that particular thing which he/she is trying to do will definitely be able to influencing group.
Liveliness: Problems are involved in every task we encountered with so an officer should always be cheerful in the time of adversity and create a happy as well as humorous atmosphere among his team men. He must be optimistic in his attitude but should also be able to accept defeat in a sporting manner.

FACTOR 4: Dynamic (Courage) – Consists of 3 OLQ’s.

·         Determination

·         Courage

·         Stamina

Determination: It is a human behavior that we learn from failure and achieve success with hard work and drive. Determination is the key factor for achieving your goals in life. Just keep this phrase in mind : “Yes, I will do it” because you only lose, when you stop trying.
Courage: It is the ability to take calculated and purposive risk willingly even when one may get injured or hurt.
Stamina: It is the ability to sustain prolonged stressful effort. When it comes to Indian Defence Forces, one has to show his endurance that is physical as well as mental stamina.