What is Officer Intelligence Rating Test | SSB OIR Test Tips

Officer Intelligence Rating or OIR Test is one of the most important stages during screening test taken at the SSB

This test is applicable for all candidates whether they have appeared in UPSC/departmental written examination or not.

Although the OIR test seems easy and very moderate, the reality is always a challenging proposition because of the test’s limited time to answer.

OIR test will be conducted soon after the initial documents verification of the candidates

Sometimes, due to the heavy rush and reporting of more than required strength, it is natural that most of the candidates may likely screen out on the first day itself due to the poor performance in the OIR test

Therefore, it is the candidates’ interest to attempt the OIR test fully prepared and get maximum marks.

This article will give you a fair understanding of the OIR test conducted on the day of reporting at the SSB.

It will also give you an idea of the overall subjects covered during the OIR test and facilitate your entry into the second stage of tests, starting from the second day of your reporting at SSB.

Recommended: How to Prepare for Post-Screening (GTO Test)

What is Officer Intelligence Rating Test?

Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) test results facilitate SSB assessors to evaluate the candidate’s intelligence level through its verbal and non-verbal (40-50 minutes) testing processes.

This timed test enables to test the candidate’s intelligence and logical ability to answer quickly and correctly.

The successful attendance of the OIR test will give the candidates more confidence and relaxation while attending story writing as part of PPDT.

It will undoubtedly boost the motivation level and make you feel good while participating in Narration & Group discussion of the PPDT.

It is purely the candidate’s interest to obtain full marks in the OIR test to see the assessors look at your overall performance in Picture Perspection & Description test, Narration & Group Discussion before declaring the result on stage I.

So, don’t miss out on the opportunity to enter into the second stage by getting full marks on the OIR test.

• It is a purely academic kind of test where your intelligence and logic will be evaluated.

• Aim to study the thinking process and logical capacity of a candidate in a constructive manner.

• Candidates’ ability to answer quickly and correctly and their capacity to think at the spur of the moment are tested.

• Proficiency of the candidates’ field of interest does not matter during OIR Test.

• Any normal & medium average intelligent individual can quickly get above 85-90% marks if he/she prepares well before the OIR Testat SSB.

• Listening to the briefing of conducting officer of the SSB is very important.

• Time is premium, and presence of mind is needed to attempt each question of the OIR Test.

• Don’t be panic and disturbed while attending to difficult questions.

Recommended: Guide to Clear Your Picture Perception and Discussion Test

How Important is OIR at the SSB?

The SSB assessing team(Psychologists, GTOs & Interviewing Officers) of the SSB are responsible for finding out potential officers of the Indian Defense sector through various tests conducted during five days of SSB.

OIR is one of the primary tests in which the assessors know the candidates’ level of intelligence.

The verbal and non-verbal tests will determine the candidates’ intelligence level and speed of action to solve the problem logically.

The outstanding performance of the OIR test supports candidates’ success in the final board selection and adds to the merit list performance. However, OIR test performance alone cannot ensure screening.

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How is OIR conducted in SSB?

• There are two main types of question booklet for a maximum of 40 to 50 questions each.

• The booklet consists of Verbal & Non-Verbal types of questions. The candidate will get approximately 22 minutes & 17 minutes, respectively.

• Questions are easy, moderate, and demand based on the intelligence level.

• No negative marks and the maximum number of questions must be attended to.

• Defense Institute of Psychological and Research (DIPR) prepared both the verbal & Non-verbal tests.

• Both booklets are mixed with verbal & Non-verbal questions.

• It checks candidates’ logical and intelligence ability by quick & limited period.

Tips to Attempt OIR Test

• Take a comfortable seat and writing materials as per requirements.

• Listen carefully to the briefing of the organizing officer of the test in a very relaxed atmosphere

• Understand and do deliberate on practice tests conducted before the OIR test.

• The OIR leading organizing officer will announce the practical test’s answers before the test’s actual beginning.

• It will give a fair idea of questions they are going to asking from the candidates.

• Do not spend more time answering difficult questions. Aim to do it a maximum of easy questions & get marks.

• Try doing a maximum number of problems because of the no negative marking system.

Recommended: Having Poor General Knowledge is one of the main reasons for poor performance during Written Test as well as Interview, Brush Up Your GK with our recommended books

Rating of the Candidates

Depending upon your marks in these tests, the candidates are rated from 1 to 5 as per the details given.

• OIR-1 Outstanding
• OIR-2 Excellent
• OIR-3 Above Average
• OIR-4 Average
• OIR-5 Below Average

These are the five grades by which the candidates get rated. these ratings are significant for your selection, and they calculate your overall performance through this

Officer Intelligence Rating Test Syllabus

The Verbal & Non-verbal of OIR will be subdivided into the following sub-heads

>> Verbal Tests:

• Sentence Completion
• Analogies
• Spelling
• Grammar
• World Groups
• Instruction
• Critical Reasoning
• Verbal Deductions
• Number Quiz
• Blood Relation Test
• Letter Series
• Problems on Ranks
• coding Decoding
• Direction Sense Test

>> Non- Verbal Test:

• Figure Analogies
• Classification
• Choosing the Odd Figure
• Choosing Similar Figures
• Grouping of Identical Figures
• Series
• Figure Matrix
• Paper Cutting and Folding
• Spotting the embedded Figure
• Problems on Cubes
• Visualizing Pattern
• Spatial Ability
• Problems on Dice

How to Prepare for OIR Test in SSB?

OIR test in SSB is conducting one significant primary test on the day of reporting.

All candidates who are selected for the SSB need to be present to appear in the exam. Hence, due care and sincerity should be given to this examination.

Regular practice and preparation for OIR are mandatory. The aim should be to get maximum marks in the test by attempting all questions within the time given.

There are sufficient numbers of sample question papers available on the net or offline. Regular practice will help to get a high score in the OIR Test quickly.

It is a basic test if you are preparing for competitive exams like staff selection commission, and if you have a sound knowledge of Reasoning, maths, and English, you will be able to clear it.

If You Lack Speaking Skills which could hinder expressing your views during GD, start with some of the Best English Books to help you improve your vocabulary and make a better impact in both your GTO Test and Generally in Life

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Q) How many Questions Must be Attempted to Get through the OIR Test at SSB?

A) There is no such specified number. However, one must score high in OIR as the test is painless and moderate if you practice well.

Since there is no negative marking, it is the candidate’s interest to get maximum marks on the OIR test to enable a fair chance to be screened for the remaining part of SSB.

The higher scoring of the OIR test will increase the confidence level while appearing for the remaining test in the SSB.

In a standard case, it consists of two booklets of 50 questions each. However, the time may be different as per the convenience of conducting officer and selection board.

Like Given Above, The OIR comprises two sets of booklets

• Verbal Tests & Non Verbal tests

• Non Verbal Reasoning (45 – 50 questions)

• Verbal Reasoning (45 – 50 questions)

In general terms, the OIR tests have certain levels as given below:

• Level 1: If you have done 40+ questions correctly, you will get this level

• Level 2: 35+ questions correctly

• Level 3: 30+ questions correctly

• Level 4: Less than 25 questions

If you will get level 1 or level 2, there is a higher chance of getting screened in.

Q) What is the Time Limit to Complete the OIR Test in SSB?

A) The Service Selection Board iconducts the OIR test (Offline) with a timed testing procedure.

As mentionaed earlier, there are 50 questions each for verbal and non-verbal with a time limit of 30 mins each.

However, some SSBs are conducting the same test in s slightly shorter duration depending upon their availability of the conducting officer or local circumstances.

The number of questions and time for appearing the same may depend on the difficulty level also. Hence, it is recommended to practice all kinds of questions before reporting to SSB

Do not take the time given to you for granted. You should maintain a good speed on solving the questions from the start.

As you can encounter difficulty in between which can take some of your important time and slow you down to complete all the questions given to you.

As per candidates experience, the OIR tests conducted in SSB Bangalore were given around 25-27 min for each part and around 17 min each during AFSB Varanasi

Hence the time limit can vary and it is important for you to be well prepared and manage your time for the completion of your test

In short, although slight variations in the number of questions asked during the IOR test, it is inevitable that practice only makes the test easier and comfortable for you10

Q) Should I attempt all the questions in the OIR test in SSB? Should I leave the unknown, or should I try my luck?

A) Since there is no negative marking in the OIR test, you should try to attend to all questions without any fear of losing the marks. OIR result is always helping the candidate in the SSB during the interview.

Therefore, try to attempt all the questions within the time limit set by the exam conducting officer.

Q) What to Concentrate More on, During Your OIR Test?

A) OIR Test pattern is almost the same in all SSBs. However, there may be some variation, like the number of questions and time may differ among SSB for administrative reasons.

The procedure of conducting and valuation of OIR tests in all SSBs are the same. Hence, prepare well before appearing for the exam.

The verbal part consists mainly of subject-related questions such as basic grammar, the odd one out, blood relations. This is to take a look at your subjective knowledge.

The non-verbal questions are more imagination-based questions like the patterns, dice rotations. A candidate scoring good with the non-verbal questions projects that his imagination is quite good and can perform according to situations.

For the practice of OIR tests, you can follow any book written for SSB guidance, or you can also follow the online tests offered by various institutes.

Q) Are OIR marks calculated for the SSB screening process, or are they calculated after the screening process and that too of the screened-in candidates only?

A) The OIR marks are calculated for the screening process and are a very relevant part of the screening process. If a candidate’s score is below an acceptable level, he/she will not be screened-in irrespective of the performance in PPDT.

Q) Is OIR very hard in SSB?

A) It remains easy to moderate. Basic reasoning questions are asked. Most of them stay on dice, series completion, image formation.

Their level remains equivalent to the reasoning questions asked in the AFCAT exam.

You can practice from R.S. Aggarwal. You can also ask OIR test questions from your friends who have already gone to the SSB center where you have to go.

For a good impression, you have to score more than 80% on your OIR test.

Which is the Best Book for SSB OIR test?

1. SSB OIR & PPDT : Complete Guide To Stage 1

The ‘SSB OIR & PPDT: Complete Guide To Stage 1’ is one of the best book for SSB OIR test which also includes preparation for the rest of the screening test. Read Our Short Review

2. Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning

This is one of the recommended SSB OIR book by Dr. R.S. Aggarwal which will provide guidance for your Verbal and Non-Verbal questions. The only thing it asks from you is to solve more and practice!

3. How to Crack Test Of Reasoning

This is another recommended SSB OIR book by Arhant Publications which provides guidance for all major competitive exams. It includes more than 2500 objective questions to help develop your problem-solving skills of reasoning

The aim is to make your head solve the problems effortlessly, so make sure you have enough practice.

OIR usually covers verbal, non-verbal, sentence rearranging, numerical logic problems. You can also look into Courses from Youtube, have a look at Channels like StudySmart, Mahendras, etc

Make sure you are practicing so well that you are never at unease while attempting OIR

Conclusion

The Officer Intelligence Rating(OIR) test is one primary phase of the first day of reporting at SSB. The high score of verbal and non-verbal written tests will partially determine the eligibility of screening in the process of Stage 1 of SSB.

The OIR test difficulty level ranges from elementary to moderate if the candidates had a regular practice, the way they have prepared for other tests like GTO, Psychological & Interview.

Since there is no negative marking in the OIR, it is the candidate’s interest to attempt all questions within the time announced by the test conducting officer at SSB.

Although the verbal & Non-verbal test of OIR seems easy and moderate, there is a standard practice requirement as the same as other SSB preparation.

There are several offline/online practical OIR books are available for the practice. Hence, it is defense aspirants’ self-interest to prepare well in advance before appearing SSB.

The outstanding performance in the OIR test will enhance the chance of clearing stage I of SSB(Screening In) and the final result of SSB.

All the Best!

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