Questions for Repeaters: How to Address Previous Failures

Officers often ask candidates who are repeating the SSB, “What did you learn from your previous attempt?” or “How will you perform better this time?” The purpose is to assess your self-reflection, learning ability, and resilience.

1. Understand the Purpose

Officers want to see if you can handle failure maturely, take feedback positively, and demonstrate improvement in your approach and mindset.

2. How to Answer

• Acknowledge Past Attempt: Admit your previous attempt without making excuses.
• Highlight Learning: Mention the lessons you learned and areas you have improved.
• Show Preparation: Explain the steps you took to enhance your skills or mindset.
• Stay Positive: Emphasize growth rather than dwelling on failure.

3. Sample Answer

“During my previous attempt, I realized that I needed to improve my time management and team communication skills. Since then, I have worked on these areas by participating in group activities, improving my planning, and practicing stress management. I feel more confident and better prepared this time.”

4. Key Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s	Don’ts
Acknowledge previous attempt honestly	Dwell on failure or show regret
Highlight learning and improvements	Blame others or circumstances
Show preparation for this attempt	Claim you didn’t need improvement
Focus on growth and positive attitude	Appear demotivated or resigned

Pro Tip: Officers respect candidates who can reflect on their past, learn from mistakes, and show visible improvement. Your attitude towards failure is often more important than success itself.