“What Will You Do If Not Recommended?” – Best Way to Answer

During the SSB Conference, officers may ask “What will you do if you are not recommended?”. This question is designed to evaluate your resilience, attitude towards failure, and long-term commitment to serving the nation.

1. Understand the Purpose

Officers want to see whether you can handle setbacks maturely, learn from experiences, and remain motivated for future attempts.

2. How to Answer

• Stay Positive: Show that you are not discouraged by failure.
• Show Reflection: Mention that you would analyze your performance to improve.
• Express Determination: Emphasize your commitment to try again and continue self-development.
• Keep it Realistic: Avoid overconfidence or making promises you cannot keep.

3. Sample Answer

“If I am not recommended, I will analyze my performance to understand where I can improve. I will continue working on my weaknesses and enhance my skills so that I can perform better in the future. My determination to serve the nation remains unchanged, and I will use this experience as a learning opportunity.”

4. Key Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s	Don’ts
Stay positive and composed	Show disappointment or frustration
Reflect on performance and learning	Blame others or circumstances
Express determination for future attempts	Make unrealistic promises
Focus on personal growth	Appear demotivated or resigned

Pro Tip: Officers admire candidates who handle setbacks maturely, learn continuously, and remain motivated. Your attitude towards failure often matters more than success itself.