A Complete Manual for AS&RC and ISSB Interviews

Introduction

Most candidates fear the interview more than the academic or physical tests.
But remember one thing clearly:

👉 No question in the PMA interview is ever random.

From Day 1 at the Army Selection & Recruitment Centre (AS&RC) to the final day at ISSB, every form, question, and task is part of a structured assessment designed to evaluate your:

• Personality

• Honesty

• Leadership potential

• Emotional stability

• Cooperation

• Discipline

• Maturity

• Officer-Like Qualities (OLQs)

This guide explains the entire interview system in a clear, practical, and professional way.

PART 1 — AS&RC Preliminary Interview

Purpose of the AS&RC Interview

The officer evaluates:

• Communication skills

• Confidence

• Grooming & discipline

• Motivation for Army

• General knowledge

• Honesty and clarity of personality

First Impression Matters

The officer silently observes:

• Haircut & shave

• Neat and clean dress

• Proper greeting

• Sitting posture

• Eye contact

• Confidence level

Common Questions Asked

Personal Questions

• Introduce yourself

• Tell me about your family

• Your strengths and weaknesses

Education

• Why high/low marks?

• Favourite and weak subjects

Motivation

• Why do you want to join Army?

• What will you do if not selected?

General Knowledge

• Army chiefs

• Capitals

• Basic Pakistan history

Intelligence

• Simple math

• Logic questions

Form-Based Honesty Traps

Fake hobbies or fake claims are exposed immediately.

Example: Book Reading
Candidate writes “reading books” → cannot name a book → Dishonest

Example: Football
Writes hobby as football → cannot name world champion → Fake hobby

✔️ Write only what you genuinely do.

Final AS&RC Tips

• Be neat, clean, and well-presented

• Speak clearly and confidently

• Avoid memorized or robotic answers

• Maintain eye contact

• Stay honest and calm

PART 2 — ISSB Final Interview

This is the most important personality evaluation of the entire ISSB process.

Purpose of the ISSB Interview

ISSB evaluates whether you have the qualities of a future Pakistan Army officer:

• Leadership

• Cooperation

• Emotional stability

• Honesty & integrity

• Confidence under pressure

• Psychological balance

• Responsibility

• Real motivation

• National awareness

Interview Structure

The ISSB interview normally includes:

1. Personal life discussion

2. Education-related questions

3. Motivation for joining Army

4. Psychological verification based on:

   • Word Association Test (WAT)

   • Situation Reaction Test (SRT)

   • Picture Story Writing

   • Bio-Data Information Questionnaire (BIQ)

5. Situational judgment

6. Stress questions

7. Knowledge-based questions

8. Form-based questions

9. Final behaviour observation

Role of the Deputy President

The Deputy President already knows your:

• WAT themes

• SRT responses

• Picture stories

• BIQ details

• Leadership signals

• Confidence level

• Cooperation pattern

• Your contradictions (if any)

👉 He targets your weak areas and unclear behaviours — never random questions.

What the Deputy President Observes

• Entry & greeting

• Sitting posture

• Voice tone

• Eye contact

• Honesty

• Emotional control

• Logical thinking

• Confidence

• Maturity

• Behaviour under pressure

Psychological Cross-Checking

Your interview answers must match:

• WAT

• SRT

• Picture Story

• BIQ

Contradictions = instability or artificial personality.

Common ISSB Trap Questions

Cinema Trap

“Do you go out at night with friends?”
Wrong: “Yes, without permission.”
Correct: “I always take permission from my parents.”

Nishan-e-Haider

Total: 11
First: Captain Raja Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed

Army Operations (Must Know)

• Rah-e-Rast

• Rah-e-Nijat

• Zarb-e-Azb

• Radd-ul-Fasaad

Army Ranks

Soldiers:
Sepoy → Lance Naik → Naik → Havildar → Naib Subedar → Subedar → Subedar Major

Officers:
2nd Lt → Lt → Captain → Major → Lt Col → Colonel → Brigadier → Major General → Lt General → General

Knowledge-Based Questions

Internal Affairs

• National issues

• Current events

Constitution

• Passed: 12 April 1973

• Enforced: 14 August 1973

• Fundamental rights

National Appointments

• Chief Justice

• Governors

• Chairman Senate

• First Governor General (Quaid-e-Azam)

Pakistan History

• Lahore Resolution — 1940

• Allahabad Address — 1930

• Constitution — 1956

• Key leaders of the Pakistan Movement

Best Answer for “Why Do You Want to Join the Army?”

“Sir, I want to join the Pakistan Army because it offers a life of honour, discipline, and responsibility. I want to serve Pakistan with commitment and believe I have the leadership potential required for this profession.”

Conclusion

ISSB does not expect perfection.
It expects candidates who are:

• Honest

• Disciplined

• Emotionally stable

• Cooperative

• Confident

• Mature

• Aware

• Trainable

Every question has a purpose.
Understand the system, be yourself, and perform with clarity and confidence.