ISSB Kohat

Four days that decide your commission

Candidates who clear the initial test, physical and medical for officer entries receive a call letter for ISSB Kohat. The board assesses whether you have the officer-like qualities (OLQs) the Army looks for - leadership, teamwork, courage under pressure and clarity of thought.

1. Day 1 - Screening: intelligence tests and group discussion. Screened-out candidates return home the same day with full board hospitality.
2. Day 2 - Psychology: Thematic Apperception Test, Word Association, Situation Reaction and Self Description, plus the deputy president’s interview.
3. Day 3 - GTO tasks: group planning, progressive group tasks, obstacle race, lecturette, individual obstacles and command task on the outdoor ground.
4. Day 4 - Conference & result: every assessor discusses your file, the final conference is held, and results are announced. Recommended candidates proceed to final medical at the Military Hospital.

The northern candidates' board

Kohat draws its batches from the north and west - KPK, the tribal districts, northern Punjab, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and candidates posted in from overseas - which gives its GTO grounds a particular character: mountain-reared candidates treat the obstacle course as familiar terrain, and the group tasks carry a quiet competitiveness the deputy presidents know well. Travel is simpler than the region's reputation suggests: candidates from Peshawar cross the Kohat tunnel in about an hour, and Rawalpindi candidates ride down through Khushalgarh. Bring the warm layer even in spring - Kohat's evenings cool sharply after the valley heat, and the hostel blocks feel it. Candidates who trained at the Peshawar or Gilgit centres report here for most courses, so ask your batchmates from those centres - shared preparation groups for Kohat form quickly and genuinely help the psychology day.

Officer intakes that report to this board: PMA Long Course · Technical Cadet Course · Medical Cadet Course.