The Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington, nestled in the Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu, stands as one of the premier institutions for officers of the Indian Armed Forces. It offers a rigorous one-year staff course – a milestone essential for career progression. The college trains officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, civil services, and friendly foreign nations in the principles of joint operations. Successful completion not only enhances promotion prospects but also confers the prestigious psc (passed staff college) qualification – a mark of professional distinction.

Officers typically appear for the demanding entrance examination after approximately eight years of service, having already cleared all requisite promotion exams.

Those who excel in the entrance examination may be nominated for equivalent courses abroad, including:

• Defence Services Staff College, Camberley (United Kingdom)
• Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth (United States)
• Staff colleges in Australia, Russia, Bangladesh, Singapore, and other allied nations

These opportunities broaden professional horizons, foster international military cooperation, and prepare officers for the highest responsibilities of command.

The Question That Haunts Every Aspirant

How does one prepare for the DSSC entrance examination? This is the question that consumes every Army officer who dreams of donning the coveted psc. Most aspirants avail themselves of four months’ leave, seeking freedom from regimental duties to immerse themselves in preparation.

I, too, once harboured this ambition. It was unceremoniously nipped in the bud by my Brigade Commander. At the time, I was serving as Brigade Major of an Artillery Brigade. My Commander, well acquainted with my confidential reports, summoned me one day and delivered what I initially considered a setback, but later recognised as one of the sanest pieces of advice I ever received.

“If I give you two months’ leave, you will pass the examination for sure,” he said. “But I do not want you to. If you qualify, you will certainly excel at DSSC and be posted as Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade. You will work hard there—but with your attitude and ability, you will create countless difficult situations for your Brigade Commander. I want you to qualify only for the Technical Staff College.”

Decades later, I understand his wisdom perfectly.

An Unlikely Candidate

That same day, Brig RN Aggarwal, Veteran(then, a young major popularly known by nickname name Ravi), a Medical Officer posted with the Field Ambulance, walked into my office. He had been nominated for the All Arms Junior Command (JC) Course and needed a binocular and compass—items his unit did not possess.

While we waited for the equipment to be fetched, curiosity got the better of me. “A medical officer attending JC Course?” I asked, genuinely surprised.

Ravi explained that the Medical Directorate at the Army Headquarters had detailed him with barely two days’ notice. There was no time to cancel the nomination.

I reached into my cupboard and pulled out two dog-eared books from my own JC Course days: the Glossary of Military Terms and the Commander’s Handbook.

“You leave in two days, and you have a two-day train journey ahead,” I said, handing them over. “In these four days, read these like novels. Absorb what you can. Once on course, pay attention to classroom discussions. Interact with officers from Infantry, Armoured Corps, and Artillery—learn what they do. During exercises, be original. Resist the temptation to fall back on ‘pre-course knowledge’ that others may possess. And one more thing: carry a box full of medications. The students, their wives, and their children will all depend on you for medical cover.”

The Return with a BI Grading

Three months later, Ravi returned with a BI grading from the JC Course (an Instructional grading, considered very priced) – an impressive achievement. He came home to thank me, recounting how my advice had served him well. To his own surprise, he had topped his syndicate in the opening test. That initial success put him on everyone’s radar, and he worked relentlessly thereafter.

Then came the real agenda.

“I want to take a pot shot at the DSSC qualifying examination,” he announced.

“Surely, and why not?” I replied. “Come to the office tomorrow. We’ll take it from there.”

The Wellington vs. Camberley Question

Next morning, Ravi arrived promptly. I handed him four Pre-Staff Course précis and posed the most critical question: “Wellington or Camberley?”

“Wellington,” came the instant reply, “Medical Officers are not sent to Camberley.“

Thus began another bout of gyan—the same I had offered to countless DSSC aspirants over the years. Some followed it; some didn’t. To this day, I have never compiled the results.

“If you’re aiming for Wellington, you need only 40% marks to qualify. Most years, results are moderated to fill vacancies. To secure 40%, you must attempt 80% of the questions. That means you can afford to leave out 20% entirely. If you skip the first two essay questions – fifty marks each, totalling 20% of the paper – you still stand an excellent chance.”

I paused to let that sink in.

“Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. What you write in the examination is the sum total of what you’ve assimilated over your service career and various courses. We have barely two months. Correlate what you read with what you’ve done—that will see you through the administration paper.

You’re fresh from JC Course. What you learned there, especially from your peers, will prove invaluable for the tactics paper. When attempting tactical appreciation, remember it will be based on a company operation. Stick to basics. Craft a logical solution. Never attempt a complicated plan—you’ll only tie yourself in knots.

You’re a doctor. You have a strong scientific foundation. The Science and Military Technology paper will be a cakewalk—just read the basic pamphlet. For Current Affairs, stay abreast of national and global events. A few magazines will serve you well.”

The Deputy Commander’s Interruption

At that moment, our Deputy Brigade Commander walked in. “You must practice tactical appreciation writing,” he interjected. “I wrote it fourteen times before my examination. You fellows need to do more.”

I couldn’t resist. “I won’t write any, but I’ll still pass. It’s simple logic and basic military knowledge.”

He stormed out.

I turned back to Ravi. “You can follow my advice or ignore it. But if you choose to follow it, stay away from other study groups in the station. If you need to discuss anything, come to my office or my home.”

The Test of Faith

The next day, Ravi made his decision. He would follow my advice – and consequently, wanted leave before the examination but could get only 24 days just before exams. He suggested that afterwards, our families should have a vacation together.

A week later, Ravi arrived at my doorstep, visibly perplexed. I knew immediately what had happened.

“You were with the study group, weren’t you?” I asked. “They must have discussed questions you couldn’t answer.“

He nodded glumly. “They were discussing the US Armoured Division, the British Airborne Division, Israeli Special Forces. I had no clue – I never read about them, just as you advised.”

“Wellington or Camberley?” I asked again.

“Only Wellington,” he replied.

I repeated the logic: attempt 80% to score 40%. If questions about those obscure subjects appeared—highly unlikely—he could simply leave them out. Include them in the 20%.

The Final Verdict

That year, Major Ravi Aggarwal was the only officer from our formation selected for the DSSC Course. I, meanwhile, proceeded to the Technical Staff College – just as my Brigade Commander had foreseen.

Sometimes the best guidance isn’t about loading more, but about knowing what to leave out. And sometimes, the sanest advice comes wrapped in disappointment, only to reveal its wisdom years later.