The Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Long Course is the premier entry route to earning a Regular Commission as a combat officer in the Pakistan Army. Selection is competitive, rigorous, and designed to evaluate your mental agility, physical endurance, and leadership potential.
PMA Long Course Verbal Test No 2
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This complete guide breaks down every stage of the PMA Long Course selection process, from the initial computer test at the Army Selection and Recruitment Centre (ASRC) to the Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB).
PMA Long Course Academic Test No 2
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PMA Long Course Academic Test No 1
1. Complete Selection Roadmap
[Online Registration at joinpakarmy.gov.pk]
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[Stage 1: ASRC Computerized Test]
– Verbal Intelligence Test (84–90 MCQs / ~35 Mins)
– Non-Verbal Intelligence Test (64–75 MCQs / ~35 Mins)
– Academic Subject Test (50 MCQs / ~25 Mins)
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[Stage 2: Initial Physical Fitness Test (PFT)]
– 1.6 km Run (8 Mins), Push-ups, Sit-ups, Pull-ups, Ditch
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[Stage 3: Initial Medical & Preliminary Interview at ASRC]
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[Stage 4: ISSB (4–5 Days Comprehensive Evaluation)]
– Psychological Tests | GTO Tasks | Deputy President Interview
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[Stage 5: Final Medical Examination at CMH]
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[Final GHQ Merit List & Call Letter for PMA Kakul (2-Year BMAS)]
2. Stage 1: Initial Computerized Test at ASRC
The computer test runs on an automated timer. If you fail any section, the test stops immediately.
2.1 Verbal Intelligence Test (VIT)
- Format: 84 to 90 MCQs in 30 to 35 minutes (approx. 20–25 seconds per question).
- Passing Score: ~50% to 60%.
Most Common Question Types & Quick Solving Formulas:
- Speed, Time, and Distance Riddles:
- Question: A car travels at 120 km/h. How many kilometers does it travel in 12 minutes?
- Formula: 120 km/h=2 km per minute. In 12 minutes: 12×2= 24 km.
- Day and Date Logic:
- Question: If yesterday was Monday, what day will it be 3 days after tomorrow?
- Logic: Yesterday = Monday → Today = Tuesday → Tomorrow = Wednesday → 3 days after = Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
- Number and Alphabet Series:
- Question:
3, 5, 9, 17, 33, ? - Logic: Difference doubles each time: +2,+4,+8,+16,+32→33+32= 65.
- Question:
Z, X, V, T, ? - Logic: Skipping 1 letter backwards → R.
- Question:
- Word Analogies & Coding:
- Question: Soldier is to Regiment as Sailor is to ? → Fleet / Ship.
- Question: If
PAKis written asQBL, thenARMis written as ? → BSN (+1 letter shift).
- Classifications (Odd-One-Out):
- Question:
Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Quetta→ Quetta (Provincial capital, while others are in Punjab).
- Question:
2.2 Non-Verbal Intelligence Test (NVIT)
- Format: 64 to 75 MCQs in 30 to 35 minutes (approx. 25–30 seconds per question).
- Skills Tested: Visual logic, abstract reasoning, and spatial orientation.
Essential Visual Rules to Check:
- Rotation Angle: Check if elements turn clockwise or counter-clockwise by 45∘,90∘, or 180∘.
- Addition / Deletion of Lines: Look at how many sides, dots, or spokes are added or removed in each step.
- 3×3 Matrix Grid: Compare rows horizontally first; if no pattern appears, compare columns vertically.
- Shading & Inversion: Track black-and-white shading shifts across geometric shapes.
- Water & Mirror Reflections: Mirror flips left-to-right; water reflection flips top-to-bottom.
2.3 Academic Test
- Format: 50 MCQs in 25 to 30 minutes.
- Subjects Covered: English, General Knowledge, Pakistan Studies, Islamic Studies, and Basic Mathematics.
Key Academic Topics to Revise:
- English (30%): Prepositions (good at, interested in, proud of), active/passive voice, direct/indirect narration, synonyms, antonyms, and correct spellings.
- General Knowledge & Current Affairs (25%):
- World capitals, currencies, international straits, mountain ranges, oceans, and headquarters of international bodies (UN, OIC, SCO, SAARC).
- Current political and military leaders: Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), President, Prime Minister, foreign leaders.
- Pakistan Studies & Defense History (20%):
- War of 1857, 1906 Muslim League formation, 14 Points of Quaid-e-Azam, 1940 Resolution, 1947 Partition events.
- 1965 War, 1971 War, Kargil conflict, recipients of Nishan-e-Haider (all 11 recipients and their battlegrounds).
- Islamic Studies (15%):
- Ghazwat (Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Hunain, Tabuk) and their dates.
- Pillars of Islam, compilation of the Holy Quran, famous battles, and prominent companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
- Basic Mathematics (10%):
- Percentages, ratios, simple algebraic equations, and basic geometry formulas (area of circle, triangle, perimeter).
3. Stage 2: Initial Physical Fitness Test (PFT)
The physical test is conducted early in the morning at the ASRC ground.
4-Week Progressive Workout Plan:
- Week 1: Jog 2 km every morning at an easy pace. Practice 10 push-ups, 15 sit-ups, and dead hangs from a pull-up bar.
- Week 2: Run 2.5 km. Add 100m sprint intervals (run 100m fast, walk 50m, repeat 4 times). Perform 15 push-ups and 20 sit-ups.
- Week 3: Run 1.6 km against a stopwatch. Aim for 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Do 3 sets of 2 pull-ups daily.
- Week 4: Time your official 1.6 km run to hit 7:15 to 7:45. Practice jumping over a marked 7.5-foot gap on soft grass.
4. Stage 3: Initial Medical Self-Check
Check these common medical rejection triggers before your test date:
- Height & Weight (BMI): Minimum height is 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm). Your weight must match army height-to-weight tables (BMI: 18.5 to 25.5).
- Chest Measurement: Minimum 33 inches unexpanded, with a mandatory 2-inch expansion upon deep inhalation.
- Knock Knees: Stand barefoot with ankle bones touching. If knees press against each other and ankles stay separated, you have knock knees.
- Remedy: Butterfly stretches, wide-stance squats, and sleeping with a firm pillow between knees.
- Flat Feet: Step onto dry paper with wet feet. A clear inner curve means a normal arch. A solid block imprint indicates a flat foot.
- Eyesight: 6/6 vision (with or without glasses, subject to prescription limits). Test your eyes for color blindness using the Ishihara 38-plate test.
- Teeth & Ears: Have a dentist clean plaque and fill minor cavities. Visit an ENT clinic to clear earwax 2 weeks before your medical check.
5. Stage 4: Preliminary Interview at ASRC
Candidates who clear the computerized, physical, and initial medical checks appear before the ASRC Interviewing Officer.
Key Factors Evaluated:
- Posture, personal grooming, and formal dress (formal trousers, dress shirt, tie, and polished shoes).
- Confidence, eye contact, and clear spoken communication (English and Urdu).
- General awareness, mental math speed, and honesty.
Top 5 Interview Questions & How to Answer:
1. “Tell me about yourself.”
- Use the 90-Second Formula:
- Past: Name, hometown, matric/F.Sc marks, and school background.
- Present: Current daily routine, sports played, books read, and family background.
- Future: Sincere motivation for choosing a combat commission in the Pakistan Army.
2. “Why do you want to join the Pakistan Army instead of a high-paying civilian career?”
- Avoid dramatic movie quotes. Focus on practical values:
“Sir, the Pakistan Army offers a life of honor, discipline, and active leadership that no civilian desk job can match. I want to lead men in challenging environments, serve on our borders, and build a career founded on duty and patriotism.”
3. Rapid-Fire Mental Math:
- Be prepared for immediate percentage and speed calculations:
- “What is 15% of 120?” →10%=12,5%=6→12+6= 18.
- “A car travels 90 km/h. How far in 20 minutes?” →20 mins=13 hour→903= 30 km.
4. Geography and Map Awareness:
- Know Pakistan’s borders (lengths and border lines: Durand Line, Line of Control, Working Boundary, Radcliffe Line).
- Name provincial capitals, major rivers, dams (Tarbela, Mangla, Diamer-Bhasha), and mountain passes (Khyber, Bolan, Babusar, Khunjerab).
6. Stage 5: ISSB (4–5 Day Selection Cycle)
Candidates who clear preliminary testing receive an official call letter for the Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) at Kohat, Gujranwala, Malir, or Quetta.
6.1 Psychologist’s Testing (Day 2)
The Psychologist evaluates your subconscious personality, emotional maturity, and character.
- Word Association Test (WAT): 60 English words displayed for 10 seconds each. Write the first positive, meaningful thought that comes to mind.
- Example:
Failure→ “Failure teaches resilience.”
- Example:
- Thematic Apperception Test (TAT / Picture Story Writing): 4 semi-vague pictures shown for 30 seconds each, followed by 3.5 minutes to write a story. You also write 1 story for a blank slide.
- Rule: Make your main character proactive, responsible, and practical. Avoid tragedies, murders, and magical endings.
- Sentence Completion Tests: Complete incomplete sentences in English and Urdu under strict time limits (26 sentences in 6 minutes).
- Situation Reaction Test (SRT): Short scenarios testing quick moral and practical decision-making.
6.2 Group Testing Officer (GTO) Tasks (Days 3 & 4)
The GTO assesses your teamwork, initiative, practical common sense, and stamina in outdoor tasks.
- Group Discussion: Express logical viewpoints politely on social and geopolitical topics. Avoid interrupting others aggressively.
- Group Planning Exercise (Military Planning): Solve a tactical problem on a miniature terrain model within your group. Propose realistic rescue and defense schemes.
- Progressive Group Task (PGT) & Half Group Task (HGT): Use ropes, wooden planks, and barrels to cross marked ground obstacles. Offer practical bridge ideas and assist your team without shouting.
- Individual Obstacles (9 Obstacles in 2 Minutes): High jump, long jump, monkey bridge, tarzan swing, tiger leap, ditch jump, zigzag balance, and 6-foot wall.
- Command Task: You are assigned as leader of your squad to solve a complex obstacle. Issue clear instructions, place your team members smartly, and lead from the front.
6.3 Deputy President Interview (Day 4)
- An in-depth, one-on-one interview assessing intellectual depth, moral integrity, self-awareness, and emotional balance.
- Expect questions on your family relationships, monthly expenses, personal weaknesses, and world conflicts.
- Rule: Maintain eye contact, sit upright without fidgeting, speak the truth, and comfortably say “I do not know, Sir” rather than making up false answers.
8. Final Checklist Before Test Day
- Printed ASRC Registration Slip with clear roll number and date.
- Original CNIC / NADRA Smart Card or Form-B.
- Original Matric and Intermediate Mark Sheets / Certificates (or Hope Certificate).
- 6 Passport-size photographs with blue backgrounds.
- Comfortable running shoes, white T-shirt, and sports shorts for the physical run.
- Formal dress shirt, dress trousers, and polished shoes for the interview.
- Well-rested body (minimum 7 hours of sleep before exam day).