The Picture Perception and Discussion Test is one of the most important parts of the screening process in the Services Selection Board interview.
In this test, candidates are shown a blurred image for around 30 seconds and are required to write a short story based on what they perceive. This is followed by a group discussion where each candidate narrates their story and works with others to arrive at a common conclusion.
How to write a good PPDT story?
Step 1: Fill Basic Details
Quickly and neatly fill in your name, chest number, and required details. Avoid overwriting and manage time properly.
Step 2: Character Identification Box
Identify all characters in the picture and write for each:
Mood, Age (in numbers), Gender (M/F)
Use notation:
+ → Positive | 0 → Neutral | – → Negative
Example:
+
22
M
Circle the main character.
Step 3: Action Part
Observe the picture carefully and frame a logical, realistic situation. Avoid assumptions that are extreme or unclear.
Step 4: Story Writing (20–60–20 Format)
- First 20% (Introduction): Main character + background + setting (short and clear)
- Middle 60% (Action): Explain actions taken. Show decision-making, responsibility, leadership, and problem-solving.
- Last 20% (Outcome & Perspective): Mention- Short-term result & Long-term impact
PPDT Sample Story 1
Quick Guide
Identify this as a trekking situation. Choose the person climbing ahead as the main character, show leadership, safety awareness, and team coordination, and ensure a calm, successful crossing of the difficult terrain
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 23 / F
Other characters: + / 25 / M, 0 / 22 / F, 0 / 24 / M, + / 28 / M (the climber ahead)
Sample PPDT Story
The group had bunched up at the base of the slope, unsure whether to follow the climber who had already pushed ahead, and Nisha decided they had waited long enough.
She checked the group first – one member’s strap had loosened and another was low on water, so she sorted both before moving. She picked a line up the slope that stayed off the loose scree, put the strongest climber at the back to catch anyone who slipped, and set an easy pace so the group stayed together instead of stringing out. She signalled the member ahead to hold his position and wait rather than climb further alone, keeping the team within sight of each other.
The group closed the gap and regrouped with the lead climber on firmer ground, then carried on as one unit. Before the next stretch, Nisha suggested they agree on a simple rule – no one moves ahead of the group without a signal – so they wouldn’t get separated again.
Sample PPDT Story 2:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a home situation where a family member has fallen ill. Choose the person attending to them as the main character, show concern, calm judgment, and responsible action to get proper care, and end with recovery and a steadier household routine.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 20 / M
Other characters: – / 48 / F (the unwell person), 0 / 45 / M
Sample PPDT Story
Aditya came in to wake his mother for the morning and found her still in bed, feverish and unable to get up.
He checked her temperature and how much water she had taken, then called their family doctor to describe the symptoms rather than waiting for it to pass. Following the advice, he gave her the medicine at hand, kept her hydrated, and moved her routine tablets and a water jug within her reach. He asked his father to sit with her while he arranged an evening clinic visit and quietly took over her morning chores so the house kept running.
Her fever settled over the next two days and she was back on her feet by the weekend. Aditya set a small reminder on his phone for her regular check-ups so a warning sign wouldn’t be missed again.
Sample PPDT Story 3:
Quick Guide
Identify this as an outdoor accident – a person has fallen over a fence and is hurt, with others nearby. Choose a bystander who reaches him first as the main character, show quick judgment, first aid sense, and coordination to get help, and end with the injured person safely treated.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 27 / M
Other characters: – / 50 / M (the fallen man), 0 / 30 / M, 0 / 26 / M
Sample PPDT Story
Rohit, heard the shout and turned to see an older man pitch over the field fence and land hard, his belongings scattering across the grass.
He got there first and stopped the man from standing up straight away, checking his arm and ankle for any obvious break before moving him. He sent one onlooker to bring the caretaker’s jeep and asked another to gather the scattered items so nothing was lost. Keeping the man talking to gauge how alert he was, he supported the injured leg and eased him onto the vehicle once it arrived, then rode with him to the health centre and called the number from the man’s own phone to inform his family.
The man had a sprain and a shallow cut, both treated within the hour, and his son arrived to take him home. Farhan mentioned the loose fence rail to the field’s caretaker so it would be fixed before someone else tripped on it.
Sample PPDT Story 4:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a public place, likely a fair or busy ground, where a young child has become separated from her family and is crying. Choose the nearby adult who steps in as the main character, show reassurance, sound judgment, and coordination with staff to reunite the child safely, and end on a calm, positive resolution.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 30 / M
Other characters: – / 6 / F (the lost child), 0 / 35 / F (the mother, found)
Sample PPDT Story
At the crowded fairground, Rehan noticed a small girl standing alone by the railing, crying and looking around for someone she couldn’t find.
He crouched to her level, spoke gently to calm her, and learned she had lost hold of her mother in the crowd. Rather than walking off to search on his own, he took her straight to the fair’s announcement desk, where he gave her description over the public-address system and stayed with her so she wasn’t left with strangers. He kept her distracted with easy questions about her family while the staff watched the gates.
Within minutes her worried mother reached the desk and the two were reunited. Before leaving, Rehan suggested the organisers set up a clearly marked lost-child point near the entrance for the rest of the day.
Sample PPDT Story 5:
Quick Guide
The image is unclear, so read it as a common outdoor situation where a group is working to clear an obstruction after a minor mishap. Choose one member who organises the effort as the main character, show initiative, teamwork, and practical problem-solving, and end with the way cleared and normal activity resumed.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 24 / F
Other characters: 0 / 26 / M, 0 / 22 / M, 0 / 28 / F
Sample PPDT Story
When a fallen branch and loose debris blocked the path their group was using, Ananya stopped the others from dragging it clear in a rush that might hurt someone.
She had a quick look at how the branch was wedged and split the small group into two — one pair to lift from the heavier end, the other to clear the smaller debris and keep the path edges safe. She counted them in so they lifted together, set the branch well off the track, and checked no sharp pieces were left where people walked. Seeing a weak, leaning limb overhead, she flagged it so no one stood under it.
The path was clear within a short while and people were moving through again. Ananya passed word to the local caretaker about the leaning limb so it could be cut down safely before it fell on its own.
Sample PPDT Story 6:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a group of students gathered around newspapers for a current-affairs discussion. Choose one member who organises the session as the main character, show initiative, clear expression, and the ability to draw everyone in, and end with the group better prepared and a routine set for future sessions.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 21 / F
Other characters: + / 22 / M, 0 / 20 / M, + / 21 / M, 0 / 23 / F, 0 / 20 / M
Sample PPDT Story
The reading room had filled up with newspapers and half-finished chatter, so Kavya offered to give the group’s current-affairs session some shape.
She split the day’s paper into sections – national, defence, economy, sport and gave each member one to skim and summarise, so no one sat idle behind a page. As each person reported back, she drew out the key point in a line or two, invited a quick counter-view, and noted the topics worth reading up on further. She made sure the quieter members got their turn instead of letting the confident few run the table.
In under an hour the group had a clear grasp of the week’s important events and a shared set of notes. Kavya proposed they meet at the same time each week and rotate who leads, so the habit would hold through the term.
Sample PPDT Story 7:
Quick Guide
Identify this as an outdoor scene where an experienced elder is speaking with a younger person. Choose the young person as the main character, show that they seek guidance, weigh it sensibly, and act on it with initiative, and end with a practical step taken and a plan set in motion.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 22 / M
Other characters: + / 60 / M (the elder)
Sample PPDT Story
Dhruv had come to the old orchard-keeper for advice, unsure whether his idea of reviving the village’s unused re