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 reading room was worth the effort.
He listened carefully as the older man weighed the practical hurdles – space, funds, who would run it – and instead of being discouraged, he turned each concern into a task. He offered to clean and repair the room himself over the coming Sundays, proposed asking shopkeepers for a few second-hand books, and suggested two reliable friends to share the daily upkeep. He thanked the elder and left with a clear first step rather than a vague intention.
Within a month the reading room reopened, small but working, with a handful of students using it each evening. Dhruv kept the elder informed of the progress and asked him to guide the effort as it grew.
Sample PPDT Story 8:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a doorstep scene where a postman is delivering an important letter to a young person. Choose the young person receiving it as the main character, show composure on reading significant news and a responsible, organised response, and end with a sensible plan and family kept informed.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 19 / M
Other characters: 0 / 45 / M (the postman)
Sample PPDT Story
The postman handed Irfan a registered letter at the door – his awaited exam result and a call for the next stage in another city.
He read it calmly, noted the reporting date and documents required, and sat down to list what he needed to arrange rather than rushing about. He worked out the train and budget, set aside his certificates, and went in to tell his parents clearly what the next weeks would involve and how he planned to manage the cost. He also thanked the postman, who had made a second trip to ensure the letter reached him.
He reached the venue prepared and on time, papers in order. Before leaving, Irfan noted down the process so a younger neighbour facing the same step later would know what to expect.
Sample PPDT Story 9:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a rural scene where women are together near a water-collection route. Choose one of them as the main character, show initiative and cooperation to make daily water collection safer and fairer, and end with a practical shared arrangement in place.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 25 / F
Other characters: 0 / 28 / F, 0 / 22 / F, 0 / 30 / F, + / 16 / F
Sample PPDT Story
On the walk back from the well, Farida noticed the youngest girl struggling with a heavy pot on the uneven, slippery stretch of path.
She raised it with the group and suggested a few practical changes — collecting in pairs so no one carried alone, fixing the worst part of the path with stones the group could gather themselves, and setting rough time-slots so the well wasn’t crowded at dawn. She spoke to the older women for their agreement and drew up a simple rota that shared the load evenly across households. She made sure the youngest and eldest got the easier timings.
Within a couple of weeks the walk was steadier and the mornings less rushed. Farida planned to raise the idea of a closer hand-pump with the panchayat, using the group’s new cooperation as a start.
Sample PPDT Story 10:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a railway platform with a train halted and passengers boarding. Choose a young traveller who steps in to help as the main character, show alertness, calm assistance to those struggling, and coordination with staff, and end with everyone boarded safely and on time.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 24 / M
Other characters: – / 65 / M (elderly passenger), 0 / 30 / F, 0 / 8 / M, 0 / 40 / M (porter)
Sample PPDT Story
The train had only a short halt, and Nikhil saw an elderly man on the platform anxious about reaching a distant coach with his luggage in time.
He checked the man’s ticket for the coach and berth, flagged a porter for the heavier bag, and walked the man down the platform at a steady pace so he wouldn’t stumble in the rush. He settled him into the right seat, stowed the luggage, and helped a mother with a small child board the same coach before the whistle. He kept an eye on the time throughout so no one was left scrambling.
Everyone was aboard and seated well before the train pulled out. Nikhil suggested to the passenger that he note his coach number on his ticket sleeve for the return journey, so boarding would be simpler next time.
Sample PPDT Story 11:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a roadside situation where a vehicle has become stuck or broken down and people are working to move it. Choose one person who organises the effort as the main character, show initiative, sound method, and teamwork under difficult conditions, and end with the vehicle freed and the road usable again.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 29 / M
Other characters: 0 / 35 / M (driver), 0 / 26 / M, 0 / 40 / M, 0 / 32 / M
Sample PPDT Story
A loaded jeep had sunk into soft, wet ground on the track, and the group pushing at it was straining without progress when Manav stepped in to organise them.
He stopped the uncoordinated shoving, checked which wheel was dug in, and set the group to wedge stones and branches under it for grip first. He asked the driver to ease the accelerator gently on his count while the others pushed together in rhythm, and positioned the strongest at the sunken corner. He kept everyone clear of the wheel’s spray and made each attempt a coordinated one rather than a scramble.
On the third steady push the jeep gripped and rolled onto firm ground. Manav suggested the driver carry a couple of planks for the monsoon months, when that stretch always turned soft.
Sample PPDT Story 12:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a heavy-rain, waterlogging situation with a person moving quickly through a flooded lane. Choose that person as the main character, show urgency directed at helping others, sound judgment about safety, and coordination, and end with people moved to safety without harm.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 26 / F
Other characters: 0 / 50 / M (neighbour under umbrella), – / 70 / F, 0 / 10 / M
Sample PPDT Story
Water was rising fast in the lane as Sneha hurried back from the market, and she could see it already lapping at the lower doorsteps of the older houses.
She went first to the homes she knew held elderly residents and a young child, helping them move belongings up and guiding them toward the higher ground near the temple. She warned a neighbour not to wade through the fast-moving stretch and pointed him to a safer route along the wall. She roped in two other young people to carry what the elderly couldn’t, and kept a quick count of who was still indoors.
Everyone reached dry ground before the water peaked, and no one was hurt. Once it receded, Sneha suggested the lane’s families agree on a warning signal and a gathering point for the next heavy spell.
Sample PPDT Story 13:
Quick Guide
Read this as a neglected pond or water body near a settlement that has become unsafe or dirty. Choose a person who notices it as the main character, show responsibility, planning, and the ability to organise others to improve it, and end with a cleaner, safer spot and a plan to keep it so.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 28 / M
Other characters: 0 / 24 / M, 0 / 30 / M, 0 / 20 / F
Sample PPDT Story
Passing the village pond, Yashwant saw that its edge had crumbled and the water had grown choked and unsafe, with children still wandering close to it.
He looked over the spot and worked out what could realistically be done by the community itself – clearing the weeds and refuse, marking off the deeper edge, and fixing the broken bank with stones. He gathered a few willing neighbours, split the work between them, and spoke to the panchayat about a proper railing where the bank was steepest. He made sure the children were kept away while the edge was still loose.
Over a couple of weekends the pond was cleared and its dangerous edge fenced off. Yashwant set a simple monthly clean-up turn among the families so it wouldn’t fall back into neglect.
Sample PPDT Story 14:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a family sitting together at home discussing a household matter, with elders and younger members present. Choose one of the younger members as the main character. Show respectful listening, clear reasoning, and a practical suggestion that helps the family decide together without overriding the elders, and end with an agreed, workable plan.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 21 / M
Other characters: 0 / 50 / F (mother), 0 / 24 / M (elder brother), 0 / 19 / F (younger sister)
Sample PPDT Story
The family had gathered on the floor after dinner to work out how to manage the cost of the sister’s college admission, and the talk had begun to circle without a clear answer.
Karan listened to each person first. He heard his mother’s worry about the fees and his brother’s view on a loan before offering what he had quietly worked out. He suggested they cover the first term from savings, apply for the merit scholarship his sister was eligible for, and that he take up weekend tutoring to add a small monthly amount. He put the numbers plainly so everyone could see the plan was workable, and made sure his sister felt supported rather than a burden.
The family agreed on the plan by the end of the evening, and each person took a part. Karan offered to fill in the scholarship form that week so the admission would not be delayed.
Sample PPDT Story 15:
Quick Guide
Identify this as an outdoor camp or community gathering where a group is setting up around a central fire or work area. Choose one member who takes charge of the arrangements as the main character, show organisation, cooperation, and care for the group’s safety, and end with the activity running smoothly.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 23 / M
Other characters: 0 / 22 / M, 0 / 21 / F, 0 / 24 / M, 0 / 20 / M, 0 / 22 / F
Sample PPDT Story
At the camp ground the group was setting up for the evening bonfire and meal, but the work was scattered and the light was fading, so Tarun stepped in to give it order.
He split the group by task — some to gather and stack wood at a safe distance from the tents, some to arrange seating in a ring, and a pair to manage the cooking and water. He set the fire well clear of the dry brush, kept a bucket of sand and water beside it, and checked that the youngest members knew to stay back from the flames. He kept the jobs moving so everything was ready before dark.
The evening ran smoothly, the group ate together, and the fire was doused safely at the end. Tarun drew up a short duty roster for the rest of the camp so no one person carried the setup each day.
Sample PPDT Story 16:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a village gathering where one person is standing and speaking to others seated around. Choose the person addressing the group as the main character. Show clear communication, initiative on a shared problem, and the ability to carry the group to a decision, and end with a practical plan the villagers agree to act on.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 36 / M
Other characters: 0 / 55 / M, 0 / 45 / M, 0 / 40 / F, 0 / 30 / M
Sample PPDT Story
The villagers had gathered in the evening over the poor state of the approach road, and Vishal stood up to help turn the complaints into a plan.
He first invited the elder to speak so the discussion stayed respectful, then laid out the problem simply and asked what each family could realistically contribute. He suggested they repair the worst stretch themselves with shared labour on Sundays, collect a small sum for gravel, and send a written request to the block office for the larger work. He noted down who would do what and made sure the quieter families were also heard.
The meeting ended with an agreed plan and a date to begin, instead of the usual grumbling. Vishal offered to draft the letter to the block office and read it out at the next gathering before it was sent.
Sample PPDT Story 17:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a public gathering where a person is addressing a crowd in a market or town square. Choose the speaker as the main character, show clear expression, the ability to steer a crowd toward a constructive purpose, and calm control, and end with the gathering channelled into positive, organised action.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 32 / M
Other characters: 0 / 25 / M, 0 / 40 / M, 0 / 30 / F (mixed crowd)
Sample PPDT Story
A crowd had gathered in the market, restless over the broken drain that had flooded the lane for weeks, and Zaid stepped up to give their frustration a useful direction.
He acknowledged the problem plainly, then turned the mood from complaint to plan proposing they raise a written request to the municipal office, collect a small contribution to start clearing the drain themselves, and pick a few representatives to follow up. He kept his words simple, invited the shopkeepers to speak, and made sure the anger didn’t tip into a scene. He wrote down volunteers’ names on the spot.
The crowd left with a committee, a date, and a clear first task instead of just grievance. Within a fortnight the drain was cleared and the follow-up letter had reached the right desk.
Sample PPDT Story 18:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a tense moment where two people disagree and a third is caught between them. Choose the woman as the main character, show composure, fair listening, and the maturity to defuse the situation, and end with the misunderstanding cleared and relations steadied.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 26 / F
Other characters: – / 28 / M, – / 27 / M
Sample PPDT Story
Priya found herself between her brother and his friend, whose sharp argument over a lent sum of money was fast turning bitter.
She stepped in calmly and asked each to explain his side fully before the other replied, so the actual misunderstanding could surface instead of the heat. It turned out the repayment had been handed to the wrong person, and she walked them through the sequence until both saw where it had gone wrong. She kept her tone even, refused to take sides, and focused them on the fact rather than the insult.
The money was traced, the friend apologised, and the two shook hands before the evening was out. Priya suggested they keep even small loans noted down in future, so goodwill wouldn’t hang on memory.
Sample PPDT Story 19:
Quick Guide
Identify this as an approaching storm with one person hurrying across open ground while another warns or signals. Choose the person taking charge as the main character, show alertness to the danger, quick sound judgment, and getting others to safety, and end with everyone sheltered before the storm hits.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 23 / M
Other characters: 0 / 22 / M, 0 / 60 / M (field-worker)
Sample PPDT Story
Seeing the sky darken fast over the open field, Ashwin realised the dust storm would reach them within minutes and that an elderly worker was still out near the far edge.
He shouted and signalled to his friend to open the shed while he ran for the older man, judging he had just enough time if he went straight rather than by the path. He reached him, took his tools so he could move faster, and steadied him across the last stretch as the wind picked up. He got them both inside and pulled the shed door to just as the dust closed in.
They waited out the storm safely, shaken but unhurt. Once it passed, Ashwin suggested the field keep a simple bell to warn anyone working far out when weather turned suddenly.
Sample PPDT Story 20:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a training group on a tough uphill march across mountain terrain, carrying loads. Choose one team member as the main character. Show stamina, discipline, and care in keeping the group together on a hard climb, and end with the team completing the stretch safely and in good order.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 21 / F
Other characters: 0 / 22 / M, 0 / 20 / M, 0 / 23 / F, 0 / 24 / M (instructor ahead)
Sample PPDT Story
On the long uphill stretch of the training camp march, Meghna saw that the line had spread out and that two cadets near the back were tiring under their packs.
She kept her own pace steady and dropped back to walk with the slower two, taking a little weight off the one who was struggling most and reminding them to sip water and match her steps. She passed word up the line to ease the pace slightly so the group closed up again, and kept everyone within sight of the instructor ahead. She encouraged the tired cadets without letting anyone fall out alone.
The team regrouped and completed the climb together, reaching the halt point in good order. Meghna suggested they redistribute the heavier loads more evenly before the next march so no single cadet was overburdened.
Sample PPDT Story 21:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a group gathered at a notice or results board reading a posted announcement. Choose one person who responds constructively as the main character, show composure, initiative, and helping others act on the news, and end with a sensible next step taken.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 22 / F
Other characters: 0 / 21 / M, 0 / 23 / M, – / 20 / F, 0 / 22 / M
Sample PPDT Story
A job-recruitment notice had gone up on the college board, and a knot of students crowded around it, some excited and one girl disheartened at missing a criterion.
Anjali read the notice carefully and picked out the details others had missed in the rush – the deadline, the documents, and an alternate category the disheartened girl actually qualified for. She calmed the scramble, noted the key points aloud so everyone got them right, and pointed the girl to the clause that still let her apply. She offered to help a couple of them prepare their forms that evening.
Several students applied correctly and on time, including the one who had nearly given up. Anjali suggested the group photograph such notices in future so no one missed a detail standing in a crowd.
Sample PPDT Story 22:
Quick Guide
Identify this as a mountaineering scene with a climber on a rope on a steep face. Choose the climber as the main character, show skill, careful planning, and setting the route so those behind can follow safely and end with the section made safe for the team.
Character Identification
Main character (circled): + / 28 / M
Other characters: 0 / 26 / M, 0 / 27 / M, 0 / 25 / F (team below)
Sample PPDT Story
Leading his climbing team up the rock face, Tenzin went first on the hardest pitch to fix a rope the others could rely on.
He tested each hold before trusting it, placed his anchors where they would hold a slip, and worked at a steady, deliberate pace rather than a showy one. Once secure at the top of the pitch, he fixed the line and called clear instructions down — where to place feet, which hold to avoid — so each climber came up on a route he had already made safe. He watched every member up before moving on.
The whole team cleared the difficult face without a single fall. Tenzin marked the anchor points on his route sketch so the descent, and future teams, could use the same safe line.
