United Service Institution of India

USI CONTACT PROGRAMME–1

USI CONTACT PROGRAMME–1 2026 FEEDBACK REPORT

Introduction

1. The USI Contact Programme–1 was conducted from 15 to 20 June 2026 and was attended by 22 officers.
2. The programme was conducted as per the approved schedule as under.
3. Feedback from all 22 participants indicates that the programme was highly relevant for DSSC/DSTSC examination preparation and was viewed very positively. Of the 20 officers who responded to the satisfaction questions, 90% stated they would recommend the programme to others, while 85% reported that it met or exceeded their expectations. Nineteen officers (68%) rated the programme as either Very Good or Excellent, and none rated it Fair or Poor.
4. Participants particularly appreciated the answer-writing guidance, faculty support, Military History, and Current Affairs modules. The principal areas identified for improvement were Science & Military Technology (SMT), Tactical Paper B (Tac B), and closer alignment of mock examinations with the actual DSSC examination format. Several officers also recommended extending the programme to six or seven days and providing printed study material.

Participant Overview

1. All respondents attended the Contact Programme, while three officers also made use of correspondence-style inputs. No participant relied solely on correspondence, reaffirming that the classroom format remains the preferred mode of preparation.

Overall Programme Ratings

1. Overall, 68% of respondents placed the programme in the two highest rating categories.

Strengths and Areas for Improvement

1. Average ratings across the 32 evaluation parameters ranged from 3.47 to 4.33 on a five-point scale, indicating consistently positive feedback.

1. Military History and Current Affairs were also the subjects most frequently identified in the qualitative feedback as the strongest components, while Tac B and SMT were consistently highlighted as requiring further attention.

Key Feedback

1. Strengths

• Answer-writing guidance was the highest-rated academic component and was widely regarded as the programme's greatest value.
• Individual faculty interaction and personalised feedback on practice answers were highly appreciated.
• Military History and Current Affairs were considered comprehensive, relevant, and closely aligned with the examination syllabus.

1. Areas for Improvement

• Science & Military Technology. Update content to reflect current technological developments and recent CPSC recommendations.
• Tac B. Increase map exercises, narrative-writing practice, and post-exercise discussions.
• Mock examinations. Conduct practice papers in the same sequence and format as the actual DSSC examination.
• Model answers. Refresh and expand the model-answer repository to improve syllabus coverage.

1. Logistics and Format Feedback

1. Participants also recommended providing printed precis, assigning preparatory work before commencement, and issuing joining instructions sufficiently early to facilitate release from units.

Conclusion

1. The feedback indicates that the USI Contact Programme–1 2026 successfully achieved its primary objective of enhancing officers' preparedness for the DSSC/DSTSC examination. Participants valued the programme's practical orientation, particularly its emphasis on answer writing, mock examinations, faculty mentoring, Military History, and Current Affairs. The opportunity to practise under examination conditions and receive personalised feedback was considered its greatest strength.
2. The feedback also identifies clear opportunities for enhancement. Priority areas include strengthening the Science & Military Technology and Tac B modules through updated content and additional practical exercises, improving model-answer resources, and aligning mock examinations more closely with the actual DSSC examination format. Addressing these recommendations will further improve the effectiveness of future Contact Programmes.