Page No.148-153
Soumi Awasthy and Gurpreet Kaur
Defence Institute of Psychological Research, DRDO, Delhi.
In a complex technological society like India, the ability to match the unique t alents
of each person to the requirements of the job has advantages for both the individual
and society. What the individual can do now and what he or she could do af ter
appropriate training is not the same. The former speaks of ‘achievement’ and the
latter is known as ‘aptitude’. Tests designed to predict what one can accomplish
with training are called aptitude tests. In the present study aptitude battery was
developed to identify the best fit man for a particular job by matching the qualities
possessed by a person and skills required for that particular job. The battery was
developed in three phases. In phase I, job analysis was carried out for 197 trades
of 15 arms and services. Based upon thorough job analysis 14 essential and
required abilities wer e identified to work ef ficiently for dis tant trades. Phase II
included identification of broad abilities required for different trades and clustering
of abilities as per the trades. Further, for each ability, different tests were developed
to assess a particular ability. In total 20 tests were developed assessing fourteen
abilities. Phase III included development of trade allocation battery and software
package for administration, scoring and analysis of the battery. Initially approximately
1050 cognitive items and three psychomotor tests were developed and were given
to experts for scrutiny. Thereafter, approximately 700 cognitive items and three
psychomotor tests grouped in 20 tests were prepared for the preliminary testing.
Item analysis for all the tests was carried out and the final form of the battery was
prepared. Further all these tests are group tests and are convenient to administer
and can be easily scored. To conclude it can be said that psychological tests are
sensitive tools and should be used for the purpose only for which they have been
developed
.