YTA Success Stories Episode 4: Cadet Yashraj Newase

YTA Success Stories Episode 4: Cadet Yashraj Newase

YTA Success Stories Episode 4: Cadet Yashraj Newase

Teamwork, Technology and Determination – The Success Story of Cadet Yashraj Newase

SSB Recommended – Indian Army | NDA 156 Course

 

Every success story has a moment where curiosity turns into conviction. For Cadet Yashraj Newase, that moment came not from textbooks but from observing the quiet confidence of naval personnel during his Sea Cadet training and the disciplined environment he saw around Yashotej Academy. What began as fascination slowly transformed into a determined pursuit of the uniform. His journey shows how the right environment, disciplined effort and thoughtful preparation can turn an ordinary student into a future officer of the Indian Armed Forces.

Cadet Yashraj, selected for the Indian Navy for NDA 156 Course, comes from Hadapsar, on the Eastern outskirts of Pune. He studied at City International School and belongs to a family of professionals. Both his parents are electronic engineers working in the private sector.

Being a single child, Yashraj learnt independence early in life. His parents’ busy professional schedules meant that he often had to manage his own routine and responsibilities.

During his school years, Yashraj considered himself an average student academically. However, he was highly active in extracurricular activities. He played cricket and badminton for the school and also displayed strong communication skills. One of his proud achievements during school was winning a district-level inter-school debate competition.

A turning point in his life came when he joined the Sea Cadet Corps during school.

The Sea Cadet Corps is a voluntary youth organisation that conducts a four-year training programme aimed at developing nautical awareness, discipline, leadership and character among young students. Through this programme, cadets are introduced to maritime traditions, teamwork and the basic ethos of naval life.

During his training, Yashraj frequently interacted with serving naval personnel. Their discipline, personality and communication skills left a deep impression on him. Slowly, admiration turned into aspiration and the idea of joining the Indian Navy began to take shape.

Around the same time, his father often passed Yashotej Academy on his way to work. He would observe students moving confidently around the campus and noticed the strong sense of purpose among them. Curious about the academy, Yashraj searched online and discovered that YTA specialised in preparing students for the NDA.

Soon, the decision was made.

The COVID lockdown period had made Yashraj somewhat sedentary. His parents jokingly felt he had become a “couch potato.” To help him develop discipline and routine, they decided that he should join YTA as a hosteller.

His first day at the academy was memorable.

During the traditional battalion auction, he was picked by the Mavericks Battalion, known for its lively traditions. One such tradition involved eating food without using hands, and his initiation began with ice cream. What could have been an awkward moment turned into laughter and helped him bond quickly with fellow cadets.

Soon after joining, Yashraj was appointed Building Captain, a responsibility that involved taking attendance of students and reporting daily status. Initially, balancing academics with this responsibility was challenging. However, the role helped him learn an important skill—planning and time management. Over time, it strengthened his leadership abilities.

Hostel life brought another major advantage—the study group.

Yashraj and his five roommates formed a disciplined academic team. Every week they prepared a structured study plan based on the syllabus for the upcoming weekly tests. They divided topics, discussed concepts and helped each other understand difficult subjects.

Their preparation strategy was simple but powerful.
First, they would complete the entire weekly syllabus together. Then, after the Saturday test, they would revise all topics covered in the previous week.

These group discussions often became mini teaching sessions. Explaining concepts to one another helped strengthen their understanding.

This collective effort produced results. Four out of the six roommates eventually cleared the NDA written examination.

While preparing for the SSB interview, Yashraj adopted a modern and innovative approach.

He used ChatGPT extensively for preparation. After filling his Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ), he used the platform to generate hundreds of possible interview questions based on his responses. He also uploaded pictures used for the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and analysed his story responses.

Alongside this, he regularly watched daily current affairs videos, practised lecturette topics and conducted group discussions with fellow cadets inside the hostel rooms.

He also prepared thoroughly for the Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests.

Mock interviews conducted by the YTA faculty helped him identify weaknesses and refine his responses.

Eventually, Yashraj travelled to Visakhapatnam SSB along with three other YTA cadets.

During the lecturette task, he was given four topics: Brain Drain, Drone Warfare, Linguistic Disputes in India and My Pet. He chose Brain Drain and delivered a confident and structured talk.

His personal interview began with an interesting question. The interviewer asked Yashraj about the three other YTA candidates appearing alongside him and whom he thought would be recommended.

Yashraj responded honestly and confidently. He said that he believed he would be recommended, as he could not judge the performance of others during the tests. However, he also expressed confidence that his batchmates had worked extremely hard and had the potential to succeed.

The interview also included unexpected questions, including one about the educational qualifications of his grandparents, testing his awareness about his own family background.

In the end, Yashraj and two other YTA cadets were recommended from that SSB board in Visakhapatnam.

Today, Yashraj is preparing himself mentally and physically for the demanding and rewarding journey that awaits him at the National Defence Academy.

His story reminds every student that success does not depend only on brilliance. It depends on discipline, teamwork, curiosity and the willingness to improve every single day.