The Group Planning Exercise (GPE) is a key component of the Group Task (GT) series at the SSB, designed to evaluate a candidate’s planning, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. In a typical GPE, you will be presented with a map, a situation, and several problems to tackle within a limited timeframe. You and your group must come up with a detailed, logical plan to address all issues effectively.
Below, you will find a situation. Read it carefully, analyse the information, and then propose a step-by-step plan in the comments section.
Sample GPE Map
SCALE: 2 cm = 1 km
Sample GPE Story
You are a group of army personnels going for shooting practice from your camp at Malleswar to Mohi firing range in a 3-ton. When you reached road junction, a few villagers with an injured person in a bullock cart stopped you and asked for help. The man who had been attacked by a shark told you the incident – “I had been to the lighthouse island for fishing and I overheard two smugglers discussing that a consignment of drugs was to reach the island in a helicopter at 1100 hours today. To divert the attention of the coastal guard, they were planning to explode a bomb at the village school at 1130 hours, where the coastal guard commander would be inaugurating the school’s annual function. When they found out that I was listening, they tried to attack me and I jumped into the sea and swam towards the shore. Unfortunately, a shark attacked me.” At that time, the NCO in charge tells you that he had forgotten to bring the targets for firing. The villagers further informed you that the culvert had collapsed after they had passed through. Now time is 0930 hours. As a group of brave young men, what will you do?
Sample GPE Priority-wise Problems
| PRIORITIES | REASONS | PROBLEMS |
| 1 | Threat to human life | Victim of shark attack |
| 2 | Mass disaster | School bomb blast at 1130 hours |
| 3 | Important problem | Drug drop at 1100 hours |
| 4 | Minor problem | Firing targets forgotten |
Sample GPE Group Division (Assuming 10 Persons)
| GROUPS | MEMBERS | ASSIGNED TASKS |
| A | 4 | Inform Coastal Guard and intercept smugglers |
| B | 2 | Prevent Bomb Blast at School |
| C | 2 | Take Injured Person to Hospital |
| D | 2 | Fetch Firing Targets from Camp |
Sample GPE Solution Timeline
| GROUPS | TASKS | START | END | TIME TAKEN |
| 1 | Inform Coastal Guard | 9:30 AM | 9:45 AM | 15 mins |
| 2 | Prevent Bomb Blast at School | 9:30 AM | 9:40 AM | 10 mins |
| 3 | Shift injured man to Hospital | 9:30 AM | 10:00 AM | 20 mins |
| 4 | Fetch Targets | 9:30 AM | 10:10 AM | 40 mins |
For detailed solution, check out Sample GPE With Detailed Solution For SSB Interview – Part 10
