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
Sample GPE Story
You are a group of NCC cadets from your NCC unit Amreli, who is returning back after doing COVID volunteering duties at Kheda by minibus. While passing by milestone 44, you were stopped by a person on the roadside asking for help. He told you that he is from an NGO and was out delivering food packets to village Kotla, but their van broke down, so he requests you to deliver those food packets there. While you were transferring the food packets, you heard a loud noise from behind and saw a car collide with a roadside tree. You rushed to the spot and found the driver seriously injured. The co-driver tells you that they overheard the plan of thieves to rob a bank in Kotla village at 1400 hours. At the same time, a crying child comes running to you asking for help. He informed you that he has escaped from the rubber factory, which has detained and kept many children whom they use for forced labor work secretly despite lockdown. While you were contemplating what to do, one of your friends tells you that he is not feeling well and has a high fever with coughing. The time now is 1300 hours. You have to reach and report to your unit commanding officer at 1630 hours. As a group of brave young cadets, what will you do?
Sample GPE Priority-wise Problems
| PRIORITIES | REASONS | PROBLEMS |
| 1 | Threat to human life | Injured person in car crash |
| 2 | Mass disaster | Bank robbery plan at 1400 hrs in Kotla |
| 3 | Social issue | Child labour in factory |
| 4 | Urgent | Cadet with COVID symptoms |
| 5 | Important | NGO food packet delivery to Kotla |
Sample GPE Group Division (Assuming 10 Cadets)
| GROUPS | MEMBERS | ASSIGNED TASKS |
| A | 2 | Rescue the car crash victim |
| B | 2 | Prevent bank robbery in Kotla |
| C | 2 | Rescue child labours from factory |
| D | 2 | Hospitalize sick cadet |
| E | 2 | Deliver food packets to Kotla |
Sample GPE Solution Timeline
| GROUPS | TASKS | Distance | START | END | TIME TAKEN |
| A | Car Crash Medical Aid | 3 km (to & fro) | 1:00 PM | 1:40 PM | 40 mins |
| B | Bank Robbery Alert | 2 km | 1:00 PM | 1:25 PM | 25 mins |
| C | Child Rescue | 4 km (to & fro) | 1:00 PM | 1:50 PM | 50 mins |
| D | COVID Sick Cadet | 3 km | 3:00 PM | 3:40 PM | 40 mins |
| E | Food Delivery | 4 km (to & fro) | 1:00 PM | 1:50 PM | 50 mins |
All groups regroup at M-44 by 1515 hrs, leave for Amreli (18 km) via minibus at 1530 hrs and reach NCC Unit HQ and report to Commanding Officer by 1630 hrs.
