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 students (as many as in the group) of Shyamgarh college returning from Dinpur after winning the Dinpur District Volley Ball Championship. The victory celebrations in your college are to start at 7.30 PM. As you mini -bus stopped at the petrol pump – cum – garage to get the headlights of the minibus repaired, you saw the attendant lying in a pool of blood. He told you that some anti – social elements had beaten him up and left him dead before looting all the cash and cutting off the telephone wires. He had managed to overhear their conversation. They planned to exchange large consignment of drugs in return for Arms from a foreigner near the Rock at 6.45 PM. They had also removed the fish plates of both railway tracks on the bridge. You know that an express train crosses the bridge at 6.30 PM. Also two of their men were hiding near the ferry to kill Tota Ram of Badli Village who was a police informer. The ferry has a motor boat with a speed of 20 Kmph which the two men have planned to use for their escape later. After telling this the pump attendant falls unconscious. Just then one of your friends comes running from the mini- bus and tells you that he has to take the mini – bus back to the office of Dinpur College where your Silver Trophy and the medals have been left behind. The time now is 5.30 PM. What will you do?
Sample GPE Priority-wise Problems
| PRIORITIES | REASONS | PROBLEMS |
| 1 | Threat to human life | Pump Attendant is unconscious & injured |
| 2 | Threat to human life | Tota Ram, the police informer, is in danger near Ferry (men hiding there) |
| 3 | Mass disaster | Fish plates removed on railway bridge – Express train due at 6:30 PM |
| 4 | Important | Arms and drug deal near the Rock at 6:45 PM |
| 5 | Minor problem | Mini-bus and driver need to return to Dinpur for trophy and medals |
| MAIN AIM OF THE GROUP | Reach Shyamgarh by 7:30 PM for celebrations | |
Sample GPE Group Division
| GROUPS | MEMBERS | ASSIGNED TASKS |
| 1 | P1, P2 | Go to railway authorities to stop express train |
| 2 | P3, P4 | Intercept arms-drug exchange at the Rock and inform coast guard |
| 3 | P5, P6 | Protect Tota Ram & capture/neutralize anti-socials at the ferry |
| 4 | P7, P8 | Help injured pump attendant + Send mini-bus to Dinpur |
Sample GPE Solution Timeline
| GROUPS | TASKS | START | END | TIME TAKEN |
| 1 | Train stopped | 5:30 PM | 5:45 PM | 45 mins |
| 2 | Informs coast guard at the Rock | 5:30 PM | 5:45 PM | 15 mins |
| 3 | Saves Tota Ram | 5:30 PM | 5:45 PM | 15 mins |
| 4 | Returns with Trophy & helps attendant | 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 30 mins |
| All regroup and head to Shyamgarh | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 30 mins | |
For detailed solution, check out Sample GPE With Detailed Solution For SSB Interview – Part 2
