GPE FOR SSB CANDIADTES PART-1

What is Military Planning Exercise in SSB Interview

Group planning exercise [GPE] or Military Planning Exercise [MPE] is done to check the reaction of candidates when put under a series of stressful situation, in which decision making ability and quick reactions of a candidate is checked.

What is Military Planning Exercise in SSB Interview

• GTO explains the candidates a model on wooden plank, at the end of explanation candidates are permitted to ask any question.
• Now GTO reads a story from the card, pay attention while he reads this.
• Now after reading the story GTO allows each candidate to read story for five minutes from story cards placed on their chairs & co-relate it with the model. Make mental picture of everything because after five minutes these story cards are taken away from you.
• Now candidates are asked to write their own solution to various problems on a sheet of paper. Time allowed is ten minutes.
• After ten minutes the writing sheet is taken away and the group is expected to discuss and arrive at a common plan for the problem and then nominate a person to say the group plan to the GTO.

Structure of GPE problems

Generally there are four problems given in GPE. One is of a serious nature which involves immediate reaction or is costing more life; such problem must be assigned first priority. Second kind of problem is also of serious nature and has some time left to solve it, assign them second priority; third problem is comparatively less serious. Also there will be one silly problem, assign it least priority.

Group Planning Exercise Tips

• Listen to the GTO carefully, make a mental picture of the problem in your mind and start finding solutions.
• Clarify all the doubts from the GTO before writing your own solution.
• Write your solution with confidence. Be clear with your ideas and approach. There is no right or wrong solution here.
• Make a mental note of all the minute details in the model. They will come handy while solving the problem.
• Identify all the possible resources at your disposal; generally all the problems are easily solvable if the requisite resources are identified.
• During the group discussion you are required to support the group to formulate the best possible plan. Hence, do not always stick to your own opinions for the heck of it.
• If someone has a better idea than yours, accept it and contribute your bit in the group.
• Generally, the GD in the GPE is chaotic and no group solution is formed. Try to avoid this phenomenon by urging your group members to be more cooperative

Sample GPE or MPE

Details:

Narrative

You are a group of students coming from your small town Kalapur in a minibus going to neighbouring district town Nimganj to appear in an Exam commencing at 11:15 a.m. after dismounting from the minibus at village Ruppar you are waiting for the steamer to go across River Koyal. Suddenly a villager comes to you for help and informs that an old dilapidated haveli on the outskirts of the village Ruppar has crumbled down crushing five men, out of which two are seriously injured. He also tells that while he was working in his field nearby, he overheard two terrotists who had planted a bomb on the Railway Bridge on River Koyal and timed it to blow up at 10:15 a.m., when Mimganj- Kalapur passengers passes over it. He further added that they have gone to village Chara where they plan to exchange the contraband they were carrying with other party at 10:20 a.m. at Raju Hotel and chalk out plan to destroy a Pontoon Bridge on River Koyal further upstream, subsequently as you were listening to this villager another shepherd comes running asking for help to put out the fire in his hut where he stored haystack and fodder for his cattle. Some additional information is available as follows:

1.  The streamer service is twice a day and comes at 9:30 a.m. to leave for Nimganj.
2. The minibus leaves back of Kalapur at 9:20 a.m. and its speed is 40 kmph.
3.  Due to some problem local communication form village Ruppar is out of order.
4.  The fishery department located on River Koyal has one rowing boat with capacity of four. Maximum speed upstream is 6 kmph and downstream is 15 kmph.
5.  Down train leaves Kalapur at 10:30 a.m. to reach Nimganj at 11:00 a.m.

Time now is 9 a.m. as bold young men what action will you take?

Solution

We are a group of 10 students at Ruppar. We have to reach Nimganj by 11:15 a.m. to give exam. We are presently waiting for steamer, and we have to tackle the following situations in the meanwhile:

1.    To give first aid and evacuation to all five injured people.
2.   To inform and help authorities to stop Bomb blast at Railway Bridge.
3.   To nab terrorists at Village Chara.

We will handle these situations in the following manner:

1.   Two of us will give first aid to injure and will borrow a jeep form Ruppar. They will take the injured to Kalapur and admit them in hospital. The distance is 45 km so it will take two hours and reach by 10 a.m. this group will them go to Chara in same jeep. Distance is 20 km, and it will take 30 min  subsequently will join 4th group.
2.   Three of us will go to other side of river ina boat. From there, we will take lift in car and will reach Nimganj by 9:15am since distance is 10 km will inform police station at Mimganj and railway station at Nimganj and Kalapur, so that the Nimganj Kalapur-Passenger can be delayed. This group will accompany police and bomb squad to Railway Bridge to neutralize the bomb. Distance is 10 km so in police jeep they will reach by 9:30 am approximately.
3.  Two of us will take the boat and reach pontoon Bridge and guard it till the 2nd group arrives with police and Bob squad. Distance is 6 km, so it will take ½ hour to reach the location.
4.  There of three of us will accompany armed villagers to Chara on Motorcycles and nab terrorists of Raju hotel at 10:20 am. The group will take position in advance, nab the culprits and hand them over the police.