Page 93 - Failure to Triumph - Journey of A Student

My Target Service Selection Board (SSB)

All about Military Planning Exercise [Group

Planning Exercise]

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.

Given below is what happens in the GPE/MPE.

o GTO explains the candidates a model on wooden plank, at the end of explanation

candidates are permitted to ask any question.
o Now GTO reads a story from the card, pay attention while he reads this.

o 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.
o Now candidates are asked to write their own solution to various problems on a sheet of

paper. Time allowed is ten minutes.
o 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.
What is Officers' Intelligence Rating Test?

Points to be kept in mind

o Identify the problems and list them in priority you would like to solve them.
o Divide the groups logically, i.e. send more people in more serious problem and you should
always go in the most serious problem which you have ranked first.

o In solutions you should also make rough calculations of the distance and time it’ll take to
reach there.
o After solving problems also write that you’ll all gather at some point and proceed for the

work you were actually doing.
o In discussion be prepared for a heated discussion but do not lose your temper.

o Try to initiate the discussion if not possible then at least enter the discussion early.
o Cooperate with others and give fair chance to everybody to express their solution.
o Do not generalize by saying that all problems are equally important.
o If others oppose your view do not get discouraged, however if you find someone giving a

better solution do not hesitate to agree.