Page 256 - Graphic1

SSB | 247

Lesson 28
Practicing the G.O.R.

“This is a task of cooperation and team spirit. Your performance should be impressive and in turn
emergence of solution should uplift the cooperation. The question is how close cooperation can develop
into a special relationship based on mutual trust and hostility. The essential component of cooperation is
one should learn how to walk before attempting to fly”.
The purpose of this test is to see the degree of candidates’ involvement in the group. Armed Forces
operate in group and it necessitates wholehearted and pure involvement. There must not be any clash of
interest between the individual and the group. Remember, interest of the group always reigns supreme
from the view point of Armed Forces. Individuals’ interest is always relegated to second priority.
‘Service before self’ is seen and needed no where else better than the Armed Forces.
A soldier draws his strength, pride and motivation from his ‘paltan’. He rejoices the achievements of
his paltan as his own and the loss of his paltan is like his own personal loss. And one of the reliable
tests to verify this quality is the GOR.
Besides the group spirit the other qualities that are refleced in this test are courage or risk taking
behaviour like physical stamina, planning and organisation co-operation and co-ordination. In
nutshell, while dynamic and social factors are primarily reflected in the GOR, the intellectual and
the leadership functions are also reflected in a sprinkle.
Conduct of GOR—Group obstacle race is basically a competitive race among groups of
candidates in negotiating some sets of obstacles with a load or ‘snake’. For this, the entire batch,
depending on the strength, is divided into three or four groups. So far, you were working within your
own batch for tests like GPE or the GD. Your affiliation for the GOR is with another group, which is
certainly larger than your batch and yet very temporary in nature.
The Group Testing Officer explains each group the nature of obstacles and what the group is
required to do. He then will explain you the rules of the race. You are advised to listen to the tester
carefully. At the end of his briefing, he will invite your doubts and will ensure that you are clear in your
mind about ‘what’ and ‘how’ of what is to be done.
Ordinarily, the weight of the load is about fifty kilograms. It is to be held by a minimum of three
candidates at a time. It is not to fall on the ground anytime. A time-penalty is imposed on the group
whenever the snake is dropped. Also snake and the group have to follow the same route in which the
snake leads.
Every group must strive to come first. A sense of urgency is created that the task becomes ‘the
race of life’ for some over-motivated candidates. This motivation sometimes creates such a great
competition fever that even the most ordinary candidate gives his lifetime best performance.
Some candidates are seen to become anxious and tense before the race begins. Do not worry. The
obstacles are only moderately difficult and anyone with normal physical strength can afford to do them
well !
❒❒