10 Golden Tips For Group Planning Exercise in SSB Interview

The process of getting into the Indian Army, Indian Navy or Indian Air Force is not a one-day thing and involves a set of stairs to reach the top. From the written examination to the SSB interview process, the journey is not easy. And in the SSB selection process comes the Group Planning Exercises or Group Testing Officer tasks. The tasks are designed to check the physical strength linked with the mental stability of a candidate and evaluate their performance. 

The Group Planning Tasks are a little complex as it is divided into further stages to determine physical strength, personality and psychological quotient. In this post, we will share the 10 golden tips that will help you excel in the Group Planning Exercise in the SSB interview process.

What are Group Planning Exercises?

GPE is a part of Group Testing Officer tasks with two stages – group discussion and then Group Planning Exercise (GPE). The GPE involves a set of physical tasks that evaluate a candidate’s overall management skills and how they perform a task with minimum supervision. 

The GTO tasks have 9 individual tasks that every candidate must complete with an excellent score to make it to the end. Among these 9 tasks, we have the Group Planning Exercise. 

The GPE, as the name suggests, has a group of candidates that has to do some planning to get the job given by the administrator. Candidates altogether have to complete the task after a group discussion. A 3D mapping model is given to the group that portrays the entire scene. Further, every candidate is given a card on which they have to submit the solution. And within 10-15 minutes, students have to address all the problems on the paper. 

10 Golden Tips For Group Planning Exercise in SSB Interview 

If you want to excel in the Group Planning exercise, here are a few tips that will help you to get good scores: 

1. Listen to the Question Hints and Details Carefully 

Make sure that you listen to the description carefully and try to imagine the whole scenario virtually because, in that way, you will get to make the plan, extract the hints and classify the resources and get to the proper solution. Please read all the hints given in the card carefully as it is the key to the solution and helps 90% of the time to get an answer quickly.

2. Get a Hand on Social Knowledge 

If a candidate has social knowledge, they have a better chance to score in the GPE as some questions are related to social learning. Deep expertise in this section can help you in problem prioritization, resource allocation and many other benefits. And at the same time, a lack of social knowledge can lead to improper allocation of resources and unsuitable solutions. 

3. Priority Distribution is Important

Make sure that you correctly prioritise the problems in the scenario. The GPE round consists of giving the correct response at the right time. And it can be possible by ideal prioritization of the problems like first to live, second to material and resources and further. But do not waste much time doing that as you also need to give the answer. 

But while answering the questions, handle the situation first that needs instant action than to those that can be treated later without any loss. 

4. Ideal Use of Resources 

The plan that candidates get consists of many resources, including manpower, natural resources, things in the picture and even the vehicle passing by. The main objective is to use the resources in an ideal way that results in optimum usage. At the same time, the unmeaningful use of resources can take you into a bigger problem. 

Remember that anything presented to you, like villages, towns, and buildings, can also be considered a resource. 

5. Good Format is Always Appreciated 

A good representation is only possible through a good format and clear handwriting. From the handwriting style to the correct use of grammar will make you to the top. You give a strong statement when you represent your paper with a good format, clear writing, and a solution for every problem from start to finish. 

6. Practice is Always A Key

When you are in a Group Planning Exercise, it is important to have a calm discussion and to make fair points, and it needs to be fast. The vital thing to discuss is to find the right solution plan to solve the issue. And it can only be possible calmly and effectively. 

7. Time is a Constraint 

In GPE, there will be multiple approaches for a single problem, and it can take time to get into all approaches. It is essential to save time during such situations. And for that, it is advisable to go with the one that takes the least amount of time. It also measures your task awareness. 

8. Sample Papers are a Must

Practising sample papers before your SSB interview will help you gain an advantage to ace the round compared to other aspirants. Various books in the market offer GPE sample cases that you can practice at home. 

9. Divide and Rule

This time, dividing means assigning the duties to each member to conquer. For good performance, divide members into different tasks and the number of people for a designated job to complete the job correctly. Do not assign more members for a less important task and underuse the workforce. 

10. Take Charge 

If you want to excel in your GPE round, do not wait for someone else to take charge or waste time deciding. Try to tackle the problem on your own from the beginning and give less burden to others. It does not only show your leadership skills but also helps to finish the task on time. 

While we have mentioned the most important tips for Group Planning Exercises in SSB Interview, ensure you are fully prepared and confident with your practice. Conduct yourself well during the tasks and try to give your best.