 GTO tasks which requires Practical Application are PGT(Progressive Group Task),HGT(Half Group Task),CT(Command Task) and FGT(Final Group Task)  These Tasks are leaderless (Except CT),Situational,Action oriented,Role playing,stressful and Simulated to job performance in service life  Group is expected to use ingenuity in bridging the gap using available resources of a Balli +Plank + Rope and carry a load  Technique of negotiating the tasks remain the same except in PGT (Combination of Four tasks) becomes progressively difficult as one moves from 1st task to 4th task, In HGT Group is divided in two groups so that those who could not perform well in larger Group may find easier to perform better. Besides HGT /CT and FGT consist of only one task. In CT a candidate is chosen as leader for the 1st time and has the freedom to choose two members to assist him Tasks are basically combination of structures which in itself consists of parts

1. Compiled by Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),
MTech,CE(I),FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI
Contact -9007224278, e-mail –
muktesh_prasad@yahoo.co.in
for book ”Decoding Services Selection Board” and SSB
guidance and training at Shivnandani Edu and Defence
Academy
1.GTO TECHNIQUE-
https://www.slideshare.net/ColMukteshwarPrasad/group-
testing-technique
https://www.slideshare.net/ColMukteshwarPrasad/progress
ive-group-task-for-ssbservices-selection-board
Decoding PGT/HGT/CT/FGT in
SSB

2. Decoding Progressive Group Task:Summary
 Follow Rules
 Group Rule- All Group members with Helping
Materials(Plank+Balli+Ropes) + Load must successfully complete 1st task
before moving to next task
 Colour Code
 Rule of rigidity-Plank + Balli can not be tied
 Rule of Infinity
 Distance rule- Can not jump more than 4 ft
 Violation then revert back to place of last successful location
 Candidates are being checked for Contribution(Content),Social Skills,
Problem Solving capability, application and decision making ability
 Candidates should learn to be a part of Team rather than Group(Remember
Lakha of Lagaan and Vindiya Nayak of chuck de India for avoidance)
 Social Skills –Avoid
 shouting and
 working to show to GTO
 promoting self-Team wins

3. Decoding Progressive Group Task:Summary
 Social Skills –Avoid ....
 Asking questions for the asking
 Brute Force
 Candidates are rank rating based on
 Functional Efficiency
 Sharpness and appropriateness of application skill
 Learning while performing and its application
 Deconstruct tasks in structures and structures in its components and
understanding interdependence of each components and parts and finally
handle each components individually
 GTO tasks are basically Platform + Structure +Bridging
 Being leaderless ,leader is thrown based on their
 Problem identification and analysis capability(Read Reasoning Ability
Definition)
 Understanding essentials of problem
 Arriving at conclusion using rational mind

4. Decoding Progressive Group Task:Summary
 Being leaderless ,leader is thrown based on their .... rational mind
 Problem Solving capability
 Coping with practical situation of varying complexity
 Practical Intelligence
 Independent solution
 Resourcefulness
 GTO may stop to bar some options or to give you hint-Use it effectively
 In some cases one may encounter OTMD(One time movable drum) which
can be picked up and placed at any location desired by the Group. Be
judicious in its placement because it can not be altered once placed
 Judge distance correctly and don’t just keep trying
 4 ft for jumping
 Plank length
 Balli length
 Look to bridge distance beyond 4 ft start to structure ,structure to structures
and finally structure to finish line

5. Decoding Progressive Group Task:Summary
 Look for tell tales like hole/bolt/stud/brackets or even marks of helping
material to get a clue
 Be ingenuous to create cantilever/fulcrum using helping material
 Don’t be scared to walk on the plank
 Remain in fore front ensuring to stick to Group task Roles
 Don’t forget Effective level of Group Functioning
 Group Effectiveness
 Group Cohesiveness
 Stability
 Task becomes gradually tougher as one goes from 1st to 2nd to 3rd and
finally 4th
 Rarely Group completes all 4 in stipulated 45 mins
 Contribution of candidates in progressive difficult tasks separates Good
from not so good
 Every task has atleast three tested solutions ,hence never give up

7. Principles of Group Testing
 Gestalt-A German word meaning pattern or form. All structures along with their
parts are not a summation of its parts but an integration of its components
where each part is interlinked ,interwind and interdepenent with the other parts
and with the whole
 Solution lies in perception as a whole and then differentiated into parts with
reference to each other and the whole exploiting both aspects
 Presentative aspect involving sense data
 Representative aspect involving revival of
 similar past experience
 Relational aspect
 Gestalt way of perceiving
 Solution also lies in understanding the phenomena of
 Figure -Object of concentration at a given time
 Ground -Environment in relation to the figure
 Social Field(Human as an organism Constantly interacts with the environment
as if in the field of forces resulting in a behaviour which is a function of
Personality and Environment
 Candidates function in social field by working in leaderless situational
tasks subjected to controlled conditions and stress.
 Emerging behaviour pattern during interaction in group is indicative of

8. Principles of Group Testing
 Consistency-Change in situation from easier tasks to
more difficult as one moves from 1st to 4th (In PGT) bring
variation in the performance level depending upon
Effective Intelligence , Reasoning Ability and other
leadership qualities . More consistent the performance
better the candidate . Similarly consistence is also seen in
PGT to FGT ,CT and FGT as rank rated by GTO
 Free association-Leaderless tasks provide a situation
which is free for all . GTO role is that of an observer with
purposive interference only to ensure flow of relevant data
 Stress of performance and Time brings out basic
attitude(Depending on social experience of individual) in
relation to each other . Superficial attitudes are
superimposed on basic set because of Convention , Social

9. Principles of Group Testing
 Three types of stress are working in a group, these are:-
 Internal- such as conflict, liability, frustration. These are regulated in
the group from within.
 External- such as difficulty of the task, time limit, interference by the
GTO, his attitude and presence.
 Intra-Psychic- Created due to desire of an individual to excel and
dominate/ lead the group.
 Group gets transformed to Co-operation stage of development
which requires
 Compromise ,
 Reconciliation ,and
 Co-operation
 It comes in when individuals realise the need for collective effort in
accomplishing a common tasks are vital
 Sociometry. Analyses individual’s understanding and the group
of which he is a member. Greater the number of mutual choices,
greater is the cohesiveness of the group. Morale and choices of
the group leader is assessed by mutually agreed positions in a
group.
 GTO asks candidate to name top performers besides helpers
for CT is indicative of standing of individualm in the Group

13. GTO Tasks requiring Practical Application
 Practical Application
 PGT(Progressive Group Task)
 HGT(Half Group Task)
 CT(Command Task)
 FGT(Final Group Task)
 These Tasks are
 Are leaderless (Except CT)
 Situational
 Action oriented
 Role playing
 Stressful
 Simulated to job performance in service life
 Group is also expected to use ingenuity in bridging the gap using
available resources of a Balli +Plank + Rope and carry a load
 Technique of negotiating the tasks remain the same except in PGT
(Combination of Four tasks) becomes progressively difficult as one
moves from 1st task to 4th task, In HGT Group is divided in two groups so
that those who could not perform well in larger Group may find easier to
perform better. Besides HGT /CT and FGT consist of only one task. In CT
a candidate is chosen as leader for the 1st time and has the freedom to
choose two members to assist him
 Tasks are basically combination of structures which in itself

15. Performance gap analysis

16. Structure Analysis
 Candidate must have capacity to analyze each
component which makes the structure and relativeness
of each structure with other structure on ground in that
task.
 In above task structure A itself consists of three
components 2 Cs and 1 I dug in the ground
 A’ consists of 2 Cs
 Problem is as how can we cross over from Start line to
finish line using 3 helping material viz. Balli, plank and
rope besides group member ensuring that ground rules
,rule of infinity, rule of rigidity and distance is not broken
 Aim is to cross over from start line to a and then to A;
and finally to finish line

17. Salient Points for structure
Analysis
 Ability to grasp instruction
 Capacity to analyze structure
 Clarity and sharpness in thinking
 Flow of ideas coherent or restricted
 Stress handling capacity-adequate/In adequate
 Self confidence-sustained /depletes under stress
 Speed of decision-Acceptable/Slow/Blocked
 Determination to complete-Adequate/inadequate
 Effective use of resources(OA)
 Time taken for execution
 Quality of practical work sense
 Ability to clearly communicate ideas
 Identify your present level and practice to come up to
required level

18. Significance of 1st four tasks
 Perform in acceptable manner in 3 out of first four
 Role you play for your self (Best Group task Role and then Group Building Role
and must avoid Self centered role).Chosen role is all the more important in
PGT. 1st two tasks GD and GPE are indoor and Pressure is quite low as
compared to PGT
 Group task roles
 Initiator
 Opinion seeker
 Opinion giver
 Clarifier
 Coordinator
 Orienteer
 Group Building Role
 Supporter
 Harmonizer
 Tension reliever
 Encourager
 Self centered role
 Blocker
 Aggressor
 Recognition seeker
 Clown
 Dominator

19. Significance of 1st four tasks
 Effective level of functioning
 Group effectiveness
 Group Cohesiveness
 Stability
 If you do not perform effectively in at least 3 out of 1st four
task the GTO will not clear .
 Note importance of
 Knowledge ,
 Problem solving capability ,
 Idea,
 Content

28. 15 mins

32. One Time movable drum-pick drum only once and place it once
only

33. Briefing for command task
 Gentleman, in your group tasks so far you have been working as
equals, where each of you had the same say as to how the task could
be done. At times, you might have felt differently to the plan of action
adopted by your group. This task, called the command task, will afford
an opportunity to you of doing the task in your own way.
 Each of you, in turn, will be nominated as a commander for one task.
You will then do your task in the manner you want to without anyone
else questioning or interfering you.
 The task will be an obstacle of the PGT with similar rules, except the
group rule which is bit modified, for obvious reasons. You will be
allowed 15 minutes each to complete your task.
 Each commander will have the choice of his own team from amongst
the group members. Excluding the commander, the team will consist
of two members.
 Now those of you who are chosen as teammates must do as the
commander tells you to do whether you approve it or not. After all, the
responsibility of doing the task is his and it is only fair that his wishes
are carried out unquestioned.

34. Salient Points
 Leader is nominated against leaderless class
 Positional power hence 100% your action i.e. boss no
questioning by anyone
 Task depends on capability of candidate i.e. tougher if
candidate is good and low if not so good
 Given in any sequence
 Task similar to PGT may be circular or like PGT
 Time 15 mins
 Stress handling as GTO creates stress by denying or
enabling options
 Idea creation is more important than idea execution