Wha t is a GD?

A GD is a methodology used by an organization to gauge whether the

candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills that it desires in its
members. In this methodology, the group
of candidates is given a topic or a situation, given a few minutes to think
about the same,
and then asked to discuss it among themselves for 15-20 minutes.

S ome of the pe rsonal ity trai ts the GD is try ing to ga uge ma y i nclude :-
Ability to work in a team

Communication skills, reasoning ability

Leadership skills

Initiative

Assertiveness

Flexibility

Creativity
Ability to think on ones feet

Why GDs?
The reason why institutes put you through a Group discussion and an
interview, after testing your technical and conceptual skills in an exam, is
to get to know you as a person and gauge how well you will fit in their
institute.
The Group discussion tests how you function as a part of a team. As a
manager, you will always be working in teams, as a member or as a
leader. Therefore how you interact in a team becomes an important
criterion for your selection. Managers have to work in a team and get best
results out of teamwork. That is the reason why management institutes
include GD as a component of the selection procedure.

GD TOPICS

GDs can be topic-based or case-based.

Topic based Gds can be classified into three types :-

Factual topic | Controversial topics | Abstract topics |

Fa ctual Topics
Factual topics are about practical things, which an ordinary person is aware of in his
day-to-day life. Typically these are about socio-economic topics. These can be current,
i.e. they may have been in the news lately, or could be unbound by time. A factual topic
for discussion gives a candidate a chance to prove that he is aware of and sensitive to
his environment.

E.g. The education policy of India, Tourism in India, State of the aged in the nation.

Contr ov ersi al Topics

Controversial topics are the ones that are argumentative in nature. They are meant to
generate controversy. In GDs where these topics are given for discussion, the noise
level is usually high, there may be tempers flying. The idea behind giving a topic like this
is to see how much maturity the candidate is displaying by keeping his temper in check,
by rationally and logically arguing his point of view without getting personal and
emotional.

E.g. Reservations should be removed, Women make better managers

Abs tr act Topics

Abstract topics are about intangible things. These topics are not given often for
discussion, but their possibility cannot be ruled out. These topics test your lateral
thinking and creativity.

E.g. A is an alphabet, Twinkle twinkle little star, the number 10

Case-base d Gd
Another variation is the use of a case instead of a topic.
The case study tries to simulate a real-life situation. Information about the situation will
be given to you and you would be asked as a group to resolve the situation. In the case
study there are no incorrect answers or perfect solutions. The objective in the case study
is to get you to think about the situation from various angles.
IIM A, IIM Indore and IIT SOM Mumbai have a case-based discussion rather than topic-
based discussion in their selection procedures.

GD TOPICS BANK

How do the colleges pick up GD's topics and from where?

They come from what is happening around us, from our social, economic, political
environment. Being a manager means that the person is aware of this environment to
understand the impact of all this on the business. Hence, the Institutes pick on these
topics where they search for the students perspective and potential to relate,
understand, analyise and provide solutions or suggestions.

To enable you succeed at this process of selection we have compiled some topics and
given links to suggested reading. Reading the article should equip you with at least two-
three solid points on the topic, this is not the only purpose for this link. The larger
objective is to make you sensitive to quality articles and their sources, by doing so you
will become attuned to the issues and search for the right material to read.
We recommend that you do not try to read more than a couple of articles at a time.
Moreover there is no need to read too much material on any one topic. This will help you
in understanding the issue with less effort and may make come up with your own
analysis and suggestions.

We have listed some of the most frequenly asked questions on Communications Skills
Building. If you have any further queries, please mail them to csb@imsindia.com

Wha t is the nor mal dura ti on of a G D?

A GD is generally of 15-20 minutes duration.

How ma ny pane l me mbe rs are there to eval ua te ?

There are usually 3-4 panel members to evaluate.

Is there time give n for pre pa ration after the topi c is giv en and before
s tar ti ng the GD?
Usually some time (2-5 minutes) is given to collect one's thoughts, but there could be
instances when this does not happen, so it is best not to bank on this.

S hould I address the panel or the gr oup members ?

Don't ever make the mistake of addressing the panel members. The GD is between you
and the other members, not the panel members. You must avoid even looking at the
panel members while the GD is in progress. Just ignore their existence.

Wha t is the sea ti ng arr angeme nt li ke?

It could be semi-circular, or circular, or seating along side a rectangular table, depending
upon the venue. It is best not to bother about trivial issues like this, which you have no
control over.

How should I address the other group me mbe rs?

If you are initiating the discussion, you could do so by collectively addressing the group
as "Friends". Subsequently, you could use names (if the group has had a round of self-
introduction prior to starting the discussion and you remember the names) or simply use
pronouns like "he" or "she".

S uppose I have a lot to say on the topic, should I say all of it?
You would not be looked upon favourably if you kept speaking all the time and did not
listen to anyone else. Contrary to the misconception, the person who talks the most is
not necessarily the one who is judged the best. The quality and not the quantity of your
contribution is the success factor.

S hould I enc ourage others to speak up?

Do not directly put someone who is consistently silent on the spot by asking him/her to
speak up. If someone has been trying to speak and has a good point but is cut off
constantly, you may encourage him/her to continue with her point as you would like to
hear her out.
Are the gr oup members supposed to keep track of the time or wi ll the pa nel
kee p track ?
It would be good if you are conscious of the time, but not to the point of getting so
distracted looking at your watch that you do not contribute to the discussion.

One can be successful at a GD with proper preparation and guidance.

Given below are 5 easy to follow tips which will help you in your GD preparation :-

Tip 1 #

Brushing up on your general awareness is a must. Being aware of current affairs and
issues and happenings, which affect our lives, however remotely, shows a well-rounded
personality. Interest in one's environment is an essential quality for a manager, as only
when he is well informed about all the facets is he able to take correct decisions. Make a
habit of reading newspapers like TOI and Economic Times and general interest and
business magazines like Frontline, Outlook and Business India.

Tip 2 #
Being aware of current happenings is not enough. One must also form opinions on those
happenings and issues that arise. Think about what you feel about different issues, say,
terrorism. Write down your thoughts. Ask yourself why you feel that way, what are the
premises underlying your thoughts and beliefs. Also question whether your point of view
is based on facts, or on opinions and hearsay.

Tip 3 #
The process of opinion formation is incomplete without getting inputs from others. Get
into the habit of discussing issues with your friends and family. Hear multiple points of
view. Listen, question and argue. Express your opinion. If you are proven wrong, accept
it with good grace. Modify your opinions as you go along. This will help you clear your
own thought process plus it will get you into the habit of discussion.

Tip 4 #
While discussing, learn to check your temper. Maybe you'll find others holding view
which are abhorrent to you. But remember that they have a right to their opinions.
Everyone does. Learn to respect their points of views even if you don't accept them. It
shows maturity on your part. This will be a good training for controlling your emotions,
which is of utmost importance in a GD.

Tip 5 #
Practice: Try and mobilize other people who are interested in GDs and simulate GDs.
Get someone who has been through GDs before to observe it and give you feedback on
your performance. It is better if the group consists of people who you don't know too well