Well,

Group Discussion (GD) is one of the important things required to be aced to enter IIMs. Many other B-Schools also made it compulsory for candidates to face Group Discussion after an Entrance Exam like CAT. Generally, IIMs admissions are done on the basis of candidate’s performance in CAT, Written Ability Test, Group Discussion and Personal Interview. This was the trend that continued for until recently when Majority of the IIMs did away from the Group Discussion compulsion from their admission procedure. Now generally admissions to IIMs are being done on following things:-

• Common Admission Test (CAT) Score
• Written Ability Test (WAT/WSAT – Writing Skill Assessment Test)
• Academic Performance
• Group Discussion (GD) (Not compulsory for all IIMs)
• Personal Interview (PI)

Still, you may need to participate in Group Discussion (GD) if asked so. Apart from the IIMs, other reputed B-Schools are conducting Group Discussion round to shortlist the candidates. Group Discussion (GD) is indeed necessary to know the candidate if he/she is really fit for management field and whether the qualities required being in business and entrepreneurship are really marshaled or not. For Grop Discussion (GD), you are asked to debate over a particular issue/topic with other participants. Experts/Examiner will be watching you while in debate and the marks will be allotted on the basis of certain qualities which are considered a must for professionals.

Read Also: How much should I score in CAT to get into an IIM?

Topics for Group Discussion (GD)

Topics would be general in nature and sometimes may be related to management, economy and business world. The very purpose of the Group Discussion (GD) is obviously to test the candidates for required management abilities/skills so that they can do well while in the actual profession. You will be tested for how efficiently and cordially you manage the affairs and problems. The Topics would be related to following field/areas.

Society:

• Women Empowerment – gender equality
• Education
• Health
• Religion
• Socio-political issues

Economic development:

• Market and business world over
• Industry and infrastructure

Nationalism

• The current trends in national politics
• Issues about secularism
• Regionalism: assertiveness of the states

Implications of historical events on current happenings

• Past events and their repercussions in current time

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Science and Technology

• Inventions
• Indigenization of technology
• Relations and agreements with other countries in tech field and its pros and cons

Ethical issues

• Probity in governance
• Attitude, aptitude and foundational values for public service

Environment and the related national-international issues

• Environmental issues
• Climate change
• Biodiversity, etc.

International phenomena:

• Terrorism
• Trade pacts and their impacts
• Issues related to Developed, developing and underdeveloped countries, etc.
• These above topics can be considered indicative and you have to interlink the topics with current happening in that concerned field.

What qualities/skills are tested in Group Discussion?

Being essentially an oral communication process, a Group Discussion (GD) reveals and exposes the abilities and qualities of the candidate in real form. In GD you have other participants to intervene, judge, counter and compete you. Your arguments and points of view are scanned thoroughly by experts. So you have to be sound and aware of the required traits to debate over. Qualities and skills required for GD can be some or all of the following.

• Effective communication skills
• Interaction ability
• Clear Objective
• Logical Presentation
• Ability to maintain cordial atmosphere
• Leadership Skills and abilities
• Listening Skills
• Behavior while in debate: Aggressive or cordial
• Reasoning ability
• Decision making and Problem Solving skills
• Assertiveness
• Readiness to be flexible
• Awareness of the present situation, current affairs, and related things

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We just mentioned above some of the required traits/qualities which are tested in any group discussion. For MBA aspirants these stated qualities must have been possessed by them as the profession they are aspiring to be a part of is challenging and very diverse which demands very able personalities at managerial level functions.

Dear Aspirant, for more such information related to MBA, CAT, IIMs, and everything other concerned issues in your career path, you just speak to the Professional Career Experts at CareerGuide. Wish you the best!