Communication skills are considered as second life to MBA graduates. They should be flexible and should be able to put forward their opinions and thoughts in an appropriate way. No one is a good communicator or speaker by birth; one has to polish one’s communication skills. Group Discussions in MBA are a good way to polish both communication and behavioral skills, which help the candidates to get benefit throughout their careers.
Group Discussion has become an essential and major part of admission process of many Indian Business Schools. Once students get short-listed through CAT or SNAP or XAT or some other MBA entrance, the next stage is to go through a Group Discussion stage. The Group Discussion is conducted in order to find out the candidates skills and traits, which will play an important role in their MBA career.
Everyone at some point of time comes through discussions as a part of life in home, college, or cafeteria. Few are not able to be part of the discussion because of lack of knowledge or lack of proper communication skills. They feel difficulty in selecting right words to express their views. You may need to involve in regular interactions with different people throughout you career when you choose MBA. Then, how will you handle these types of situations? This is where Group Discussions help the MBA candidates.
If you are participating in Group Discussions regularly, you will automatically feel more comfortable and confident in expressing yourself, at the same time you will become a good communicator too. During a Discussion, there are different views opposing from each other. Group Discussion help you be able to listen patiently to others point of view, and then express your opinions. This way, you will have knowledge on different multiple topics. Sometimes, you may be impressed with others views, and may even change your point of view on that particular issue. In such case, you need to accept the facts, and you need to be as natural as you can be during a group discussion. You should not try to be someone that you are not.
Just expressing yourself is not alone that helps you to be the best in Group Discussion. You have to express your opinions and thoughts in a sophisticated way, where you need good communication skills too. Group Discussion aims to let the evaluator know how you speak and behave as a part of the group, how you are accepting or opposing others views. Your abilities are judged depending on many factors like your selection of words, tolerance level, initiation ability, listening skills, how alert you are, and clarity and justification in your thoughts. Clash of thoughts and aggression are suggested to be avoided while participating in group discussions.
Group Discussion Process for MBAs
There will be 10-12 participants in a Group Discussion, but may vary if number of candidates for the selection process is huge. Usually, the participants are seated in U-shape or circular arrangement; this is to facilitate the candidate’s interaction with the entire group. If there is a space constraint, they may be seated in rectangular arrangement. In any arrangement, it is better to choose a seat from where you can maintain eye-to-eye contact with all participants of the group. If the seats are pre-decided, just do not worry.
You need to attend a group discussion in a formal wear; just the same way you would attend a personal interview. Normally, the participants are given about 15 to 20 minutes time to discuss on the given topic, sometimes it may be 10 minutes. The group has to complete the discussion within the time frame. There is no particular time that a participant should utilize from the given time frame, the participant has to grab the opportunity and speak accordingly. You will anyways have time to think on the topic before getting into discussion. Probably, you will be given some 2-5 minutes to think on the given topic or issue.
The evaluators may give either topic or a case study for the group discussion. Topics mostly deal with the current affairs. They may be dragging issues in the world or they may be from the pages of news magazines on newspapers. Sometimes topics can be abstract to test the creativity of the aspirants, or may be economic topics to target your knowledge and confidence in finance. On the other hand, a case study is usually a description of real-time scenario or incident that the group has to discuss on, and come up with a solution.
Sample Group Discussion Topics for MBA
- Decreasing defense expenditure and increasing social expenditure is the need of the hour
- Reason for tourism in India –business or tourist place?
- Blue eyes.
- Management or technology –contributed to Indian development?
- Interview or GD?
- Role of IT in other managerial functions (required)?
- Davinci code.
- Team worker or a Leader?
- Rajneeti vs. kites.
- India leader or follower in 20th century?
- “Avatar” a turning point.
- Dose really Placebo affects?
- A fool or a competitive jerk?
- MBA or PGDM?
- Theory or practical?
- Sex conversion –way to reach goal or feel good factor?
- 2012 certain or uncertain?
- Prostitution excuse or intent?
- Tranquility satisfaction or success?
- We or you?
- Spiritualism is a curtain to crime?
- Discovery vs. invention.
- Innovation –how much is it required?
- Models turn actors.
- Movies made in Bollywood for Hollywood
- Machine over man or man over machine?
- Credit card spoiling habits?
- CCR –SLR which should be given more important?
- Study or extra curricular activity is the driven force to success?
- A fool or an arrogant star?
- Pygmalion affects how much effective?
- Politics another career option?
- Reality shows.
- European management system in Indian management system.
- Kids are more careers oriented.
- Women –burden or backbone?
- Death of Socialism
- NGOs or Independent helping.
- Taxation policy (2010) savings or fascination?
- Business money or fame?
- 2012 is rumor or reality?
- Aviation needs good engineers or management?
- Indian agriculture system.
- Is rural India strength for India?
- Unique identification number.
- History spoils us or built us?
- Education vs. literacy.
- Black-darkness or beam.
- Globalization how real is it?
- Human relations vs. Materialistic things?
- Indian Philosophy in the world?
- IT chain puller of Indian economy.
- Football means to India?
- Education in India – burden or opportunity?
- Is India moving towards people management?
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