A discussion among participants who have an agreed topic.

The group will have 6 - 12 members.

GD is a goal oriented process.

Qualities looked for in Group Discussion 1. Subject Knowledge:2. Oral Communication Skills:a. Listening Skillsb. Appropriateness of languagec. Clarity of expressiond. Non-verbal clues

3.Leadership Skills:a. Initiative: a person can display the

ability to take appropriate initiate by Initiate the proceedings of the

discussion. Promote the positive group interactions. Clarify points when required. Keep the discussion on right track. Create an atmosphere in which

members feel free to participate.

b. Analysisc. Assertivenessd. Self-confidencee. Patience: should not be easily provoked. f. Persuasivenessg. Motivation

4.Team Management:a. Adaptability: ability to adjust with other

members of the group and get along with them.

b. Positive attitudec. Cooperationd. coordination

Group Discussion Strategies1.Getting the GD started2.Contributing Systematically:Relates to what has previously been said by

other member.Focuses on the theme of the discussion.Deals with the specific point under

consideration.

3.Create a friendly cooperative atmosphere4.Moving the discussion along5.Promoting optimal participation6.Handling conflicts7.Effecting closure

Topics at a Group Discussion1.Factual Topics:

issues that you confronted with in your day to day life. Eg: The education policy of India, Tourism in India

2.Controvorsial Topics: Socio-economic or political. Eg: Reservations should be removed, Women make better

manager. The purpose of setting such topics for GD is to see

whether a candidate is open minded, mature and capable of keeping cool when faced with adverse criticism or whether he is rigid.

3.Abstract Topic: 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

4.Case-based Group Discussion:Here a case study on a real-life situation is presented to the group.Case studies do not usually call for unique solutions.The objective in the case study is to get you to think about the situation from various angles.

The aim is to evaluate the participants’ analytical power.IIM A, IIM Indore have a case-based discussion rather than topic-based discussion in their selection procedures.

Effective participation in a GD1. Choosing to be the first speaker is a high-

risk, high-return strategy.2. Don’t be disheartened if you cannot be the

first speaker.3. Don’t speak for the sake of speaking.4. Include examples in your speech but keep it

simple and short.

5. If you find that the points you wanted to make have already been made by someone else, do not repeat them6.Don’t panic if you have no solid points.