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1. Tell me about yourself:The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a shortstatement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not soundrehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise.Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate tothe position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthestback and work up to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last job?Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a majorproblem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workersor the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keepsmiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as anopportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-lookingreasons.
3. What experience do you have in this field?Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for.If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A goodexplanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and areon track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-workers say about you?Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a specificstatement or a paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at SmithCompany, always said I was the hardest workers she had ever known. Itis as powerful as Jill having said it at the interview herself.
6. What do you know about this organization?This question is one reason to do some research on the organizationbefore the interview. Find out where they have been and where they aregoing. What are the current issues and who are the major players?
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A widevariety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement.Have some good ones handy to mention.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focuson this job and what you can do for this organization. Anything else isa distraction.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?This may take some thought and certainly, should be based on theresearch you have done on the organization. Sincerity is extremelyimportant here and will easily be sensed. Relate it to your long-termcareer goals.
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?Be aware of the policy on relatives working for the organization. Thiscan affect your answer even though they asked about friends notrelatives. Be careful to mention a friend only if they are well thoughtof.
11. What kind of salary do you need?A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose ifyou answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like,That’s a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position?In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not,say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a widerange.
12. Are you a team player?You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready.Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team ratherthan for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag,just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.
13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I’d likeit to be a long time. Or As long as we both feel I’m doing a good job.
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like youlike to fire people. At the same time, you will do it when it is theright thing to do. When it comes to the organization versus theindividual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect theorganization. Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction inforce.
15. What is your philosophy towards work?The interviewer is not looking for a long or flowery dissertation here.Do you have strong feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That’s thetype of answer that works best here. Short and positive, showing abenefit to the organization.
16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?Answer yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the typeof work you prefer. Do not say yes if you do not mean it.
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?If you have not, say no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid sayingnegative things about the people or organization involved.
18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organizationYou should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance tohighlight your best points as they relate to the position beingdiscussed. Give a little advance thought to this relationship.
19. Why should we hire you?Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs. Do notmention any other candidates to make a comparison.
20. Tell me about a suggestion you have madeHave a good one ready. Be sure and use a suggestion that was acceptedand was then considered successful. One related to the type of workapplied for is a real plus.
21. What irritates you about co-workers?This is a trap question. Think real hard but fail to come up withanything that irritates you. A short statement that you seem to getalong with folks is great.
22. What is your greatest strength?Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples:Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your abilityto work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Yourprofessional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude
23. Tell me about your dream job.Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job youare contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say anotherjob is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied withthis position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say somethinglike: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute andcan’t wait to get to work.
24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?Give several reasons and include skills, experience and interest.
25. What are you looking for in a job?See answer # 23
26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?Do not be trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization,violence or lawbreaking to get you to object. Minor objections willlabel you as a whiner.
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There isno better answer.
28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?There are numerous good possibilities:Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise,Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver
29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisorBiggest trap of all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill ofyour boss. If you fall for it and tell about a problem with a formerboss, you may well below the interview right there. Stay positive anddevelop a poor memory about any trouble with a supervisor.
30. What has disappointed you about a job?Don’t get trivial or negative. Safe areas are few but can include:Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company didnot win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.
31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give anexample that relates to the type of position applied for.
32. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may wantanother job more than this one.
33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are:Challenge, Achievement, Recognition
34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?This is up to you. Be totally honest.
35. How would you know you were successful on this job?Several ways are good measures:You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are asuccess.Your boss tell you that you are successful
36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview ifyou think there is a chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to getthe job if the real answer is no. This can create a lot of problemslater on in your career. Be honest at this point and save yourselffuture grief.
37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead ofyour own?This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry aboutthe deep ethical and philosophical implications. Just say yes.
38. Describe your management style.Try to avoid labels. Some of the more common labels, like progressive,salesman or consensus, can have several meanings or descriptionsdepending on which management expert you listen to. The situationalstyle is safe, because it says you will manage according to thesituation, instead of one size fits all.
39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Makeit small, well intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. Anexample would be working too far ahead of colleagues on a project andthus throwing coordination off.
40. Do you have any blind spots?Trick question. If you know about blind spots, they are no longer blindspots. Do not reveal any personal areas of concern here. Let them dotheir own discovery on your bad points. Do not hand it to them.
41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?Be careful to mention traits that are needed and that you have.
42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very wellqualified for the position.
43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not know about,bring that up: Then, point out (if true) that you are a hard workingquick learner.
44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?Be generic and positive. Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense ofhumor, fair, loyal to subordinates and holder of high standards. Allbosses think they have these traits.
45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute betweenothers.Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving techniqueand not the dispute you settled.
46. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?Be honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.
47. Describe your work ethic.Emphasize benefits to the organization. Things like, determination toget the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good.
48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
Be sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Showacceptance and no negative feelings.
49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.
Talk about having fun by accomplishing something for the organization.
50. Do you have any questions for me?
Always have some questions prepared. Questions prepared where you will be an asset to the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be productive? and What type of projects will I be able to assist on? areexamples.
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Group Discussion
Contents
GD- Types
How to Face GD
GD- Preparation
GD-Tips
GD- Mistakes
GD- Topics
GD-Samples
Types of Group Discussions
GDs can be topic-based or case-based.
Topic based Gds can be classified into three types:-
1. Factual Topics
2. Controversial Topics
3. Abstract Topics
Factual 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.
Controversial 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
Abstract 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-based 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.
How to Face Group Discussion
A group discussion consists of:
1. Communication Skills
2. Knowledge and ideas regarding a given subject
3. Capability to co-ordinate and lead
4. Exchange of thoughts
5. Addressing the group as a whole
6. Thorough preparations
Communication Skills
The first aspect is one's power of expression. In a group discussion, a candidate has to talk effectively so that he is able to convince others. For convincing, one has to speak forcefully and at the same time create an impact by his knowledge of the subject. A candidate who is successful in holding the attention of the audience creates a positive impact.
It is necessary that you should be precise and clear. As a rule evaluators do not look for the wordage produced. Your knowledge on a given subject, your precision and clarity of thought are the things that are evaluated. Irrelevant talks lead you nowhere. You should speak as much as necessary, neither more nor less. Group discussions are not debating stages.
Ability to listen is also what evaluators judge. They look for your ability to react on what other participants say. Hence, it is necessary that you listen carefully to others and then react or proceed to add some more points. Your behavior in the group is also put to test to judge whether you are a loner or can work in a group.
You should be able to convey your thoughts satisfactorily and convincingly before a group of people. Confidence and level headedness in doing so is necessary. These add value to your presentation. In case you are not good at it, you might gain by joining an institute that offers specialized courses in public speaking. For instance, British Council Division's English Language Teaching Centre offers a wide range of courses like conversation skills, business communication skills, business writing, negotiation skills and presentation skills. Mostly people attend these courses to improve their communication skills. Students here are involved in activities which use communication skills and teachers provide inputs, monitor and facilitate the classes. The course at the Centre makes you confident enough to speak before people without any nervousness.
Knowledge and Ideas Regarding a Given SubjectKnowledge of the subject under discussion and clarity of ideas are important. Knowledge comes from consistent reading on various topics ranging from science and technology to politics. In-depth knowledge makes one confident and enthusiastic and this in turn, makes one sound convincing and confident.
Leadership and Coordinating CapabilitiesThe basic aim of a group discussion is to judge a candidate's leadership qualities. The examiner withdraws and becomes a silent spectator once the discussion starts. A candidate should display tactfulness, skill, understanding and knowledge on varied topics, enterprise, forcefulness and other leadership qualities to motivate and influence other candidates who may be almost equally competent.
Exchange of ThoughtsA group discussion is an exchange of thoughts and ideas among members of a group. These discussions are held for selecting personnel in organisations where there is a high level of competition. The number of participants in a group can vary between 8 and 15. Mostly a topic or a situation is given to group members who have to discuss it within 10 to 20 minutes.
The purpose is to get an idea about candidates in a short time and make assessments about their skills, which normally cannot be evaluated in an interview. These skills may be team membership, leadership skills, listening and articulation skills.
A note is made of your contributions to the discussion, comprehension of the main idea, the rapport you strike, patience, assertion, accommodation, amenability, etc. Body language and eye contact too are important points which are to be considered. .
Addressing the Group as a WholeIn a group discussion it is not necessary to address anyone by name. Even otherwise you may not know everyone's names. It better to address the group as a whole.
Address the person farthest from you. If he can hear you everyone else too can. Needless to add, as for the interview, attend the group discussion in formal dress. The language used should also be formal, not the language used in normal conversations. For instance, words and phrases like "yar", "chalta hai", "CP", "I dunno", etc. are out. This is not to say you should use a high sounding, pedantic language. Avoiding both, just use formal, plain and simple language. Hinglish, (mixture of Hindi and English) should be discarded.
Confidence and coolness while presenting your viewpoint are of help. See that you do not keep repeating a point. Do not use more words than necessary. Do not be superfluous. Try to be specific. Do not exaggerate.
Thorough PreparationStart making preparations for interview and group discussions right away, without waiting till the eleventh hour, this is, if and when called for them. Then the time left may not be adequate. It is important to concentrate on subject knowledge and general awareness. Hence, the prime need for thorough preparation. Remember, the competition is very tough. Only 460 candidates make it to the final list from 2.75 lakh civil service aspirants each year.
It may so happen that you are called for interviews and group discussions from three or four organizations but are not selected by any. The reason obviously lies in your not being well-prepared.
In a group discussion you may be given a topic and asked to express your views on it. Or in a case study GD, students have to read a case study and suggest ways of tackling the problem. For this you should have a good general knowledge, need to be abreast with current affairs, should regularly read newspapers and magazines. Your group behaviour and communication skills are on test, i.e. how you convince the others and how clearly you are able to express your points of view. You should be articulate, generate ideas, not sound boring, should allow others to speak, and adopt a stand on a given subject. During the course of the GD this stand can even be changed, giving the impression that you are open to accommodate others' viewpoints.
Additional marks may be given for starting or concluding the discussion.
Points to Remember
· Knowledge is strength. A candidate with good reading habits has more chances of success. In other words, sound knowledge on different topics like politics, finance, economy, science and technology is helpful.
· Power to convince effectively is another quality that makes you stand out among others.
· Clarity in speech and expression is yet another essential quality.
· If you are not sure about the topic of discussion, it is better not to initiate. Lack of knowledge or wrong approach creates a bad impression. Instead, you might adopt the wait and watch attitude. Listen attentively to others, may be you would be able to come up with a point or two later.
· A GD is a formal occasion where slang is to avoided.
· A GD is not a debating stage. Participants should confine themselves to expressing their viewpoints. In the second part of the discussion candidates can exercise their choice in agreeing, disagreeing or remaining neutral.
· Language use should be simple, direct and straight forward.
· Don't interrupt a speaker when the session is on. Try to score by increasing your size, not by cutting others short.
· Maintain rapport with fellow participants. Eye contact plays a major role. Non-verbal gestures, such as listening intently or nodding while appreciating someone's viewpoint speak of you positively.
· Communicate with each and every candidate present. While speaking don't keep looking at a single member. Address the entire group in such a way that everyone feels you are speaking to him or her.
Group Discussion Preparation
While selection tools and techniques like tests, interviews etc. provide good data about an individual, they fall short in providing real life data of how an individual would be performing in a real life situation especially a group situation. Team work being an integral part of the BPO work profile, it is important to ascertain group and inter-personal qualities of an individual. Group discussion is a useful tool to ascertain these qualities and many organizations use GDs as a selection tool along with Personal Interviews, aptitude tests etc. A GD is an activity where
· Groups of 8-10 candidates are formed into a leaderless group, and are given a specific situation to analyse and discuss within a given time limit, which may vary between twenty minutes and forty-five minutes, or
· They may be given a case study and asked to come out with a solution for a problem
· They may be given a topic and are asked to discuss the same
1. Preparing for a Group Discussion: While GD reflects the inherent qualities of an individual, appearing for it unprepared may not augur well for you. These tips would help you prepare for GDs:
Reading: This is the first and the most crucial step in preparation. This is a never ending process and the more you read, the better you are in your thoughts. While you may read anything to everything, you must ensure that you are in good touch with current affairs, the debates and hot topics of discussion and also with the latest in the IT and ITES industry. Chances are the topics would be around these. Read both for the thoughts as well as for data. Also read multiple view points on the same topic and then create your point of view with rationale. Also create answers for counter arguments for your point of view. The electronic media also will be of good use here.
Mocks: Create an informal GD group and meet regularly to discuss and exchange feedback. This is the best way to prepare. This would give you a good idea about your thoughts and how well can you convince. Remember, it is important that you are able to express your thoughts well. The better you perform in these mocks the better would be you chances to perform on the final day. Also try to interact and participate in other GD groups. This will develop in you a skill to discuss with unknown people as well.
2. During the Group Discussion:
What do the panelists assess:Some of the qualities assessed in a GD are:
Leadership Skills - Ability to take leadership roles and be able to lead, inspire and carry the team along to help them achieve the group's objectives.
Communication Skills - Candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of thought, expression and aptness of language. One key aspect is listening. It indicates a willingness to accommodate others views.
Interpersonal Skills - People skills are an important aspect of any job. They are reflected in the ability to interact with other members of the group in a brief situation. Emotional maturity and balance promotes good interpersonal relationships. The person has to be more people centric and less self-centered.
Persuasive Skills - The ability to analyze and persuade others to see the problem from multiple perspectives.
GD is a test of your ability to think, your analytical capabilities and your ability to make your point in a team-based environment.
These are some of the sub-skills that also get assessed with the skills mentioned above:
· Clarity of thought
· Group working skills (especially during a group task of case study discussion)
· Conflict handling
· Listening and probing skills
· Knowledge about the subject and individual point of view
· Ability to create a consensus
· Openess and flexibility towards new ideas
· Data based approach to decision making
While, it is not possible to reflect all these qualities in a short time, you would do well if you are able to show a couple or more qualities and avoid giving negative evidence on others.
How do I take my chance to speak: Trying to interrupt others while speaking would only harm your chances. Instead, you may try to maintain an eye-contact with the speaker. This would show your listening skills also and would help you gauge from his eye-movement and pitch of voice that he is about to close his inputs. You can quickly take it from there. Also, try and link your inputs with what he has spoken whether you are adding to or opposing his arguments. This would reflect that you are actually being participative rather than just doing a collective monologue.
· How to I communicate in a GD: Be crisp and to the point. Be fact based and avoid making individual opinions that do not have a factual base. Make eye contact with all the members in the group and avoid looking at the panelists while speaking. The average duration of the group discussion provides an average of about 2-3 minutes per participant to speak and you should try to speak about 3-4 times. Hence, you need to be really crisp to reflect the most in those 30-40 sec. slots.
· How do I convince others and make them agree to my view point: A lot of candidates make it their mission to make the group reach to a conclusion on the topic. Do not forget that some of the topics have been eternal debates and there is no way you can get an agreement in 15 mins. on them. The objective is not to make others toe your line but to provide fact based, convincing arguments which create an impact. Stick to this approach.
· Do leadership skills include moderating the group discussion: This is a myth and many people do try to impose their order on the GD, ordering people when to speak and when not to. This only reflects poor leadership. Leadership in a GD would be reflected by your clarity of thought, ability to expand the topic in its different dimensions, providing an opportunity to a silent participant to speak, listening to others and probing them to provide more information. Hence, work on these areas rather than be a self-appointed moderator of the group.
· Listening: This is a key quality assessed during the GD about which many participants forget. Active listening can fetch you credit points and would also provide you with data to discuss. Also, if you have an average of 2-3 minutes to speak, the rest of the 20-25 minutes is required to spent in active listening. For this, maintain eye contact with the speakers, attend to them (like nodding, using acknowledging words like -I see ok, fine, great etc.). This would also make you be the centre of attraction as you would appear non-threatening to the speakers.
· Behaviour during the GD: Be patient; don't get upset if anyone says anything you object to. Stay objective and don't take the discussion personally. Also, remember the six C's of communication - Clarity, Completeness, Conciseness, Confidence, Correctness and Courtesy. Be appreciative & receptive to ideas from other people and open-minded but do not let others to change your own viewpoint. Be active and interested throughout. It is better to participate less if you have no clue of the topic. You may listen to others and take clues from there and speak. You would be assessed on a range of different skills and you may think that leadership is key, you need to be careful that you don't dominate the discussion.
· Quality Vs Quantity: Often, participants think that success in group discussions depends on how much and how loudly they speak. Interestingly, it's the opposite. Also, making your point on the topic, your views are important and the group needs to know. This will tell you are knowledgeable and that you participate in groups
< align="justify">Summarizing: If you have not been able to initiate the discussion, try to summaries and close it. Good summarizing would get you good reward points. A conclusion is where the whole group decides in favour or against the topic and most GDs do not have a closure. But every GD can be summarized by putting forth what the group has discussed in a nutshell. Keep the following points in mind while summarizing a discussion:
o Avoid raising new points.
o Avoid stating only your viewpoint.
o Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the GD
o Keep it brief and concise.
o It must include all the important points that came out during the GD
o If you are asked to summarise a GD, it means the GD has come to an end.
o Do not add anything once the GD has been summarised.
Some Positive Task Roles in a Group Discussion:You may want to play one or more of them:
· Initiator
· Information seeker
· Information giver
· Procedure facilitator
· Opinion seeker
· Opinion giver
· Clarifier
· Social Supporter
· Harmonizer
· Tension Reliever
· Energizer
· Compromiser
· Gatekeeper
· Summarizer
Negative Roles to be Avoided
· Disgruntled non-participant
· Attacker
· Dominator
· Patronizer
· Clown
Feedback template: While doing mocks for GD preparation, you would get benefited by the feedback of others. For the purpose, we are providing a template for feedback - both quantitative and qualitative. The items described over there are a suggested list and not a complete one. You may make changes in it depending upon your need.
Group Discussion Tips
Have you ever seen a football game?
Or been a part of a football team?
These questions might seem awkward and absurd when talking about How to crack a Group Discussion to get into a top B-School.
But they are relevant to understand the nuances of a Group Discussion.
Just reiterating the cliché that a Group discussion, or Group Discussion, as it is commonly called, is a group process or a team building exercise does not help students.
As in a football game, where you play like a team, passing the ball to each team member and aim for a common goal, Group Discussion is also based on team work, incorporating views of different team members to reach a common goal.
A Group Discussion at a B-School can be defined as a formal discussion involving ten to 12 participants in a group.
They are given a topic. After some time, during which they collect their thoughts, the group is asked to discuss the topic for 20 to 25 minutes.
B-Schools use the Group Discussion process to assess a candidate's personality traits.
Here are some of the most important personality traits that a candidate should possess to do well at a Group Discussion:
1. Team Player
B-Schools lay great emphasis on this parameter because it is essential for managers to be team players.
The reason: Managers always work in teams.
At the beginning of his career, a manager works as a team member. And, later, as a team leader.
Management aspirants who lack team skills cannot be good managers.
2. Reasoning Ability
Reasoning ability plays an important role while expressing your opinions or ideas at a Group Discussion.
For example, an opinion like 'Reduction in IIMs' fees will affect quality' can be better stated by demonstrating your reasoning ability and completing the missing links between fees and quality as:
'Reduction in IIMs' fees will result in less funds being invested on study material, student exchange programmes, research, student development activities, etc.
'Moreover, it costs money to attract good faculty, create good infrastructure and upgrade technology.
'With reduction in fees, less money will be available to perform these ,activities which will lead to deterioration in the quality of IIMs.'
3. Leadership
There are three types of situations that can arise in a Group Discussion:
A Group Discussion where participants are unable to establish a proper rapport and do not speak much.A Group Discussion where participants get emotionally charged and the Group Discussion gets chaotic.A Group Discussion where participants discuss the topic assertively by touching on all its nuances and try to reach the objective.
Here, a leader would be someone who facilitates the third situation at a Group Discussion.
A leader would have the following qualities:
There are three types of situations that can arise in a Group Discussion:
A Group Discussion where participants are unable to establish a proper rapport and do not speak much.
A Group Discussion where participants get emotionally charged and the Group Discussion gets chaotic.
A Group Discussion where participants discuss the topic assertively by touching on all its nuances and try to reach the objective.
Here, a leader would be someone who facilitates the third situation at a Group Discussion.
A leader would have the following qualities:
S/he shows direction to the group whenever group moves away from the topic.
S/he coordinates the effort of the different team members in the Group Discussion.
S/he contributes to the Group Discussion at regular intervals with valuable insights.
S/he also inspires and motivates team members to express their views.
Caution: Being a mere coordinator in a Group Discussion does not help, because it is a secondary role.
Contribute to the Group Discussion with your ideas and opinions, but also try and steer the conversation towards a goal.
4. Flexibility
You must be open to other ideas as well as to the evaluation of your ideas: That is what flexibility is all about.
But first, remember: Never ever start your Group Discussion with a stand or a conclusion.
Say the topic of a Group Discussion is, 'Should India go to war with Pakistan?'
Some participants tend to get emotionally attached to the topic and take a stand either in favour or against the topic, ie 'Yes, India should', or, 'No, India should not'.
By taking a stand, you have already given your decision without discussing the topic at hand or listening to the views of your team members.
Also, if you encounter an opposition with a very strong point at the 11th hour, you end up in a typical catch-22 situation:
If you change your stand, you are seen as a fickle-minded or a whimsical person.If you do not change your stand, you are seen as an inflexible, stubborn and obstinate person.
5. Assertiveness
You must put forth your point to the group in a very emphatic, positive and confident manner.
Participants often confuse assertiveness with aggressiveness.
Aggressiveness is all about forcing your point on the other person, and can be a threat to the group. An aggressive person can also demonstrate negative body language, whereas an assertive person displays positive body language.
6. Initiative
A general trend amongst students is to start a Group Discussion and get the initial kitty of points earmarked for the initiator.
But that is a high risk-high return strategy.
Initiate a Group Discussion only if you are well versed with the topic. If you start and fail to contribute at regular intervals, it gives the impression that you started the Group Discussion just for the sake of the initial points.
Also, if you fumble, stammer or misquote facts, it may work against you.
Remember: You never ever get a second chance to create a first impression.
7. Creativity/ Out of the box thinking
An idea or a perspective which opens new horizons for discussion on the Group Discussion topic is always highly appreciated.
When you put across a new idea convincingly, such that it is discussed at length by the group, it can only be positive.
You will find yourself in the good books of the examiner.
8. Inspiring ability
A good group discussion should incorporate views of all the team members.
If some team members want to express their ideas but are not getting the opportunity to do so, giving them an opportunity to express their ideas or opinions will be seen as a positive trait.
Caution: If a participant is not willing to speak, you need not necessarily go out of the way to ask him to express his views. This may insult him and hamper the flow of the Group Discussion.
9. Listening
Always try and strike a proper balance between expressing your ideas and imbibing ideas.
10. Awareness
You must be well versed with both the micro and macro environment.
Your awareness about your environment helps a lot in your Group Discussion content, which carries maximum weightage.
Caution: The content or awareness generally constitutes 40 to 50 percent marks of your Group Discussion.
Apart from these qualities, communication skills, confidence and the ability to think on one's feet are also very important.
A group discussion can be categorically divided into three different phases:
i. Initiation/ Introduction
ii. Body of the group discussion
iii. Summarisation/ Conclusion
Let's stress on the initiation and summarisation:
Initiation Techniques
Initiating a Group Discussion is a high profit-high loss strategy.
When you initiate a Group Discussion, you not only grab the opportunity to speak, you also grab the attention of the examiner and your fellow candidates.
If you can make a favourable first impression with your content and communication skills after you initiate a Group Discussion, it will help you sail through the discussion.
But if you initiate a Group Discussion and stammer/ stutter/ quote wrong facts and figures, the damage might be irreparable.
If you initiate a Group Discussion impeccably but don't speak much after that, it gives the impression that you started the Group Discussion for the sake of starting it or getting those initial kitty of points earmarked for an initiator!
When you start a Group Discussion, you are responsible for putting it into the right perspective or framework. So initiate one only if you have indepth knowledge about the topic at hand.
There are different techniques to initiate a Group Discussion and make a good first impression:
1). Quotes
2). Definition
3). Question
4). Shock statement
5). Facts, figures and statistics
6). Short story
7). General statement
#1 Quotes
Quotes are an effective way of initiating a Group Discussion.
If the topic of a Group Discussion is: Should the Censor Board be abolished?, you could start with a quote like, 'Hidden apples are always sweet'.
For a Group Discussion topic like, Customer is King, you could quote Sam (Wal-mart) Walton's famous saying, 'There is only one boss: the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company -- from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.'
#2 Definition
Start a Group Discussion by defining the topic or an important term in the topic.
For example, if the topic of the Group Discussion is Advertising is a Diplomatic Way of Telling a Lie, why not start the Group Discussion by defining advertising as, 'Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services through mass media like newspapers, magazines, television or radio by an identified sponsor'?
For a topic like The Malthusian Economic Prophecy is no longer relevant, you could start by explaining the definition of the Malthusian Economic Prophecy.
#3 Question
Asking a question is an impactful way of starting a Group Discussion.
It does not signify asking a question to any of the candidates in a Group Discussion so as to hamper the flow. It implies asking a question, and answering it yourself.
Any question that might hamper the flow of a Group Discussion or insult a participant or play devil's advocate must be discouraged.
Questions that promote a flow of ideas are always appreciated.
For a topic like, Should India go to war with Pakistan, you could start by asking, 'What does war bring to the people of a nation? We have had four clashes with Pakistan. The pertinent question is: what have we achieved?'
#4 Shock statement
Initiating a Group Discussion with a shocking statement is the best way to grab immediate attention and put forth your point.
If a Group Discussion topic is, The Impact of Population on the Indian Economy, you could start with, 'At the centre of the Indian capital stands a population clock that ticks away relentlessly. It tracks 33 births a minute, 2,000 an hour, 48,000 a day. Which calculates to about 12 million every year. That is roughly the size of Australia. As a current political slogan puts it, 'Nothing's impossible when 1 billion Indians work together'.'
#5 Facts, figures and statistics
If you decide to initiate your Group Discussion with facts, figure and statistics, make sure to quote them accurately.
Approximation is allowed in macro level figures, but micro level figures need to be correct and accurate.
For example, you can say, approximately 70 per cent of the Indian population stays in rural areas (macro figures, approximation allowed).
But you cannot say 30 states of India instead of 28 (micro figures, no approximations).
Stating wrong facts works to your disadvantage.
For a Group Discussion topic like, China, a Rising Tiger, you could start with, 'In 1983, when China was still in its initial stages of reform and opening up, China's real use of Foreign Direct Investment only stood at $636 million. China actually utilised $60 billion of FDI in 2004, which is almost 100 times that of its 1983 statistics."
#6 Short story
Use a short story in a Group Discussion topic like, Attitude is Everything.
This can be initiated with, 'A child once asked a balloon vendor, who was selling helium gas-filled balloons, whether a blue-coloured balloon will go as high in the sky as a green-coloured balloon. The balloon vendor told the child, it is not the colour of the balloon but what is inside it that makes it go high.'
#7 General statement
Use a general statement to put the Group Discussion in proper perspective.
For example, if the topic is, Should Sonia Gandhi be the prime minister of India?, you could start by saying, 'Before jumping to conclusions like, 'Yes, Sonia Gandhi should be', or 'No, Sonia Gandhi should not be', let's first find out the qualities one needs to be a a good prime minister of India. Then we can compare these qualities with those that Mrs Gandhi possesses. This will help us reach the conclusion in a more objective and effective manner.'
Summarisation Techniques
Most Group Discussions do not really have conclusions. A conclusion is where the whole group decides in favour or against the topic.
But every Group Discussion is summarised. You can summarise what the group has discussed in the Group Discussion in a nutshell.
Keep the following points in mind while summarizing a discussion:
Avoid raising new points.
Avoid stating only your viewpoint.
Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the Group Discussion.
Keep it brief and concise.
It must incorporate all the important points that came out during the Group Discussion.
If the examiner asks you to summarise a Group Discussion, it means the Group Discussion has come to an end. Do not add anything once the Group Discussion has been summarised.
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1. Always be the initiator and concluder of the Group Discussion then being a participant.
2. But if you are participant always try to be the most vianl/key participant.
3. put points firmly and always try to get others support too.
4. If you find that the discussion os going off-track then never loose an opportunity to bring it back to stream this is the best point to score max.
5. Try to keep latest information on the topic.
6. be very polite, people may try to provoke you to to get more points but try to keep cool.
7. Most important don't wait for your turn to speak when discussion is on. inturrupt politely if you want to put forward your points.
8. Last but not the least keeps atab on the time given for discussion. score points by wrapping up the discussion if you feel that the discussion is heating but the time is going to be over.
9. During conclusion, do end with the conclusion note. that shows your leadership quality.
Best scoring points are:
1. Initiation of discussion,
2. Always keeping/trying to keep discussion on track
3. Conclusion on time
4. Your capability to keep your cool and listen as well as putting your points.
Group Discussion basically means searching your team player, leadership, communication capability.
Group Discussion Mistakes
Here's a list of the most common mistakes made at group discussions:
Emotional outburst
Rashmi was offended when one of the male participants in a group discussion made a statement on women generally being submissive while explaining his point of view. When Rashmi finally got an opportunity to speak, instead of focussing on the topic, she vented her anger by accusing the other candidate for being a male chauvinist and went on to defend women in general.
What Rashmi essentially did was to
• Deviate from the subject
• Treat the discussion as a forum to air her own views.
• Lose objectivity and make personal attacks.
Her behaviour would have been perceived as immature and demotivating to the rest of the team.
Quality Vs Quantity
Gautam believed that the more he talked, the more likely he was to get through the GD. So, he interrupted other people at every opportunity. He did this so often that the other candidates got together to prevent him from participating in the rest of the discussion.
• Assessment is not only on your communication skills but also on your ability to be a team player.
• Evaluation is based on quality, and not on quantity. Your contribution must be relevant.
• The mantra is "Contributing meaningfully to the team's success." Domination is frowned upon.
Egotism Showing off
Krishna was happy to have got a group discussion topic he had prepared for. So, he took pains to project his vast knowledge of the topic. Every other sentence of his contained statistical data - "20% of companies; 24.27% of parliamentarians felt that; I recently read in a Jupiter Report that..." and so on so forth. Soon, the rest of the team either laughed at him or ignored his attempts to enlighten them as they perceived that he was cooking up the data.
• Exercise restraint in anything. You will end up being frowned upon if you attempt showing-off your knowledge.
• Facts and figures need not validate all your statements.
• Its your analysis and interpretation that are equally important - not just facts and figures.
• You might be appreciated for your in-depth knowledge. But you will fail miserably in your people skills.
Such a behavior indicates how self-centered you are and highlights your inability to work in an atmosphere where different opinions are expressed.
Get noticed - But for the right reasons
Srikumar knew that everyone would compete to initiate the discussion. So as soon as the topic - "Discuss the negative effects of India joining the WTO" - was read out, he began talking. In his anxiety to be the first to start speaking, he did not hear the word "negative" in the topic. He began discussing the ways in which the country had benefited by joining WTO, only to be stopped by the evaluator, who then corrected his mistake.
• False starts are extremely expensive. They cost you your admission. It is very important to listen and understand the topic before you air your opinions.
• Spending a little time analyzing the topic may provide you with insights which others may not have thought about. Use a pen and paper to jot down your ideas.
• Listen! It gives you the time to conceptualize and present the information in a better manner.
Some mistakes are irreparable. Starting off the group discussion with a mistake is one such mistake, unless you have a great sense of humor.
Managing one's insecurities
Sumati was very nervous. She thought that some of the other candidates were exceptionally good. Thanks to her insecurity, she contributed little to the discussion. Even when she was asked to comment on a particular point, she preferred to remain silent.
• Your personality is also being evaluated. Your verbal and non verbal cues are being read.
• Remember, you are the participant in the GD; not the evaluator. So, rather than evaluating others and your performance, participate in the discussion.
• Your confidence level is being evaluated. Decent communication skills with good confidence is a must to crack the GDs.
Focus on your strengths and do not spend too much time thinking about how others are superior or inferior to you. It is easy to pick up these cues from your body language.
Knowledge is strength. A candidate with good reading habits has more chances of success. In other words, sound knowledge on different topics like politics, finance, economy, science and technology is helpful.
Power to convince effectively is another quality that makes you stand out among others.
Clarity in speech and expression is yet another essential quality.
If you are not sure about the topic of discussion, it is better not to initiate. Lack of knowledge or wrong approach creates a bad impression. Instead, you might adopt the wait and watch attitude. Listen attentively to others, may be you would be able to come up with a point or two later.
A GD is a formal occasion where slang is to avoided.
A GD is not a debating stage. Participants should confine themselves to expressing their viewpoints. In the second part of the discussion candidates can exercise their choice in agreeing, disagreeing or remaining neutral.
Language use should be simple, direct and straight forward.
Don't interrupt a speaker when the session is on. Try to score by increasing your size, not by cutting others short.
Maintain rapport with fellow participants. Eye contact plays a major role. Non-verbal gestures, such as listening intently or nodding while appreciating someone's viewpoint speak of you positively.
Communicate with each and every candidate present. While speaking don't keep looking at a single member. Address the entire group in such a way that everyone feels you are speaking to him or her.
Sample Group Discussion - (!)
Candidates are divided in groups of 8 to 10 and each group is tested by a panel of Judges. Usually topics of general interest are given by the panel to the group and the group is asked to proceed with discussion. Every candidate is supposed to express his opinion and views on the topic given. The time for discussion is approximately 20 minutes. During the discussion, the panel of Judges quietly observes the performance and behavior of the candidates and makes his own assessment.
Mock Group Discussion:
Most topics are taken from the current political or economic scene so if one has just kept abreast of current affairs, then he will be able to make a mark. We give below a group discussion on a common topic and give some typical responses of students. We then analyze the discussion so that readers can develop their own strategy for themselves.
JUDGE: Good morning. You can choose any topic you like or take a slip from that box. You are given one minute to think to start with the discussion. The observers will not interfere in your discussion. If no conclusion is reached, we may ask each of you to speak for a minute on the topic at the end of the discussion. The topic on the slip is "Multinationals: Bane or Boon". I suggest you should start the discussion.
Mr A : This is a good topic. I am against multinationals. We have Coke and Pepsi. Do we need them? We can manufacture our own soft drinks. Multinationals destroy the local industry and sell non-essential products.
Mr B : I agree with you. What is the fun of having Coke and Pepsi? We have our own Campa Cola.
Mr C : I think water is good enough.
Mr D : We are not here to discuss soft drinks. The topic given to us is a much larger one. First, let us define multinational companies. They are merely large companies which operate in a number of countries. There could be some Indian multinationals also. So there is nothing wrong with them. The point is whether they have a good or bad impact on the host countries. We have to discuss their business practices and find out whether they are desirable or not.
Mr E : That is a very good introduction to the topic. Multinational companies do serve an important function that they bring new products and technologies in countries which do not have them. And it is not just Coke and Pepsi. They set up power plants and build roads and bridges, which really help in the development of host countries.
Mr F : But are they all that good? We have seen that they destroy local industry. In India they just took over existing companies. They came in areas of low technology. Moreover, we have to see why they come at all. They come for earning profits and often remit more money abroad than they bring in.
Mr A : I agree with you. I am against multinationals. We can produce everything ourselves. We should be swadeshi in our approach. Why do we need multinational companies?
Mr E : We may not need multinational companies but then it also means that our companies should not do business abroad. Can we live in an isolated world? The fact is that we are moving towards becoming a global village. The world is interconnected. Then we have also seen that foreign companies bring in business practices that we are impressed with. Look at foreign banks. They are so efficient and friendly that the nationalized banks look pathetic in comparison. I think we can learn a lot from multinationals if we keep our eyes and mind open.
Mr B : Take a look at McDonald's. They are providing quality meals at affordable prices. One does not have to wait at their restaurants.
Mr C : How do you account for the fact that they take out more than they put in and thus lead to impoverishing the country?
Mr D : The fact is that every poor country needs foreign investment. Poor countries often lack resources of their own. That is why they have to invite foreign companies in. There is nothing wrong in this because then products like cars, air conditioners and so on can be made in poor countries. Often multinationals source products from different countries which help boost their export earnings.
Mr E : We have been talking about Coke and Pepsi. It is well known that Pepsi is in the foods business also and has helped farmers in Punjab by setting up modern farms to grow potatoes and tomatoes. Modern practices have helped the people in that area.
Mr A : I still feel that multinationals are harmful for the country.
Mr D : Well, there could be negative things associated with such companies. They may not be very good in their practices. But can we do without them? I think the best way is to invite them but also impose some controls so that they follow the laws of the country and do not indulge in unfair practices.
Mr E : I think laws are applicable to everyone. Very often officials in poor countries take bribes. The fault lies not with the company which gives a bribe but the person who actually demands one. Why blame the companies for our own ills?
Mr A : What about the money they take out?
Mr D : We have had a good discussion and I think it is time to sum up. Multinationals may have good points and some bad ones too, but competition is never harmful for anyone. We cannot live in a protected economy any longer. We have been protected for many years and the results are there for everyone to see. Rather than be close about multinationals, let us invite them in selected areas so that we get foreign investment in areas which we are lacking. Laws can be strictly enforced that companies operate within limits and do not start meddling in political affairs.
Analysis: Though Mr A started the discussion, he could not make any good points. Later, he could not give any points about why multinationals are bad. It is also a bad strategy to say at the outset whether you are for or against the topic. Remember, it is not a debate but a discussion. The first step should always be to introduce the topic without taking sides. See the way in which the discussion is proceeding and give arguments for or against. The observer is not interested in your beliefs but in what you is saying. The participation of Mr B and C is below average. A candidate must make 3-4 interventions. Their arguments are also not well thought out and add nothing to the argument. It is important to say relevant things which make an impact rather than speak for the sake of speaking. The arguments of Mr D and E are better. They seem to be aware of the role of multinational companies. Mr E's approach is better as he intervenes a number of times. He has also taken initiative in the beginning and brought order to the group. If selection has to be made from the above six candidates, the obvious choice would be Mr E and thereafter, Mr D.
Sample Group Discussion - (2)
Aditi, Bijoy, Charu, Daisy and Ehsan are waiting for their group discussion to start. They do not have a topic yet and are waiting for the moderator to make everybody comfortable. There, the moderator looks at the clock and announces: “You have 5 minutes for this group discussion. And your topic is ‘How to Succeed in Group Discussions.’ Please start.”
Bijoy: This should be interesting. A GD on GD! I suggest we should discuss the importance of a GD first. I mean, why have a GD at all?
Charu: I find this very strange. How can you have a GD on GD? We should be discussing some current topic to test our knowledge.
Ehsan: I agree that this is rather unusual. At the same time, our job is to conduct a meaningful discussion regardless of the topic. Bijoy has suggested we start with the importance of GD. Today, GD is a very important part of various selection procedures.
Aditi: GD is all about teamwork. That’s all.
Bijoy: Management is all about working with people. I suppose GD is one way of establishing one’s ability to work with others. How we are able to lead and be led.
Charu: (Laughs) You are using some impressive management jargon, my friend! I don’t think GD has anything to do with leading or being led. At the most, a GD may give an idea about how a business meeting is held. Otherwise it is only about sharing your knowledge with others.
Bijoy: (Visibly irritated) Looks like you are very sure about your knowledge. Perhaps there is no need for a group or even a discussion?
Ehsan: We have some interesting points here. Leadership and sharing knowledge. Perhaps, a GD is a good tool to assess how well you are able to function within a group.
Daisy: I want to…
Aditi: I don’t think any discussion is meaningful unless everyone has the same level of knowledge.
Daisy: I want to say something. Pardon if I make any wrong. I am from vernacular medium…
Aditi: Don’t waste our time talking about your background. The topic is GD. Talk about that.
Bijoy: Every subject has various angles. So, many heads can raise many ideas.
Charu: Also, too many cooks spoil the broth (laughs).
Ehsan: Yes, a group makes it possible to brainstorm any issue. Perhaps Daisy has something to add to this thought ...
Daisy: Thanks for giving me chance. A GD is good for ‘consensus.’ It is always better everybody agree. Otherwise only one person is there.
Charu: (Leaning forward and pointing to Daisy) I think the correct word is consensus. Don’t use a word unless you know what you are talking about.
Bijoy: Consensus is fine. But is it necessary that everyone should have the same viewpoint?
Ehsan: That is an interesting thought. Yes, Daisy is right that a GD is about consensus but there can still be differences. A GD provides an opportunity to discuss various aspects of an issue and weigh merits and demerits of different approaches.
Charu: Agree to disagree.
Bijoy: But the question is how to succeed in GDs. I think the first prerequisite is patience. Some of us must learn to shut up and let others talk (looks directly at Charu).
Aditi: If everyone follows that we will only have silence and no discussion.
Ehsan: I suppose the point is to participate and give others also a chance to participate.
Daisy: Please can I speak?
Aditi: Come on! You don’t have to beg for permission to speak!
Daisy: I said that because I thought someone might have wanted to speak before me. Anyway, is it not possible to only listen?
Charu: (Smirks) I don’t know how the moderator will rate your profound silence!
Bijoy: But Daisy, no one can read your mind. Unless you speak, how do you contribute?
Ehsan: I think a GD is very much like a business meeting. Every participant may present an individual point of view but the thinking about that point of view is collective.
Aditi: I don’t think you can compare a GD to a business meeting. In a meeting, there is usually a chairman whose job is to control the meeting.
Bijoy: A GD may not have a chairman but I suppose one person usually emerges as the leader and guides the discussion.
Charu: I suppose someone fancies himself to be a leader. This is so boring!
Moderator: Your time is up. Thank you everyone.
Moderator’s notes: Ehsan shows leadership skills and the ability to hold a group together. He appears to have a good grasp of the subject though on the whole the GD failed to do justice to the core subject of how to succeed. Bijoy also has some interesting ideas but is prone to being provoked easily. Charu is too sure and too full of herself to be able to contribute to a group. Aditi is guilty of intolerance and rude interruptions. Daisy needs to work on her language and her confidence, though she may have the right concepts.
Group Discussion Topics
General GD-Topics
Current GD-Topics
Engineering GD-Topics
MBA GD-Topics
BPO GD-Topics
Hot GD-Topics
Social GD-Topics
Management GD-Topics
Creative GD-Topics
Economic GD-Topics
Political-Topics
General Group Discussion Topics
· US war on Iraq-justified or not.
· Role of UN in peacekeeping.
· Position of Women in India compared to other nations.
· Environment Management.
· Is China better than India in software.
· Should SONIA Gandhi be made the PM
· BPOs in INDIA
· Govt contribution to IT
· will punch lines rule the Advt
· premarital sex
· is china a threat to Indian industry
· India or west , which is the land of opportunities
· water resources should be nationalized
· "BALANCE BETWEEN PROFESSIONALISM AND FAMILY"
· Effect of cinema on Youth
· Education in India compared to Foreign nations
· Is it necessary to ban COCO COLA in India.
· What is the effect of movies on youth. is it good or bad)
· Are studies more beneficial in India or in Abroad.
· "UN's peace activities" and "America's war on Iraq".
· "Environment-Whose Responsibility".
· Is China a threat to the Indian software industry.
· Role of UN in Peace keeping
· War on Iraq
· About Hockey being the primary game in India
· Can America occupy Iraq
· Cricket should be banned or not.
· IS CHINA A THREAT TO INDIA
· Present state of Indian Cricket team.
· Love marriage/Arranged marriage.
· Advantages of Co-education.
· How to deal with international terrorism.
· Should we pursue our policy of dialogue with Pakistan?
· Is peace and non-violence outdated concepts?
Engineering Group Discussion Topics
· Is China a threat to the Indian software industry.
· Role of UN in peacekeeping.
· Position of Women in India compared to other nations.
· Environment Management.
· Is China better than India in software.
· Govt contribution to IT
· is china a threat to Indian industry
· India or west , which is the land of opportunities
· water resources should be nationalised
· "BALANCE BETWEEN PROFESSIONALISM AND FAMILY"
· Effect of cinema on Youth
· Education in India compared to Foreign nations
· What is the effect of movies on youth. is it good or bad)
· Are studies more beneficial in India or in Abroad.
· "UN's peace activities" and "America's war on Iraq".
· "Environment-Whose Responsibility".
· US war on iraq-justified or not.
· Role of UN in Peace keeping
· War on Iraq
· About Hockey being the primary game in India.
· Can America occupy Iraq
· IS CHINA A THREAT TO INDIA
· Present state of Indian Cricket team
· Advantages of Co-education.
· How to deal with international terrorism.
· Should we pursue our policy of dialogue with Pakistan?
· Is peace and non-violence outdated concepts?
· A Unipolar World spells disaster for underdeveloped countries like India.
· Is Globalization Really Necessary?
· What shall we do about our ever-increasing Population?
· Corruption is the price we pay for Democracy.
· Foreign Television Channels are destroying our culture.
· What India needs is a Dictatorship.
· With media publishing and telecasting trivia, censorship is the need of the hour.
· Kaun Banega Krorepati is less about knowledge but more about money and personality.
· Beauty contests degrade womanhood
· The rise of regional blocs threatens independent nations like India
· Six billion and one bronze!
· Is dependence on computers a good thing?
· Should the public sector be privatised?
· China and India are similar nations with contrasting ways
· Is India a Soft Nation?
· Value based politics is the need of the hour
· Religion should not be mixed with politics
· How to deal with high oil prices
· Our cricketers are not to blame for match fixing
· Why cant we be world players in industry as we are in software?
· Multinational corporations: Are they devils in disguise?
· Should there be limits on artistic freedom (the controversy on Fire).
· Should there be private universities?
· Does banning fashion shows and New Year parties save our culture?
· Public sector is more a hindrance than help to promote socialism.
· Economic betterment of the poorer nations is as important as disarmament to ensure lasting world peace.
· From public sector to privatization as in the U.K., is the right answer for India's instant economic breakthrough.
· The doctrine of "limited nuclear war" is an ill-convinced, ill- logical, irrational and extremely dangerous concept.
· Some simple but effective electoral reforms will enable us to retain the present parliamentary system and ensure the preservation of democracy in India.
· Nuclear war cannot be won and should not be fought.
· Private enterprise and not public sector will contribute to faster and higher economic growth in India
· Inflation is inevitable in our developing country.
· The policy of reservation is a legacy of the British and it has done more harm than good.
· For a marketing post graduate, without prior work experience working in a big marketing firm is a disadvantage when compared with working in a small firm. Discuss.
· Consumerism is destroying the social fabric of Indian culture
· Free market is a prerequisite for growth.
· Cricket as a national obsession is a detriment to other sports.
· To develop India has to empower women.
· .Formulate the government's health policy to control the spread of AIDS.
· Advertising is a waste of resources.
· Privatization will lead to less corruption.
· State is the biggest violator of human rights.
· There can never be a classless society.
· Beauty pageants are a marketing gimmick.
· Voting rights to illiterates in India is illogical because it is widely misused.
· Joint family is a blessing in disguise
· Higher education should be made possible only for those who can pay for it.
· Women cannot successfully combine both career and home
· Women are good managers.
· Executive should be allowed to form unions.
· Effect of liberalization on poverty.
· Indians perform better as individuals rather than in groups.
· Business and ethics go hand in hand, or do they?
· Developing countries should spend more on development than on defense.
· Political parties have outlived their utility.
· Is Swadeshi relevant for India today?
· Money is required to earn more money.
· Foreign trade is necessary for any country to survive
· Presidential Vs Parliamentary form of government of India.
· Technology: The Ism' Of The New Millennium?
· Religion And Politics Should Not Mix
· TRIPS Controversy And The Patent Act Amendment
· Should India Sign The CTBT
· State Interventions In Market Kind Or Mixed Economy
· Science Is A Boon Or Bane
· Is Swapping Terrorists For Hostages An Encouragement For Plane- Hijackers?
· Nice Guys Finish Last
· All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy
· Individual Freedom And Civil Society
· Conventionalism And Modernity: The Ever going Debate
· Should There Be A Restriction On Permissiveness Being propagated by The MTV Culture And Foreign Media?
· Marxism And Its Future All Over The World
· The Growing Menace Of Casteism And Regionalism
· Presidential Form Of Government Is Needed In India
· Bullet For Bullet: Is It The Right Policy?
· Capitation Fees Should Be Abolished
· Brain-Drain Has To Be Stopped
· Business And Ethics Can't / Don't Go Together
· Are women As good as Men Or Inferior?
· Nothing Succeeds Like Success
· The Malthusian Economic Prophecy Is No Longer Relevant
· Secessionism In The North-East: Who's To Blame?
· Should India Break Diplomatic Ties With Pakistan?
· Age and Youth: Experience And Young Talent
· East Is East & West Is Where All The Action Is': Mark Twain
· Freedom Of _Expression And The State Authority.
BPO Group Discussion Topics
· Is coalition politics here to stay?
· Does India need a dictator?
· What ails Indian sports?
· Success is all about human relations
· Borderless worlds - Dream or reality?
· Quality is a myth in India
· Will China overtake India in IT
· India - the back office to the world by 2020
· Does Indian IT industry need to focus on products rather than services
· The BPO age - heralding a new employment revolution
· The BPO revolution and its impact on the society
· Education and success - Is there a correlation?
· We don't learn from history, we repeat it
· Do we need a global policeman?
· Indian villages - our strength or our weakness?
· Management Education - Is it necessary to succeed in business
· Kids today are not what they used to be
· Repeated elections - Who should pay for them
· Indian bureaucracy - foundation strengths or colonial hangovers?
· In India, the whole is less than the parts - Do we lack in team spirit?
· "Dot.com" companies - Is there room for everyone?
· Artificial Intelligence - Will man be ever replaced by machines?
· Materialism - Have we sold our souls to the Devil?
· Role of ethics in tobacco industry, liquor industry etc.
· Are we unfit for Democracy?
· Survival tools for the new millennium
· Examinations - has it killed education
· Should doctors be tried in Consumer Courts
· Is E-Commerce the best thing for India
Social Group Discussion Topics:
1.Are Big Dams Necessary?2. Films are corrupting the Indian Youth3. A Gandhian State selling liquor is an anomaly4. Bride burning and dowry may look bad, but are an integral part of India.5. Our Culture is Decaying6. We are not serious about saving Wildlife/Environment7. The education system needs serious reforms8. The impact of MTV on our psyche9. Showing Violence and Crimes should not be allowed in films and on television.10. Let us legalise gambling11. The Internet chains have come on the wings of science and technology but are no less restrictive for all that.12. Secularism has become a tool to justify the wrongs done by the minorities.13. Media is a mixed blessing/How ethical is media?14. To fight AIDs, stop being coy about sex education.15. What should India strive for- Westernization or modernization?
Creative Group Discussion Topics:
1.The Wheel is Turning Round and Round2. If I was the Finance Minister/Prime Minister3. There is no right way to do a wrong thing4. Group Task: How can we have Mount Everest in India?5. Do Beauty and Brains Go Together?6. When I woke up in the morning I saw…7. A ship docked in harbour cannot face the storms8. Up the Down Staircase9. Just as we have smoke free zones, we should have child free zones10. Marriage is a social trap
POLITICAL Group Discussion TOPICS:
1. Reserving seats for women in Panchayat has not only been a farce but has distracted from developing a more genuine voice of women.2. Have the nuclear tests of 1998 benefited or harmed India?3. Voters, not, political parties are responsible for the criminalisation of politics.4. The voters are required to be well informed and educated about their candidates so that they can elect the right aspirant by their own assessment.5. India should go for the presidential form of democracy.
Current Group Discussion Topics
· A Unipolar World spells disaster for underdeveloped countries like India
· Is Globalisation Really Necessary?
· What shall we do about our ever-increasing Population?
· Corruption is the price we pay for Democracy
· Foreign Television Channels are destroying our culture
· What India needs is a Dictatorship.
· With media publishing and telecasting trivia, censorship is the need of the hour.
· Kaun Banega Krorepati is less about knowledge but more about money and personality.
· Beauty contests degrade womanhood
· The rise of regional blocs threatens independent nations like India
· Six billion and one bronze!
· Is dependence on computers a good thing?
· Should the public sector be privatised?
· China and India are similar nations with contrasting ways
· Is India a Soft Nation?
· Value based politics is the need of the hour
· Religion should not be mixed with politics
· How to deal with high oil prices
· Our cricketers are not to blame for match fixing
· Why cant we be world players in industry as we are in software?
· Multinational corporations: Are they devils in disguise?
· Should there be limits on artistic freedom (the controversy on Fire).
· Should there be private universities?
· Does banning fashion shows and New Year parties save our culture
Hot Group Discussion Topics:
How to deal with international terrorism.2. Should we pursue our policy of dialogue with Pakistan?3. Is peace and non-violence outdated concepts?
Management Group Discussion Topics:
Is management an art or a science?2. The Rush for MBA is really a rush for big money3. Ethics in Business are just a passing fashion4. The objective of Management is to maximise profits5. Do professional managers have a chance in our family run businesses?6. The Internet is an exercise in hype7. Is an MBA necessary to succeed in life?8. Family owned business vs professionally run businesses9. Smaller businesses and start-ups have more scope for professional growth.10. Dot com or doubt com?
ECONOMIC Group Discussion TOPICS:
In our economic matters, there is an excessive tendency towards the thinking rather than doing.2. Every cloud has a silver lining3. Can the economy achieve an 8 percent growth rate?.4. Is disinvestment really that good for India or is a rethink in order ?5. Are co-operatives relevant in today's globalised environment?.6. Foreign aid is a dangerous drug that can stimulate in small doses but become fatally addictive in larger doses.7. Modern day sport in industrialised society is an industry, as anything else.8. Government should clean its own hands before pointing finger at the private sector for corruption.9. Is the NPA ordinance too harsh?10. Reforms have to grow up.11. The future lies with glocalisation .12. Is the consumer really the king in India?.13. Globalisation versus nationalism14. Conditional access system for cable TV watchers: boon or bane? 15. If India is poorly governed, the reason is that we have designed our system of governance for protecting, if not encouraging, corruption?16. Commercialisation of health care : Good or Bad ?17. For globalisation to succeed in India people must be able to see what is in it for them18. Is the US economy headed the Japanese economy way?19. Economic freedom not old fashioned theories of development will lead to growth and prosperity20. Markets left to themselves encourage greed.21. For globalisation to succeed in India people must be able to see what is in it for them22. Should businessmen run the finance ministry23. Should important services like transport be left to market forces?.24. Is there any point in having a business strategy when the world changes from month to month?25. Is the patents bill good for India? .26. Is the business of business only business?.27. Globalisation is good for developing countries28. Public sector being a guarantor of job security is a myth.29. Is industryless growth here to stay ?30. Capitalism is a very flawed system but the others are so much worse ?31. How can business get rid of the bad name that it has earned?32. Government pumping money into the economy is not the solution for our economic problems33. Business ethics are no longer a luxury for corporates but a necessity?34. How should privatisation proceeds be utilised ?35. Is the budgeting exercise of any use?36. Should agricultural subsidies be stopped ?37. Will Mumbai's film industry ever evolve into a truly modern corporatised one?38. Will market reforms enrich rich states further,while poorer ones lag further?.39. Why do we lag behind China ?40. Who says MNCs are superior to Indian companies ?.41. Why not use a brand index to measure national prosperity?.42. What we need to reduce scams is better regulatory bodies.43. War rhetoric is misplaced in a country like India which is trying to globalise its economy.44. Trade can help the poor?45. The power ministry should cut off supplies to all the defaulting SEBs.46. Steal a few lakhs and you're a criminal. Steal a few hundred crores and you become an industrialist.47. Should PSUs be divested through strategic sale or public offer? 48. The state is above the law?49. Developing countries need trade, not aid.50. Why do we lag behind China?51. Capitalism is a very flawed system but the others are so much worse.52. Flexibility of labour laws is the key to attracting more Foreign Direct Investment.53. Is the business of business only business?
MBA Group Discussion Topics
· Is India moving away from a secularist state?
· Education in India - or the lack of it
· What ails Indian sports?
· The Age of Information
· Is Philosophy just an armchair theory?
· Success is all about human relations
· Borderless worlds - Dream or reality?
· Quality is a myth in India.
· Education and success - Is there a correlation?
· We don't learn from history, we repeat it
· Do we need a global policeman
· Indian villages - our strength or our weakness?
· Agrarian Economy in India - boon or bane
· if there were no armies in the world......
· Indian customs - are we in a time warp?
· "How green was my valley........". Is nature paying the price ?
· Management Education - Is it necessary to succeed in business
· The role of NGOs in economics and politics
· NGOs - Do they serve peoples interests or are they pressure groups?
· Death of Socialism
· Role of women in development
· Kids today are not what they used to be
· Casteless India - A pipe dream
· Should Trade Unionism be banned in India
· Repeated elections - Should taxpayers pay for it?
· Indian bureaucracy - foundation strengths or colonial hangovers?
· In India, the whole is less than the parts - Do we lack in team spirit?
· Generation X - Drivers of our future or are they our lost souls?
· Do we need a cut in the defence budget?
· "Dot.com" companies - Is there room for everyone?
· Artificial Intelligence - Will man be ever replaced by machines?
· if I were to choose my person of the millennium...
· All the world is a stage....
· when managers become Hamlets...
· If Patel were our first Prime Minister.......
· Materialism - Have we sold our souls to the Devil?
· You've come a long way, baby - The rise and rise of feminist power.
· Role of ethics in tobacco industry, liquor industry etc.
· Should gambling be legalised in India?
· Are we unfit for Democracy?
· Survival tools for the new millennium
· Examinations - has it killed education
· Cultural Invasion through the air waves
· Should doctors be tried in Consumer Courts
· Abortion and Euthanasia - Is it morally right for society
· Are beauty pageants necessary?
· The relevance of Gandhism today
· India and the WTO
· Did India handle the hijack issue properly?
· Is E-Commerce the best thing for India
· Managerial skills learnt in the classroom can nevermatch those learnt from experience
· Democracy is hampering India progress
· MBA in India is highly overrated.
· Religion is a private affair and should be of no concern for the state
· Decreasing defense expenditure and increasing social expenditure is the need of the hour
posted by Techhub @ 10:46 AM
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