GD Tips for B-school Aspirants

Mayank Badhwar Associate Content Manager

Associate Content Manager

Group discussions are part of the selection process in almost every business school. Strength of the group can range from 5-15 members. They were given a topic to carry out a healthy discussion among themselves in 15-20 minutes and then, summarize or conclude at the end. It is done to test your knowledge on the subject, communication skills, leadership skills, handling qualities and your approach and opinions towards a subject. Generally, two or three students are selected from the group and the rest are eliminated.

The most important thing in a group discussion is you should carry your confidence throughout, add value to the discussion and be very sure about what you are saying. If you are just repeating someone else’s point or are fumbling, there’s a high chance that you will be eliminated.

There are a few Do’s and Don'ts that you should keep in mind.

Have clarity and structure in your thoughts. You should have thoughts of the argument from end to end and put it forward with confidence.
You should always know when to enter a group discussion. Neither wait too long nor interrupt other members frequently. In 10-15 minutes of GD, if you can get a chance to speak for 2-4 minutes, there is a good chance for your selection.
You should have a positive attitude towards the other members and be open to their opinions. You should always listen to what others are saying and then, put your argument forward in continuation to the discussion. You should not jump in between and just say random points about the topic of discussion.
Enter with a supportive statement. There’s a chance that you may not agree with the other person’s opinion but it is very rude to say that you are wrong. It’s smarter to support the other person by saying ‘I agree with what you are saying but I would like to bring your attention….’ and then put your argument forward.
Use simple language and maintain eye contact with the others. GD is supposed to have a healthy discussion where people should understand each others’ opinions. It’s not a place to throw some jargon and use thesaurus words that students and interviewers don’t even understand what you are trying to say.
Try to enter the discussion when the noise decreases. You can always judge when the person is going to conclude. There’s a pause for a moment when the voice level will decrease, that’s the point where you have to enter.
If you have a very strong knowledge about the subject and a good argument, then it is advisable to start the GD. You can always start by introducing the topic first and then proceeding with your opinion about it.
Maintain an upright position and don’t look lethargic even while others are speaking.
Don’t lose patience even if others have cut your arguments multiple times. It is advisable to say ‘Let me just finish in a minute….’ or ‘Sorry to interrupt, let me just complete what I am saying…’. It should always come with a request and not shouting or any aggressive behavior.

These are very small tips to keep in mind when you enter a GD. Remember, it could turn into aggressive discussion depending on aspirants and the topic given, but you should always ensure that you should be contributing to it as a healthy discussion where opinions matter.

It’s always good to have a rough idea about what are the trending GD topics that you can come across. A few of them are mentioned below: