Group Discussion (GD) is a popular methodology utilized by various MBA institutes across the country to assess the applicants' skills and suitability to the respective institute. Along with a personal interview, essay-writing, and other group exercises, GD forms a crucial part of screening process doe MBA admissions. Common attributes required for a good score in a GD include communication skills, persuasion skills, listening ability, lateral thinking, innovativeness, team-work, etc.
In this article, you will learn about the specific evaluation parameters, and the prominent do's and don'ts of a GD.
What is a GD?
As the name implies, group discussion refers to a communicative situation where the participants share their opinions, deliberate about different ideas, and try to find a solution to a given issue. Typically, the candidates are divided into groups of 10-15. They are given a topic and given 2-5 minutes to think over it. Then the moderators, which usually number 2-5, signal the start of the GD, which lasts for 10-20 minutes. The candidates are expected to have a coherent, participative and genial discussion over different aspects of the topic, with each member of the group contributing to it.
Evaluation of a GD
The examiners evaluate the members of the group on a wide range of criteria and award marks based on their performance in the GD. Some of the important parameters are listed below:
- Knowledge about the Topic
- Ability to work in a group (Team skills)
- Individual contribution in the GD
- Ability to think Logically
- Innovative/creative thinking
- Communication Skills
Do's of a GD:
There are certain things you must keep in mind while performing in a GD. The following tips will help you score high in GD:
- Be yourself
- Be concise
- Enter only after a person has made his/her point
- Enter the GD with a supportive statement
- Substantiate your arguments with supportive data
- Listen actively
- Keep your body language positive.
Don'ts of a GD
Just like there is a good GD etiquette, there is a set of negative behaviours associated with group discussions. Such mannerisms can lead to low score and bad impression on the examiners and moderators. Make sure to avoid the following things in a GD:
- Aggression in speech
- Interrupting another participant's speech
- Strongly negative outlook
- Speaking for the sake of speaking (irrelevant speech)
- Incorrect fact/ information
- Highly individualistic and defensive attitude
GDs are based on a variety of topics related to current happenings, case studies, etc. Some of the topics are also abstract and test the imaginative abilities of the candidates. Therefore, you must read through different areas to ace the GD round well. Lastly, remember that in GD, quality matters more than quantity.
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