Group Discussion
- Group Discussion is a modern method of assessing students’/applicants’ personality and skills
- GD is a stepping stone to a job. Many companies use it as a mass elimination process.
- A GD is a discussion among the members of a group. GD is not a debate.
A GD tests your
- Communication skills.
- General awareness.
- Personality traits
Communication Skills:
- Non- Verbal Communication
- Your ability to organize your thought flow
- Structure
- Coherence
- Clarity
- Your language skills – English
- Vocabulary
- Grammar
- Fluency
- Accent and Pronunciation
Personality Traits:
- Team Skills
- Presentation Skills
- Reasoning ability
- Interpersonal Skills
- Leadership skills
- Clarity of thought
- Flexibility
- Assertiveness
- Initiative
- Motivational Skills
- Listening
- Self Confidence
- Creativity/ Out of the box thinking
- Analytical /Logical Skills
- Ability to think on one’s feet
- Presence of mind
- Tolerance
Do’s of participating in a GD:
- Listen to the subject carefully
- Put down your thoughts on a paper ( if you have been given some time)
- Initiate/start the discussion if you know the subject well ( please refer to initiating techniques )
- Listen to others if you don’t know the subject
- Support your point with some facts and figures
- Make short contribution of 25-30 seconds 3-4 times
- Give others a chance to speak
- Speak politely and pleasantly. Respect contribution from other members.
- If you don’t agree with any idea or person, disagree politely
- You have to be ready to agree with what is right.
- Summarize the discussion if the group has not reached a conclusion.
Don’ts of participating in a Group Discussion:
- Don’t start the discussion if you do not have sufficient knowledge about the given topic.
- Don’t over speak, don’t intervene and don’t snatch other’s chance to speak.
- Don’t argue and shout during the GD
- Don’t look at the evaluators or at a particular group member
- Don’t talk irrelevant things and distract the discussion
- Don’t pose negative or odd body gestures like pointing your index finger at someone, picking the nose, leaning back on the chair, knocking at the table with a pen, etc.
- Don’t mention incorrect statistics.
- Don’t display low self-confidence with shaky voice and trembling hands.
- Don’t try to dominate the discussion
- Don’t put others in an embarrassing situation by asking them to speak if they are not willing to do so.
Initiating techniques:
You can initiate/ start the discussion with any one of the following techniques
- Quote
- Shock statement
- Definition
- Facts, figures
- Question
- Short story
- General statement
GD- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Usually, what is the duration of a Group Discussion?
- A GD normally lasts for 10-15 minutes. Sometimes it can be longer – Maximum 20 min.
- How many members participate in a Group Discussion?
- A GD normally has 8-12 members.
- Can we seek evaluator’s help during the Group Discussion?
- It is for the group members to conduct the GD. The evaluators are spectators who are there to rate/assess you. You should not speak to the evaluators and you should not look at them (constantly) during the GD.
- Will I be allowed to use a paper and a pen during the discussion?
- You will be allowed to carry a paper and a pen with you. Check it with the organizers before entering the GD room.
- Will we be given time to prepare on the subject before speaking?
- Usually the group members are given 2-5 minutes to put their thoughts together on the announced subject, before speaking.
- Is initiating/starting the discussion of any use?
- Initiating the discussion would help if you know the subject well. The person who initiates is noticed by both the evaluator and the other participants. He/she gets the maximum attention. This is a golden opportunity to make a very good first impression. Speaking just for the sake of speaking will not help. If you don’t know the subject well, it is better to listen to others. When you have gathered enough information about the subject, make an entry into the GD with your thoughts.
- Can I interrupt others to put my point across?
- No, it will not help. Please do not interrupt when others speak. Let the other person finish what they want to say before you put your point across. Aggressiveness can cost you negatively. However, if somebody is dominating the discussion and not allowing others to speak you can interrupt, POLITELY!
- How many times should I speak during the Group Discussion?
- In a GD, quality matters more than quantity. Speak to the point and give others a chance to speak. A short entry of 25-30 seconds 3-4 times during the discussion is enough.
- How should I address the other group members?
- It will be difficult for you to remember the names of all the members correctly in a short time. Rather than concentrating on remembering names, it will be good if you concentrate on the ideas you want to put across. You can refer to your group members by ‘you’, ‘he/she’, ‘him/her ‘my friend’’.
- Will aggressiveness help in Group Discussion?
- Aggression to the extent that the group turns hostile is bad. So, instead of being aggressive, it’s always better to stay assertive, confident and polite.
- Are we expected to keep a track of time or will the evaluators do that?
- If possible, please be aware of the time. Being aware of time won’t hurt but don’t let it distract your participation in the GD.
- Are we expected to argue during the Group Discussion?
- Avoid arguing in the GD. A GD is a discussion and not a debate where you are expected to prove your point right. Just be assertive.
- What should I do if I don’t understand the topic properly? Should I ask the evaluators to explain?
- If you do not understand or know the subject well, it is a better idea to let others start speaking. As you understand the subject make an entry into the discussion. Don’t ask evaluators to explain the subject.
- Can I raise my voice during the Group Discussion?
- Your voice need to be loud enough so that everyone can hear you. However, avoid raising voice to a level where it can be treated as shouting.
- Should I take a stand during the Group Discussion?
- If you have knowledge and strong opinion about the topic, you can take a stand. However, if you not sure, it is better not to take a stand immediately as the discussion begins. Introduce the subject and present some facts to begin the discussion. As the GD proceeds, you can take a stand. If you are convinced with other’s point of view, there’s no harm in changing your stand but do it in a proper way so that you don’t look fickle-minded.
- Would presenting facts and figures help during the Group Discussion?
- Presenting facts and figures does helps…… but too much of it would be irritating for the group and a show off of your knowledge. Present the facts as accurately as possible. Please note that they should be relevant.
- The other members have spoken all the points I want to speak. What should I do?
- This can happen if you speak late in the GD. Try to speak within first five minutes of 20 minutes long GD If others have spoken all that you wanted to speak, all you can do is:
- Drop that point and think something else
- Add some elaboration to the already spoken point and broaden the scope of the GD.
- You can explain the points by using different and effective examples
- Should I encourage other members to speak?
- Do not pressurize other members to speak if they are not willing to. By doing this you might put them in an embarrassing situation. If you see that a member is trying to speak but is not able to, then you can encourage and help him.
- I am not getting a chance to speak, what should I do?
- Chances are not given – you need to take them. Get into the discussion by politely saying “I think I have a different point of view here”, if you disagree with the speaker. If you agree with someone you can enter the discussion by saying “Yes, I think you have a point. I would like to add some further information here”.
- Is it necessary to conclude/summarize the discussion?
- It is a good idea to conclude the discussion as the goal of GD is that the group should reach a conclusion. However, if the group has not been able to reach a conclusion, just summarize all that has been discussed.
Common Mistakes people do in GD
- Not listening carefully
- Deviating from the topic
- Being emotional about the topic
- Talking endlessly
- Lack of confidence
- Poor body language
- Too eager to grab attention
- Trying to dominate
- Poor Language skills (ENGLISH)
- Not speaking at all
- Speaking with a low voice
- Not understanding the topic
- Taking things personally
Group Discussion: Some Useful Phrases
Stating your opinion
- In my opinion …
- As far as I’m concerned …
- I think …
- As far as I know …
- In my view …
- I don’t think …
- I don’t believe that …
- Well, if you ask me …
- If you want my honest opinion..
- Personally I think that …
- My view of the matter/issue is that …
Agreeing with an opinion
– Yes, I agree (absolutely).
I couldn’t agree more to what you just said.
– That matches exactly my own view.
– Yes, that is just how I see it.
– I absolutely hold the same view.
– We both share the same point of view.
Partly agreeing with an opinion
– I see what you mean, but …
– There is certainly some truth in your words, but you fail to notice that …
– I don’t entirely agree with you.
– I understand your reasons; however, I see some aspects a bit differently.
Disagreeing with an opinion
– I’m afraid I can’t accept …
– I simply don’t agree with you.
– I fail to see the logic behind any of your arguments.
– Your arguments are not convincing at all!
– Excuse me, but I have to contradict you quite strongly here.
– I couldn’t disagree more with what you just said.
Interrupting
– I’m sorry to interrupt here, but …
– Excuse for breaking in here right now, but …
– Can I stop you there for a moment?
– Hold on a second. (informal)
– Pardon me, but I think this just leads the debate astray.
– Do you mind if I jump in here?
Focusing/Structuring
– I think we should focus on the main aspects now.
– Let’s now consider another important aspect of today’s discussion.
– I think we have exchanged our opinions on that point now and should move on …
– You all highlighted crucial aspects, but have we really discussed … in-depth?
– Thank you for your honest/thought-provoking views, but we should also pay attention to
Group Discussion TOPICS:
- General issues or Current affairs
- Social
- Political
- Economic
- Cultural
Some common Topics:
- Capital Punishment
- Retirement age for politicians
- Influence of movies on the youth
- Priviatization in India
- Privatization of higher education
- Should we introduce sex education in schools
- Educational qualification for Politicians
- Brain Drain
- IT – Boon or Bane
- Social Networking: Good or Bad
- Mercy Killing
- Should attendance be made compulsory in Engineering colleges?
- Censorship for media.
- Do we need smart cities or smart laws?
- TV – an idiot box or a useful resource
- Co-education : good or bad
- Are Exams necessary?
- Love marriage – Arranged marriage
- T20 Cricket is killing real cricket
- Net neutrality
- Free Basics – pros and cons
- Importance of Voting
- Should we have dress code in colleges?
- Can a computer replace a teacher?
- Has the modern man become a slave to technology?
- Should India have a one-child policy?
All the best
.