GROUP DISCUSSIONS

• Understanding Group Discussion

• Purpose of a Group Discussion

• Group Discussion Vs. Debate

• Process of Group Discussion

• Essentials of Group Discussion

• Types of Group Discussion

• Rules of Group Discussion

• General Awareness and Group Discussion

• Things to avoid for a group discussion

• Evaluation Criteria for Group Discussion

• Things to remember

Understanding Group Discussion

• A systematic, structured and purposeful interaction using oral

communication, for the exchange of thoughts, ideas and feelings,
among a group of individuals

• Typically, the participants sit in a semi-circle for this exercise and

this is an important tool for recruitment and selection purposes. But
the GD’s are held online as well.

• As a student, it improves your ability to discuss and argue about the

topic given, it helps you to express your views on serious subjects
and in formal situations. It improves your thinking, listening and
 speaking skills. It also promotes your confidence level. It is an
effective tool in problem solving, decision making and personality
assessment. GD skills may ensure academic success, popularity and
good admission or job offer. Thus, it is important to be able to take
part in a GD effectively and confidently.

Participants should know how to speak with confidence, how to exhibit

leadership skills and how to make the group achieve the discussion goals.

Purpose of Group discussions

A systematic, structured and purposeful interaction using oral

communication, for the exchange of thoughts, ideas and feelings, among
a group of individuals

Typically, the participants sit in a semi-circle for this exercise and this is
an important tool for recruitment and selection purposes. But the GD’s are
held online as well.

As a student, it improves your ability to discuss and argue about the topic
given, it helps you to express your views on serious subjects and in formal
situations. It improves your thinking, listening and speaking skills. It also
promotes your confidence level. It is an effective tool in problem solving,
decision making and personality assessment. GD skills may ensure
academic success, popularity and good admission or job offer. Thus, it is
important to be able to take part in a GD effectively and confidently.

Participants should know how to speak with confidence, how to exhibit

leadership skills and how to make the group achieve the discussion goals.

Over the past years, GD is used to test the soft skills of the candidates. It
is used as a quick method to shortlist a few candidates from the massive
strength. The written exam tests the knowledge and aptitude.
Organizations check the social skills, technical, and communication skills
so that a candidate can work effectively without any obstacles. in between
his/her skills.

The GD or Group Discussion is used as an exam or elimination round for

many organizations and schools. It tests the personality, knowledge,
communication skills, teamwork, confidence, problem-solving skills,
social skills, behavior, and leadership abilities of a candidate. It is also an
essential part of short-listing candidates for a job or admission to a
university.

An intelligent candidate with good knowledge and skills sometimes lacks

communication skills, which can be the result of lack of confidence,
hesitation in speaking or being unable to explain their point of view, etc.

Knowledge and technical skills are essential things for a candidate, but in
an organization, he/she might have to face the meetings, discussing
technical issues, handling new employees, etc.

Here lack of communication skills becomes a disadvantage for such

candidates. Hence, organizations and institutes ensure that the candidate
must possess all the qualities before joining. Due to this, Group
Discussion nowadays has become an essential part of most of the
organization and institutes.

GD vs Debate

Group Discussion Debate

Aims for a clearer understanding Aims to determine which side

credible standpoint
Less formal with less rules More formal with more guideli

Does not need two opposing sides Essential to have two opposing

Does not always need an audience Needs an audience

More cooperation is manifested Aggression may be manifested

Less complex More complex

Participants aim to share ideas to the listeners Participants aim to persuade th

May not have a specific conclusion Ends with a specific conclusion

Process of Group Discussion

Let's discuss how a Group discussion is conducted.

The number of participants in a Group discussion range from 7 to 15 in a

group. This number depends on the available strength. If the strength is
low, the number of participants can range from 5 to 7.

The average duration of a Group Discussion is 20 minutes. But, it may vary

depending on the number of candidates in a group.

The panel typically is of 3 or 4 panelists, who will monitor numerous

facets of the participants’ content and delivery. Note that the panelists
have the liberty to end the Group Discussion if they want to or can extend
it for as much as they feel like.
 1. The process of a Group Discussion starts with the announcement of
the topic. The given topic could be technical, factual, or case study.

2. Before beginning with the discussion, the preparation time of 3 minutes

is given. The time can also extend in case of a long case statement.

3. Any participant in the group can initiate the discussion. After the lead
participant, anyone in the group can continue the discussion. Similarly,
everyone gets the chance to speak. One after another, participants in the
group express their views on the given topic.

4. It ends when the panelist stops the discussion or may ask one or more
than one participant to summarize the GD. Whenever you are asked for the
summary, remember to cover the discussed points. The summary cannot
include the words that were not part of the discussion. The participants
that were quiet among the discussion are generally asked to summarize it,
which is a good opportunity to present their views. But, it does not mean
that everyone should be quiet. The summary should include the essential
discussed points and the conclusion of the discussion.

5. The final scores are calculated. Based on the performance of each

participant, the panelist gives the scores. The panelists are usually four to
five to judge the performance of candidates in the Group Discussion

Essentials of Group Discussion

Group Discussion makes us to put forth our views in a group. One can
agree or disagree on the views of other fellow participants. Following are
the few essentials which have to be kept in mind while participating in a
group discussion:
 • Topic Clarity: Once the topic is given you have to gather all the
points relevant to the topic. If you are totally unaware about the
topic, you must not step ahead and initiate. Listen to the views of
others to get the clarity.

• Healthy Tone: Try to put forward your views in a healthy and

impressive tone. Do not become aggressive when somebody opposes
your views. Remain calm and cool.

• Start where Left: Start the discussion from where the other person
has left the topic. Try to synchronize your views with the views of
other person. Try to show agreement with others if you are satisfied
with the points else, you can put forth your views on disagreement.

• Active Participation: One must actively participate in the group

discussion to create good impression on the jury as well as the fellow
members. Active participation should be emulsified with relevant
views. Unnecessary and irrelevant points should be avoided for the
healthy discussion.

Types of Group Discussions

Group discussion topics are all devised to check different group and
individual skills. They can be topics that can check your awareness,
approach and the way you present/share ideas. The discussion topics are
broadly classified as

1. Topic-based

2. Case-study based

3. Abstract
The topic is chosen based on the need of the role and the skillset required.

Let us now look at them in detail

The topic-based Group can be further classified as:

• Controversial: The discussion on controversial topics becomes a

debate. Such topics are given to judge the participants' temper and
how they can handle the discussion without losing their calm. It
shows that how a candidate can represent his/her views without
arguing with other participants. An example of controversial topics
can be OTT regulation, Religion, equality, reservation system etc.

• Knowledge based: The participants should have a proper

understanding of the topic before proceeding for a discussion. The
information should be enough to convince the panellists. The
essential thing is to be confident. Do not initiate the discussion if you
are not aware of the topic. The examples of Knowledge-Based topics
can be 'Government jobs vs. Private jobs’.

• Conceptual: The conceptual topics are widely used today by

companies. It tests the knowledge, logical, and aptitude skills of a
candidate. The topic for the discussion is randomly selected, giving
panellists a space to judge the participants' creative thinking and
ability to handle the situation. The example of Conceptual topics can
be 'Life is a Puzzle.'

The Case study based Group Discussion is generally followed by the

MBA Institutes, such as IIM, etc.

• In such a discussion, a problem is given, and the participants are

asked to resolve them. The preparation time is also higher as
 compared to other discussions. The panelists test the teamwork and
decision-making skills of the participants.

• The participants need to be active and updated with the things

around them. It also tests the observation capability of the
participants.

• An example of Case study based topics can be 'Discussion between

boss and manager or a Specific Business Case or An
organisational/industry crisis etc.’

Abstract topics are anything left to creativity & imagination- for eg. music
is good for the soul, lfie is a jigsaw puzzle. etc

Rules for Group Discussions

There are some rules of a Group Discussion. The rules of Group

Discussion are listed below:

• Good use of preparation time: The quick trick is to note all the
important points during the preparation time. Do not write brief
paragraphs. Try to write short points and explain them briefly in the
discussion.

• Be confident : It would help if you always were confident about your

content. If you are not confident, you may hesitate while speaking,
which will create a negative impression.

• Use the names of participants: Most participants only focus on their

content. You should be aware during the introduction of all the
 participants in your group. To get attention, you can call out the
person's name when the discussion gets diverted.

• Body Language: Always take care of your body language. Do not

focus only on the content.

 Leadership: Try to take the lead in the group if you are confident
about the topic and the knowledge.
 Avoid false starts: Do not initiate the discussion if you are not sure
about your content. Do not present any wrong information.
 Follow your Domain: Every company has its own culture. Prepare your
content according to the company requirements. For example,
industrial companies will focus more on technical talks, while
marketing companies seek the combination of creative and oriented
content.
 Don’t be aggressive: In the Group Discussion, some candidates often
get aggressive. Do not fight during the discussion. Most of the
companies require sensitive and polite candidates rather than
aggressive ones.

General Awareness

In any group discussion, until you are not aware of what you need to
speak, you will definitely create some awkward moments for yourself &
land up making a fool of yourself. Being up to date on current affairs will
give you greater advantage and help you bring in better dimensions to the
topic discussed.

• Knowledge will help in answering queries of audience.

• It will keep you motivated in a group.

 • If you are aware of what you have to speak, confidence will
automatically sink in.

• Knowledge will help you discuss/argue with other team mates in the
group.

• Explicit knowledge about facts and figures helps the most. They help
to make your point stronger.

• Knowledge keeps you going and enthusiastic. You will be able to

draw examples and make your point more relatable

• It should be noted that knowledge can never be complete or

satisfied. It is a gradual incremental process. The more you get it, the
lesser it you fail. falls.

Things to avoid

Little mistakes can also affect the judges’ impression of you.

Keep in mind the following:

• Stop taking leads if you do not know much: We should not take the
lead in a Group Discussion if we are not much aware of the topic. If
we are confident and have much knowledge about the topic, we can
initiate the discussion of that group. Otherwise, wait for others to
start. Being second, third, or fourth in the group helps you better
understand the topic by listening to other candidates.

• Do not hesitate to initiate the discussion: If you have much

knowledge and are confident about the topic, try to take the lead. Do
not copy anyone else’s ideas or comments. You should not copy the
ideas and comments of other participants in the group. It creates a
 negative impression. In case you do not have any idea about the
topic, it's better to act smart. Analyze and listen to other participants,
add some points, and convert it in your own words.

• Do not avoid eye contact with other participants while speaking:

When you start a discussion, you should not forget that it is a
discussion with multiple candidates. It means that you are one of the
many candidates there discussing the Avoiding eye contact is
considered a sign of disrespect or lack of confidence.

• Do not lose confidence in the whole discussion: The group discussion

is not carried for a long duration. It is just for a short span of time.
Try always being confident. Do not get nervous if some points go
wrong. Mistakes often happen, but how to recover is more important.
Take a challenge to correct your mistakes and come back again with
confidence.

• Do not speak softly :: You should always speak loudly in a Group

discussion so that everyone can hear and understand your words.
Sometimes, the scene of a GD becomes chaotic where everyone
speaks, but no one is clearly audible. If you have a low voice, there is
no chance for you to stand. You can increase your volume and try to
settle down the commotion. It will also leave a good impression.

• Try to contribute in a discussion rather than just speaking: Some

candidates often speak continuously in a single go. The reason may
be the fear of not getting another chance. You should try to cover
one keyword at a time by breaking the points into two or three
different parts. The words we speak should be valuable without any
repetition.

•
Skills are tested both at an individual and group level for Group
Discussion.

• INDIVIDUAL SKILLS: Individual qualities refer to the competencies that

you may demonstrate in or outside the context of a group.

 Content: What you say during the discussion is looked into from
two perspectives –relevance and comprehensiveness. It is
possible that a participant has talked a great deal in a GD, but
he or she may have deviated from the topic significantly, in
which case the content is deemed largely irrelevant without the
possibility of further evaluation. If the content has been relevant
to the topic, the panel examines whether your treatment of the
topic is superficial or in-depth, distinction we shall discuss in
detail in the next few posts.

 Analytical skills: The panel is of course interested in your facts,

but they also like to see whether or not you can explore the
‘why’ and the ‘how’ of the subject matter. This is put to the
sternest test in a case-study topic.

 Reasoning skills: The panel looks at how you support your

standpoints, and how you respond to those of the others, how
effectively you can ‘strengthen or weaken’ an argument, how
logical you are in your overall approach to the topic.

 Communication skills: You may have exhibited all the skills

stated above, but can you get your point across to someone in a
simple (not simplistic) language they understand, with relevant
illustrations they can identify with?

• GROUP SKILLS
  Leadership quality: In highly-charged discussions, one or two
participants usually play the role of the anchor, in that they
define the topic appropriately, offer the initial analysis of the
keywords of the topic, and also try to hold the group together in
pursuit of a common goal. Such individuals could demonstrate
effective leadership, and score some extra points. However, one
cannot score anything extra simply because one spoke first in
the group, or was the loudest.

 Body language: While assessing the body language, the panel

primarily looks at eye contact and hand movements. The
speaker must maintain a consistent eye contact with the entire
group as he or she speaks, and the listeners must reciprocate. If
the either doesn’t happen, you allow the panel to infer whatever
they wish to –from a lack of confidence to a lack of interest in
the GD to the lack of concern for others. All very detrimental to
the final score. Hand movements are to your speech what
punctuation is to your writing. If used wisely they beautifully
enhance the effect of your words; if used unwisely they attract
unnecessary attention and distract the listener from your words

 Group behavior: This is usually assessed in a broad distinction –

assertive or aggressive. Avoid the latter no matter what.
Assertiveness is a rational display of conviction of one’s
thoughts, while aggressiveness is a display of domination
through subtle intimidation. Assertiveness allows room for
flexibility –which is a desired trait –while aggressiveness leads
to irrational rigidity of viewpoint.

Things to remember
Now that you know how you will be evaluated, focus on specific areas of
improvement during your practice GD’s. Identify with the help of your
trainer the strengths and weaknesses. Set clear goals for yourselves, and
do not lose the sight of them during your practice.

• Push towards new ideas when necessary: You can help move the
discussion forward by introducing new ideas. If one party hits on an
important point, you can interject to try to pick apart that idea more.

For example, one student brings up the second amendment during the
gun control debate. You can still discuss the history and implications of
that amendment. You can say something like, "Hey, I think Rakesh made a
great point. What about the second amendment? How does that affect our
relationship with guns.“

• Encourage everyone to participate: Group discussions work well if

everyone shares their point of view. Some participants may be
hesitant to open up, so work on creating an environment where
everyone feels comfortable sharing.

• Move the discussion forward as needed: Usually, you will have some
kind of agenda for a group discussion. You want participants to reach
some kind of conclusion, agreement, or insight. As the discussion
continues, work to move it towards a conclusion.

• Avoid letting one person or group of people dominate: Sometimes,

you get a mixed group. Some people are shy and withdrawn, while
others are not. Sometimes participants may dominate a discussion,
you have to make sure everyone gets a chance to share.

• Smooth over conflict: If you're dealing with a sensitive subject,

people may have contradictory opinions, that may lead to conflict. To
avoid conflict, you can list both sides of the argument on the board
and say something like, "I think we should talk about this, as we all
feel strongly, but let's take turns examining each other's points
respectfully.“