A Group Discussion or GD evaluates the qualities of a person. It assesses the leadership skills, social skills, team skills, problem-solving skills and presence of mind in an individual.
Group Discussion is an energized discussion where a topic is examined and discussed, and in the end, the participants come to a conclusion. It involves teamwork, but at the same time, it reveals specific individual personalities.
Group Discussions are generally conducted by B-schools, institutes, and companies. In fact, to get admission into B-schools and other management and engineering institutes, GD has now become an essential requirement. While entrance exams test the candidates for their academics and knowledge of subjects, the GDs test their soft skills and ability to cope with various situations. GD also serves as a mass-elimination tool. When there are many candidates applying for limited seats, the GD can act as a benchmark to select the best among the lot.
Group discussions usually consist of 6 to 12 members. The group is given a topic and a few minutes to prepare, post which they are requested to begin the discussion. The duration of the GD varies from each institute and organization. An assessor or facilitator will be present to monitor and evaluate the group.
How to Prepare for Group Discussion
Before the group discussion, always stock yourself with a lot of information on topics like Current affairs, Historical topics, Sports, Arts & Literature, etc. Practice reading newspapers regularly and watching news on the television every day. Have a fair knowledge of the world’s history. You should be familiar with the latest developmental activities and initiatives around you.
How to perform in a group discussion
- Once the topic is given, understand the topic carefully. Clarity of the topic is of utmost importance to ensure that you perform well in the GD.
- Try to stick to precise and concise thoughts. In a Group Discussion, it is always quality over quantity. So, let your views be relevant and to the point. Accommodate diverse viewpoints. But talk sense and avoid superficial conversation.
- Communicate your views effectively. If you believe you lack communication skills, practice before to perform well during the GD. To develop communication skills, you can choose a topic, stand before the mirror and start talking about it. As you are talking, anticipate few questions from an imaginary audience and try replying to them. Analyse what you are doing, try to spot flaws, if any, in your communication and then start working on them. This will help you come across as a confident person during the GD. On the day of the Group Discussion, your aim should be to organize your thoughts in a structured manner and put them across to the team and the assessors in an effective way.
- Always try to initiate the Group Discussion. Speak loudly and clearly. By taking the initiative, you will be giving a structure to the discussion and defining the manner in which the discussion will progress. This will exhibit your quality as a person who can facilitate actions by breaking the ice.
- Try to understand the dynamics in the group. Do not be aggressive or force your points in the discussion. Also do not be deterred by other members’ aggressive or submissive behavior. If there is a disagreement on the points that you have made, try to counter them with more valid points. This will not only exhibit your knowledge but also show that you are a good listener. Give everyone a chance to speak.
- When the discussion is about to end, try to conclude it by taking in the points that everyone has made and coming to a decent conclusion. This will indicate your analytical skills and also the way you structure your thoughts.Group discussions should not strive to convince. The purpose of a group discussion is not to win an argument or to amuse the group. The purpose of a discussion is to help each group member explore and discover personal meanings of a text through interaction with other people.
