Admission Story – How to crack GD

By: Anushree Sen

Continuous learning is important for every individual. Crack a GD by keeping updated with the latest events and happenings and working towards enhancing communication skills.

Every year millions of students dream of getting admission in their desired b-schools. A lot of preparation from the student’s end is required to achieve this dream. Clearing the entrance exams conducted by respective colleges is just the first stage and later, one needs to face the most important stage of admissions – Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI).

Group discussions are an integral and most common selection round conducted by colleges. Most of the topics discussed in GDs, as in my case, revolved around the current affairs around the world. Sometimes, interviewers would also choose to give abstract topics in GDs such as “Colour Blue” or “Number Zero”. In my opinion, the two things important to perform well in the GDs are the presence of mind and second, creativity and spontaneity.

When I was preparing for GD, I always tried to keep myself updated about the current affairs and the latest industry trends. I followed some news apps and kept myself quite active on LinkedIn as well. For example, my GD topic was “Demonetisation” and there was no way I could speak on the topic unless I studied it before. Similarly, a few other topics of discussion were “Impact of Social Media on Businesses” and “The Rise of e-commerce in India.”

The major areas on which I focussed were:

1. Communication - It is important to not only know what to say but also important to use the right words to express the point in a discussion. Only practise could help in this segment. I usually practised in front of the mirror and ensured what I spoke was clear and easy to understand.
2. Understand the topic - Have clarity of what is being asked by the interviewer is important. For example, the topic like “Impact of Social Media on Businesses” does not require speaking on the evolution of social media, but specifically how it is helping the businesses to grow.
3. Understand the group dynamics - Interviewers are not only interested in individual performance, however, they also keep an eye on the team playing skills. During my GD, I respected the other speakers and tried to actively listen to what they had to say on the topic. I avoided being too aggressive or too forceful about my opinions. I also concluded, in the end, taking everyone’s points and summarising the topic.

Besides these, I also ensured keeping a positive body language and a confident demeanour throughout the GD. Try not to show any negative and shaky vibes. Also, there were times when I was unaware of what to say. For example, I was asked to talk on Modi’s recent visit to a country and the agreements that took place, which I was not aware of at that moment. So, I carefully listened to what others had to say and then, chose to conclude the session by considering everyone’s point. It is not mandatory to start a GD unless you are well aware of the topic.

My only suggestion would be to start early. Read what’s happening around, one could also follow some popular news apps for the same. Enhance communication skills by discussing trending topics with friends and family. Focus on learning new things every day.

About the Author:

Anushree is a second-year student at Indus Business Academy, Bangalore. She is a writer, visual content creator, logophile and avid movie lover, A digital marketing enthusiast, she loves chai and is extremely fond of huskies