GDs can test you for various abilities
Not all group discussions (GDs) are equal. Business schools use several types of GDs to test applicants. While there are some GDs that test the knowledge of a candidate on a topical issue, others are designed to assess ‘lateral thinking’. Another type of GD comes in the form of a short ‘case-study’, where applicants are asked to analyse a situation and frame responses. Yet another type of GD is a ‘group exercise’, where a group is given certain props and asked to create/assemble something. Behaviours, both group and individual, are noted. A discussion about the exercise may follow.
“There are three types of GDs: factual, abstract, and case study. While the factual ones are based on contemporary, controversial 
topics, abstract topics involve lateral thinking and unconventional perspectives,” says Satwinder Singh Saimbi. “Knowledge-intensive topics are focused on specific areas such as the economy and its various sectors, like information technology or telecom, society, politics, sports, or media. Non-knowledge intensive topics can either be ‘concrete topics’, or ‘abstract topics’ that can be totally open-ended,” Saimbi adds.
Types of GDs
Factual: Topics on contemporary issues. Sometimes, they could be inherently controversial
Abstract: Topics that involve lateral thinking and unconventional perspectives
Case study: A corporate situation or a person/organisation-based situation is given and participants have to arrive at an optimum solution with the help of defined methodology.
GD topics are classified under the following categories:
Knowledge-intensive topics: These can be...
Economics-based topics (example: liberalisation is leading to jobless growth).
Social topics (example: dowry continues to haunt Indian brides).
Political topics (example: the reservation issue is just a way to garner votes).
Sports/ media-related topics (example: one billion people, one silver medal — with reference to India’s performance at the Olympics).
Sector-based topics (example: the retail boom spells doom for the local grocer).
Non-knowledge intensive topics: These can be...
Concrete topics (example: greed is good)
Abstract topics that are left open to interpretation (example: Zero)
So, you could start listing different topics under each area, or refer any GD book and start reading up on such categories.
For economics-related topics, look at fundamental concepts, such as foreign-direct investment, stock markets, liberalisation, the employment scenario, capital convertibility, rupee versus dollar, inflation, export-import scenario, different kinds of economies in the world, socialist versus capitalist viewpoints, etc.
For sector-based topics, one could make a two-page note per sector, including information technology, IT-enabled services, banking, insurance, retail, telecom, healthcare, infrastructure, power, agriculture, logistics and transportation, and nuclear issues, etc. Try to study what has been happening in each sector in the last one year, what are the problems, who are the major players, what are the trends, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of each sector.
Author: HT Horizons
Date: 25th Feb., 2010
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