Group Discussion (GD) Topics & PI Experience by Animesh Anand, XLRI

In a recent conversation with Shiksha, Animesh Anand talks about his experience of GD & PI process for admission at XLRI Jamshedpur. He talks about questions asked by the panelists and also has a few tips for aspiring students.

The GD topics were mostly based on the current events at that point in time. Apart from the current events, few abstract topics were also asked. I was part of 2 GD rounds and the topics that I encountered were:

1. Is Donald Trump good or bad for world peace?

2. Delayed justice is no justice

The first topic was easy and everyone had a lot to say on it. The second topic was thought-provoking, and people struggled in putting forward their points.

I am an avid reader of political news and columns. This helps me keep in touch with the ongoing events around the world. I continued the same for my GD preparation as well. Apart from keeping track of the developments around the world, I acclimatized myself with some of the management jargons, that I believe gave me brownie points during the GD.

I had multiple news app installed on my mobile that gave me a daily dose of national and international news. I researched on any news article that had a great impact on future, and tried to find all the pros and cons related to such events. This type of analysis helped me in structuring my points during GD. I also brushed on some of the macroeconomic concepts that could be used in arguments concerning wide range of topics.

I did not join any coaching center for GD preparation. I had resigned from my office after the XAT results, as I was confident of converting the call. I enjoyed following news items, and hence I never felt the need to join a coaching center for preparing on how to participate in a GD.

There were multiple panels, and 8-10 participants. The GD round went on for almost 40-45 minutes. Hence, everyone got ample opportunity to talk and present their points. In the end, how one structures points is what matters.

The panellists were XLRI professors. The strategy adopted by me was to maintain a constant smile on my face. By exuding confidence, I was able to tackle even the tough questions thrown at me, even when I was not sure of the answers. Because of my smiling appearance, and confidence, the panelists shared light jokes with me on some of the tourist places in India, when I told them that I love to travel.

The interview began with the general introduction. The interviewers began probing into different aspects of my CV. They started with my undergrad subjects, and asked real-life questions, expecting practical solutions. After I satisfactorily answered those, the interviewers focussed on my work experience in a startup, asking about the issues faced in a startup, and how an Indian startup ecosystem is different from a western startup ecosystem. The interviewers were very polite and the interview went on without any stress.

After XAT results, I revised some of the topics in my undergrad, particularly my master thesis. I was expecting few questions from those topics, and hence preparing for them helped me later. Apart from the past topics, I also focussed on some of the topics which are taught in B-schools. I didn’t help much during the PI, but having knowledge about them, helped me keep my confidence high during the GD & PI rounds.

I did not focus on any 1 book or study material. I generally surfed the internet for random topics that would be asked in a PI, and researched in detail about them from various online articles. I asked my friends who had already gone through the process, and they helped me with their insights. Using their inputs, and multiple online articles, I was able to confidently cover multiple bases in my preparation.

One important aspect of participating in GD & PI is to have confidence sky-high. I had always been confident of my success. SO even when I got a very abstract topic, of which I knew very little, I did not fizzle out. Instead, I had the confidence that if I’m facing difficulty, others in my group would also be facing it. I made use of that, to bring out important points, and made sure the discussion went along in the right direction.

My GD & PI experience was very serene and enriching. I learned a lot during the preparation phase, which helped me maintain confidence, and composure during the discussions and interviews. I was very relaxed during the GD rounds, and I made friends during my GD, who coincidentally also converted the interview, and joined me as my batchmate. Even the PI rounds were more of a discussion with the professors, on some of the real-life issues and how they can be practically resolved. This type of approach helped me in staying calm and not being fluttered by any of the questions thrown at me by the panelists.

2 months is more than enough to prepare for GD & PI, if you regularly follow news. The most important thing about GD & PI is to never let the other person know if you are stressed or nervous. Always wear a smile, and answer confidently. After all, knowledge is something, that they have already checked during the written exam, GD-PI is to check your attitude. Keep that up.

The attire in which you participate should be business formals. Being formally dressed would not only make you look good, but also help you have high self-confidence.

About the Author:

My name is Animesh Anand. Currently, I work as an HR consultant at EY. My focus areas are on analytics and leveraging it in the field of HR. I have an MBA degree from Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, and a B.Tech+M.Tech  degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. I also had a stint in a startup as a product analyst, post which I decided to pursue MBA.