MBA Admission: How to Crack Case-based Group Discussions?

Caselets are considered to be an effective way of judging a candidate’s managerial qualities necessary for an MBA. Read the article to know how to crack case-based group discussions.

Case Based GD: What is a caselet? “We are given 10 minutes to read a case summary followed by 10 minutes to write whatever we understand. Next comes a discussion on the GD topics for 20 minutes in a group of seven students,” Neha Misra, PGP student at IIM Shillong, told Shiksha. Case studies or caselets are now integral to group discussions for MBA admissions in India and abroad.

Candidates might get small case files to analyse during a group discussion (GD) round, instead of general topics. The idea is to scrutinise the candidate’s perspective, logical approach, quick thinking and problem-solving attitude before finalising his/her candidature for the MBA programme. Caselets do not require any prior knowledge of the subject. It is considered an effective way of judging a candidate’s managerial qualities necessary for B-School admissions.

According to IIM Kozhikode director, “We still believe that impromptu speaking and communication skills are necessary aspects of a B-School candidate that cannot be ignored.” Though the top Institutes of Management (IIMs) have done away with group discussion rounds, various top business schools (B-Schools) such as XLRI-Jameshedpur, SPJIMR, Mumbai and NMIMS, Mumbai, etc. still continue to conduct case-based GDs.

What is Case Studies Based Group Discussions?

During a group discussion (GD) round, a case study is primarily about analysis. All participants are given the same information and begin from the same starting point during the selection round. The topics for case-based GD are usually linked to current affairs, including the socio-economic environment, government policies, innovations, global economic trends, or ongoing socio-political debates. Candidates who have been reading about a variety of topics are likely to perform better during the case based GD rounds. These discussions helps assess candidate's knowledge, communication skills, logical thinking, leadership ability, and capacity to present convincing arguments. These skills are critical to become a good manager.

Also Check: How to Answer "Why MBA" Question in Personal Interview? 

Tips to crack case-based Group Discussions

Here are some of the key tips to prepare for the case based group discussion rounds for MBA admissions:

• Refer to past topics discussed in GD rounds of your target institute. You can gather this information online or from coaching institutes. Take note of the topics given over the years, it is very likely that the topics will be on the same lines this year too.
• Read newspapers, and journals and watch current affairs programmes to know what’s happening around you. Case-based GDs are generally on topics from the world of business and economy, which affect social and political climate. Read editorials and data-based articles on hot topics, so that you can use them while making a point during GD.
• Meet up with your MBA aspirant friends, form a group and hold a case-based group discussion. Exchange ideas, observation and develop confidence.
• In case-based GD round, candidates are given about five minutes to prepare for the topic. If the case is about a topic where a decision is to be made, quickly think of points to back your ‘to’ or ‘for’ stand and choose one.
• In a group discussion, if the topic is such that a decision is already made and the group has to discuss whether it is right or wrong, again choose a side after quickly weighing your points viz both.

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