Students’ Speak: Focus Areas for GD

By: Kandarp Patel

You need to be extra careful about GD and make sure your presence and your good participation or contribution in the eyes of the moderators or evaluators.

Group Discussion (GD) is one of the important parts of the selection process of college admissions or jobs.  In this phase, candidates are shortlisted or selected for the final stage of the selection process i.e. Personal Interview (PI). It can be also be called mass reduction round, in which around 80-90% of the candidates are eliminated for PI. Even if you have scored very well in MBA entrance exams, but without effective performance in GD and then in PI, you won’t get selected in your desired B-School. So in this article, we will discuss some focus areas for effective GD preparation.

You might be thinking that you just need to work upon your English and you just need to have the knowledge of current affairs then it’s done. But that’s not enough actually. Many other skills are checked part from these by the moderators or evaluators.

You need to be somehow extra careful for GD. And, make sure your presence and your good participation or contribution in the eyes of the moderators or evaluators. Because I think that in the GD of 15-20 candidates, it is extremely required that moderators or evaluators find something superb and unique in you so that you can be remembered by them. And trust me it is the most important thing because if they don’t find something superb or unique in you then you can’t get good or effective score from them.

Not only your ability to communicate will pay you off, but also your listening skills (make sure listening, not hearing). So, have the ability to listen patiently first and then if you have the answer then off course go ahead and speak about it.

Some strategies that you need to follow:

• You should be aware and up to date on the latest happenings in and around the country as well as in the world.
• I guess you might have a habit of reading, if yes then continue it in full force till GDPI and if not then please start reading some informative newspapers, articles, books etc. Because it will help you much by increasing your thinking ability.
• Participate in various GD mocks as more as possible as it will help you much better in analyzing or finding your weakness in GD. And make sure you avoid those mistakes in another GD.
• If possible try to be a leader, by starting the GD.
• Be a good concluder in the last when the GD is over.
• Don’t interrupt when someone is speaking or presenting their thoughts. If you do not agree with it then try to speak after their turn.
• Be disciplined and polite during your GD.
• Be confident enough and don’t be fearful or stressed.
• Be creative and influencer as well in your GD.

And lastly, focus on your body language as it is one of the important parameters of judging you.

About the Author:

Kandarp Patel is a student at Nirma University, Ahemdabad, pursuing Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering (final year). He is also a campus representative with Shiksha.com since 2016.