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Group Discussion
Group Discussion
Definition
A GD is a methodology used by an
organization to gauge whether candidates
have certain personality traits and/or skills
that it desires in its members

It is both a technique and an art and a

comprehensive tool to judge the worthiness
of the student and his appropriateness for
the job
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Group Discussion Group Discussion

Form Why GD?
The term suggests a discussion among a
group of persons

The group will have 8 & 12 members who will
express their views freely, frankly in a friendly
manner, on a topic of current issue
Within a time limit of 20 to 30 minutes, the
abilities of the members of the group is
measured
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Companies conduct group discussion after the
written test so as to check on your interactive
skills and how good you are at communicating
with other people
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Why GD? Why GD?

The GD is to check how you behave,
participate and contribute in a group, how
much importance do you give to the group
objective as well as your own, how well do you
listen to viewpoints of others and how open-
minded are you in accepting views contrary to
your own
The aspects which make up a GD are verbal
communication, non-verbal behavior,
conformation to norms, decision-making ability
and cooperation
You should try to be as true as possible to
these aspects

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Group Discussion Group Discussion

Why GD?
It is an easy way to evaluate and eliminate
several candidates simultaneously

You can scale from 1000 candidates to 10 by
giving different topics to groups and eliminating
underperforming members
It is time and cost effective

No much preparation needed in terms of
personnel and resources
It is the best way to identify a natural leader
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Why GD?
It helps you to understand a subject more
deeply
It improves your ability to think critically
It helps in solving a particular problem
It helps the group to make a particular
decision
It gives you the chance to hear others' ideas
It improves your listening skills
It increases your confidence in speaking
It can change your attitudes
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Types Types
GD’s can be topic-based or case-based. Factual Topics:-
Topics:-
Factual topics are about practical things, which an ordinary person is aware of in his
Topic based GD’s can be classified into three day-to-day life. E.g. The education policy of India, Tourism in India, State of the
aged in the nation.
types :-
Controversial Topics:-
Topics:-
Controversial topics are the ones that are argumentative in nature. They are meant to
1. Factual Topics generate controversy. E.g. Reservations should be removed, Women make better
managers.
2. Controversial Topics Abstract Topics:-
Topics:-
3. Abstract Topics Abstract topics are about intangible things. These topics are not given often for
discussion, but their possibility cannot be ruled out.
E.g. A is an alphabet, Twinkle twinkle little star, The number 10. NAA©2018
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Group Discussion Group Discussion

Some Expected Traits Structure
Leadership skills An unstructured activity
Group management/ team working skills
A leaderless group
Communication skills
Reasoning ability All the candidates are competitors
Analytical ability Expected to join the discussion without the
Logical and coherent thinking presence and participation of the examiner
Adaptability and flexibility
8-12 participants
Positive mental outlook
Decent and professional dressing 15-30 minutes duration
Assertive body language
Projection of a distinctively likeable personality
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Improving GD Skills Dos of GD
Observe Listen to the subject carefully
Practice Put down your thoughts on a paper
Participate Initiate the discussion if you know the subject
Leading a Discussion well
Chairing a Group Discussion Listen to others if you don’t know the subject
Support you point with some facts and
figures
Make short contribution of 25-30 seconds 3-4
times
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Dos of GD
Give others a chance to speak & Eye to eye
contact.
Speak politely and pleasantly. Respect
contribution from other members.
Disagree politely and agree with what is right.
Summarize the discussion if the group has
not reached a conclusion
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Don’ts of GD
Don’t Initiate the discussion if you do not
have sufficient knowledge about the given
topic.
Don’t Over speak, intervene and snatch
other’s chance to speak.
Don’t Argue and shout during the GD
Don’t Look at the evaluators or a particular
group member
Don’t Talk irrelevant things and distract the
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Group Discussion
Don’ts of GD
Don’t Pose negative body gestures like
touching the nose, leaning back on the chair,
knocking the table with a pen etc
Don’t Mention erratic statistics
Don’t Display low self confidence with shaky
voice and trembling hands
Don’t Try to dominate the discussion
Don’t Put others in an embarrassing situation
by asking them to speak if they don’t want
Don’t make fun of any participant even if his
arguments are funny
Group Discussion
Evaluation Criteria
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Group Discussion
Summarising and Concluding
Most GD do not really have conclusions. A conclusion is where the whole
group decides in favor or against the topic.
But every GD is summarized. You can summaries what the group has
discussed in the GD in a nutshell.
Keep the following points in mind while summarizing a discussion:
1.Avoid raising new points.
2.Avoid stating only your viewpoint.
3.Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the GD.
4.Keep it brief and concise.
5.It must incorporate all the important points that came out during the GD.
6.If the examiner asks you to summaries a GD, it means the GD has come to
an end
7.Do not add anything once the GD has been summarized
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Group Discussion
Positive Traits: Desirable
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Negative Traits: Undesirable Sample Topics for GD
Global warming/green house effect
The United Nations
Euthanasia
Brain drain
Women emancipation
Cloning
Globalisation versus Nationalism
Cybercrime

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