Approaching Group Discussion

Some of the most prestigious exams like CAT, CA, SBI PO include a group discussion session as an integral part of them to select suitable candidates. Here we are going to discuss what it is, its types, importance, and criteria, and so on.

First of all, we are going to know what is the discussion?

Discussion is the activity of talking about a general topic or situation by shaking the subject well to arrive at a conclusion. Participants express their point of view by thoroughly shaking the topic like causes, consequences, advantages, disadvantages, solutions, etc.

It is believed that it helps in developing a better understanding of issues by bridging out the diverse perspectives that may arise through expression by the participants.

Nature of group discussion

A group discussion (GD) refers to the participation of a group of individuals who, gather formally or informally, exchange information, ideas, and opinions, discuss or comment on ideas, solutions to challenges, or problems, in the common methods of interaction such as in-person meetings and Internet forums.

It is a very creative and dynamic aspect of group communication in which a small number of people meet and exchange ideas freely or try to discuss a common issue.

It stimulates reflective thinking among the participants and prepares them to deal with an awkward situation without any extra effort. The main purpose of a discussion is that it equips us better with ideas to fix the problem to deal with it.

Generally, it is recognized that group discussion is an interactive person’s meeting that requires participants to listen to each other and use voice and gesture effectively with clear language and persuasive style.

Differences from Meeting, Conference and Debates

This is somewhat different from meetings or conferences in which specific roles are assigned to the participating members. In a group discussion, the thoughts and opinions shared by other members influence a person’s expression. It also depends on the mood of the discussion in which they are proceeding. A participant is free to share his point of view. A successful group discussion involves both listening and speaking.

It is also different from a debate in which a participant only has to speak either for or against the subject, whereas in a group discussion, a participant can express both. In debate, the final decision or outcome depends on the voting process, whereas in group discussion, the group reaches the consensus of the group.

Types of group discussions

In a group discussion, the participating members discuss a given topic which is usually based on general awareness or real-life issues. A variety of topics exist for group discussion, some of which are listed below:

Controversial topic: This type of topic-based discussion sometimes becomes argumentative, so this type of discussion is done to judge the nature of the participants and how they can handle the awkward situations without losing their cool. In this, a participant has to keep his anger under control while arguing his point of view rationally and logically, without getting personal or emotional. The topics of such discussion can be the reservation system, gender inequality, religious equality, uniform civil code, etc.
Subject knowledge topic: This type of topic-based discussion is organized to analyze the knowledge and understanding of the candidates. The information or ideas shared by the participants should be sufficient to convince or influence the panellists. This type of discussion is mostly used by the institutes to test the knowledge, confidence, reasoning, and aptitude skills of the candidates. The topics of discussion are chosen at random by the panellists to judge the candidate’s critical thinking and ability to handle the situation. The topics of such discussion can be socioeconomic as leadership or dictatorship, etc.
Abstract topic: This type of discussion is organized to test the creativity and lateral thinking of the candidates. A participant can interpret such a topic in different ways on their analyzing and comprehension skills. The topics of such discussion can be smart work vs. hard work, etc.
Case study-based topic: In this type of group discussion, participants discuss cases that are based on real-life situations. In this type of discussion, a problem based on a real-life scenario is given and the participants are asked to resolve them. A participant has to think about the situation from different angles and give his/her views.
This type of discussion is usually done by MBA institutes like IIMs. Panellists test participants’ teamwork, behaviour, and decision-making abilities. The preparation time for this discussion is usually high.

Importance of the group discussion

Group discussion plays a vital role in improving the skills of the participants, some of which are mentioned below:

Confidence: A major factor that enables a person to speak in public without any hesitation. GD plays an important role in improving the confidence level of the candidates.
Patience: Listen before you speak. GD helps to increase the level of patience of a candidate to listen to another.
Behavior: GD organizes the behaviour of the individual through which they can represent themselves in public. Participation in GD reflects the body language (gesture and posture) of the participants, which enables them to become sensitive and submissive.
Teamwork: Since GD is based on teamwork, it also improves the spirit of collaboration among the participants. It allows participants to share their thoughts and ideas with any other person in the group.
Communication Skills: Since GD is about sharing ideas and perspectives with other people, it enhances the communication skills of the participants.

Apart from these, GD also improves a person’s fluency, low-pitch voice, enthusiasm, analytical thinking, creativity, decision making, and mistake covering skills.

All the above skills act as factors to be analyzed by the evaluators to recruit or select the right candidates.

Group discussion guidelines and its organizing arrangement

Typically, a group of 5 to 10 members sitting in a semicircle is given a topic (such as a problem, opinion, or case study). Usually, 20 to 30 minutes are allotted to discuss the topic under group discussion. In between, each participant is expected to express his or her opinion and submit a counter-reaction. The evaluators or members of the selection committee evaluate the performance of the candidates on the basis of their personality, knowledge, communication skills, behaviour, and leadership qualities.

Characteristics of group discussion

For a successful group discussion, it is necessary to have the following characteristics:

Purposeful objectives: The purpose of the discussion should be clear to all participating members so that they can focus the discussion and contribute towards achieving the group’s goal. An effective group discussion usually begins with an objective statement from the initiator.
Motivated conversation: When there is a good level of motivation among the participating members, they learn to subordinate individual interests to the interests of the group, which makes the discussion more fruitful.
Logical presentation: The participants and moderators must decide how they will present and organize themselves respectively during the discussion so that each participant contributes and they reach a group consensus. If it is not done properly or the decision is not taken, some of the participating members may dominate the discussion and make the whole process meaningless.
Effective participation by all members: GD becomes effective when all participating members contribute. Members need to encourage each other in GD.
Neutral evaluation: An evaluator or member of the selection committee has to make the neutral assessment and give equal opportunity to each participating member. Any prejudice or personal interest, or external pressure reflects the performance of the participating member.

Participation in group discussions

If you have the opportunity to participate in a GD, it is important for you to follow the points given below:

Be a good listener
Do not criticize anyone
Don’t get personal with anyone
Never try to bluff or make false commitments
Be confident about yourself and deliver your content
Deliver your content with confidence
Always take care of body language
Don’t interrupt others or fight with others
Follow your domain
Stick to the evaluator’s guidelines
Stop taking the lead if you don’t know and you’re sure of what you’re saying
Don’t hesitate to initiate or express yourself
Do not try to copy or explain someone’s idea or comment
In the meantime, don’t lose confidence in the discussion
Do not avoid eye contact with other participants or moderators while speaking
Try Contributing Instead of Just Speaking
Wear appropriate clothing and be in good posture

While participating in GD, please avoid the above-mentioned activities which may adversely affect your overall performance while taking the assessment.

Preparing to Participate in group discussion

Don’t panic about how to prepare for GD. Here are some points through which one can prepare himself for GD.

Based on the activities or participating areas of the institute you are preparing for, create a discussion structure which can be in the form of flowcharts, diagrams, notes, etc. This will enable you to find out the areas for which you can get a topic in GD. You can follow the current issues, past issues and their resolution process, current status, solution plans, etc. to prepare the structure, which you can collect or get from different types of sources like newspapers, magazines, social media forums, etc.
Try to speak up: To be an actively participating member you must have an effective delivery ability to present yourself, so you need to do it over and over again to overcome hesitation, create effective communication and be confident about your words.
Include examples in your content: A person who includes examples in their content is always awarded bonus points, so be careful about that.

Last but not least

Attitude, clarity, and attentiveness: Don’t be shy about whether what you’re saying is wrong, and don’t focus on what others will think or say about your opinion. Raise your hands and seize your chance to speak. But be polite from someone’s point of view. Be clear about your words. Your voice should be clear and audible so that everyone present in the discussion can hear you. Also, be mindful of the opinion of the other participating members.

Here above we have discussed almost all the points about GD but we know that no one is perfect in the world so we are inviting your point of view as a comment to make it more useful and help guide others who are going to or want to prepare for exams with GD as an integral part of it.

So, please post your opinion in the thread!