Group Discussion....How to Crack it Prove Yourself ??

Dear friends, we have already discussed about the ways to select the best suitable college for you. We hope that now you are an aware student and know what the best is for you. We also hope that your decisions are based on your judgment. Now you know why your coaching institute pushes you toward any particular college.
It’s the beginning of the efforts of MBA Informer community. We are here to help you at each and every stage of your ROAD TO MBA. As all of you know that all the MBA aspirants has to go through a tough selection process of GD {Group Discussion}. Some Institutes also test the abilities of the candidate through Case studies.
All the institutes wish to have the best brains in their institutes. Thus for this purpose the admission processes is divided into two stages. The first stage of this process is entrance test. You have faced this stage already.{ Entrance test for BHARTI VIDYAPEETH will be held on 11th April}. Institutes conduct GD and PI(Personal Interview) in the second stage. The time period of second stage may vary. For e.g. Most of the institutes which accept CAT score only have conducted there GDs but those colleges which accept MAT score are still calling candidates for GD and PI. CET Maharastra will conduct its GD in month of MAY.
Each round has different weightage for different institutes. Most of the institutes conduct GD and it plays an important role in the selection process of the right candidate for the right course.

It has been observed that many students start preparing for their GD round too late. Due to this they face problems during GD and find themselves unable to clear the round. This may happen. The reasons for this problem may be lack of awareness about the familiarity of the topics discussed in the round or over-confidence or lack of knowledge about the preparation pattern for the GD.

First of all we would like to tell you that Group Discussion round is not a tough nut to crack, believe us , but one must be fully prepared for the round so that they can clear the round with ease. Here we will discuss some strategies which will help you to make mark in the round.
The very first rule to make you well prepared for GD is that you need to read extensively and must be aware about the current topics. If you really want to perform with the best of your abilities in the GD round and want to make a good impression for what you speak in the round then you need to be aware and prepared for the topics that will be discussed in the round. To make an impression in the round it requires that you should be very comfortable with the topics that are given for the discussion. If you are not much aware about the topic or have a little knowledge over the issue then you have very few things to be talk about in the round. Without much knowledge about the topics you will struggle a lot to discuss even few points. It might be possible that other prepares the same points or they may say the same before you speak. In that case you lose your chance to say because you lack the points. So please read! Read! Read!
You must know that you could be given any topic in the discussion round. Topics can range from a daily issue to political, national, international, or any local issue, but your approach towards the topic should be global.
Now, your may say; we know these entire thing. Tell us the way to be prepared for the GD. How we should prepare for the GD?
Dear friends, for this, you need to develop a habit of reading and you should read widely and extensively. You reading should not be topic centric or just about an area. You need to know about all the happenings at the global level. Please don’t ever think that you are an MBA aspirant so the topic asked will be related to management only. No, it can be from any field. You must be aware of daily issues, current topics, national and international happenings and abstract topics. A variety in your knowledge will broaden your horizon of thoughts and will give a wider perspective to your thoughts. Reading current issues and the topic with are discussed everywhere, is very crucial for your preparation.
Read two, three news papers every day, read different magazines over various topics and try to think over the topic. Reading two, three or more news papers and magazines every day can give you an idea about the topics that are discussed widely everywhere. For example, this year the topics like: Common Wealth Games in India, the re-organization of states in the light of the Telengana agitation, Future of Indian Hockey, the Women’s Bill, environmental and global warming, etc are relevant.
You can find out the links to some news papers below:-
We feel the following News Sites will add miles to your gyaan.
1 . http://www.indianexpress.com/
2. http://www.hindustantimes.com/
3. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
4. http://beta.thehindu.com/
5. http://news.google.com/
6. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/

 It is important that you don't get lost in the web of information.
Keep restraint on what you are doing, by periodically asking yourself,
"Why am I doing it?”
Please try to make notes on the topic and try to add some relevant points to the topics you come across.

Now, just having the knowledge over the issues is not enough; you need to develop the habit of analyzing the issues in order to calculate sound outcomes of the issues. The leading B-schools always look forward for these kinds of abilities in aspirants. The Management institutes look for the aspirants who can analyze the issues and draw the outcome of certain topics. For this you need to think out of box; you should imply logics, data and example to justify your point in order to satisfy the judges. We are saying for examples because example with your point will give weight to your thought and help you to be more judgmental over the issue. But please be sure about the data you put there. Your analyzing ability will help you a lot in order to put the best relevant examples. For this you need to practice a lot. You should be habitual of analyzing the things on different parameters. If you are not then you need to develop it. Whenever you come across a topic or issue or you read something always ask certain question to yourself, for example, why did this development take place? What is the basic idea or thought behind this? Whom does is going to effect and how? What will be the future of that development and how it will going to affect the masses? You need to think about the social, economic and political aspects of the topic.
Always make notes of important dates, data and information and statics or other things which ever you feel important and keep revising it.

But just being a well read candidate is not going to help you in your GD.  
You should also know that how to put your points. For this you need to have good communication skills. Good communication skills are required in each and every field of life. But for an MBA aspirant, it is must to have good communication skills and ability to perform well with the team. This is a very good skill to build a good image among the people you come across. With effective communication skills you can express your thoughts effectively and make people understand what you want them to do. In GD round the way you express yourself and the way you make people understand your point count a lot. It helps in gaining extra points.  You should always put your point more effectively, confidently and firmly, but never forget that your tone should not be harsh or aggressive. You need to be confident but not over-confident. Do not speak irrelevant things or just for the sake of saying things always evaluate the things and then make your point. Please keep it in your mind that the evaluator is a well learned person. You will be caught at the same moment and lose your marks. It is always suggestive that you should always speak relevant things at the right time the better you speak, the chances of getting your point noticed become high.
Team work is also important for every candidate participating in the GD. You need to be a very good listener. The better you understand others point and develop a sense of teamwork with your thoughts it gives value addition to your GD round.
Finally you need to practice hard for GD. We have observed that students join coaching for PDP {personality development program} and additional classes for GD but either they don’t attend the classes regularly or don’t give their 100% efforts. Please attend the mock GDs. This may prove useful for the final and actual round. It will help you in order to develop the habit to speak right and firm points. Remember practice makes a man perfect. The practice will increase the confidence level and will improve your skills to communicate well among the group. You should not forget that while group discussion people will interrupt you- but you should learn to tackle them politely and present your thoughts in an effective manner. Please don’t be aggressive.

Dear friends, we always say that we are not against any particular coaching institute or this industry. We are against the malpractices followed by these institutes. We have got some aggressive comments from some readers. Please, we request you to put your points rather than being aggressive.

Thank you