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Group Discussion topics to look out for 2022

Group discussion (GD) topics for taking admission in MBA colleges to look out for 2022

Hey Aspirant, MBA admissions are around the corner, and we are sure you will be working hard on preparing for the admissions rounds. Group Discussion (GD) is a process that is synonymous across the B-schools globally. We have highlighted the tips and benefits of GD in our previous blog.

In this blog, we highlight some of the major topics and give fundamental insights into those. We have specially curated the market-relevant topics to enhance your GD deliverability and make the process easier.

Let’s go through some of the significant topics that are relevant to 2021-22

1. Web 3.0

Web3, also called Web 3.0, is a decentralized network based on the blockchain system, which already underpins Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Consider it a type of bookkeeping where data is stored on multiple computers simultaneously and is searchable by everyone. It is run by a group of users rather than a corporation. For taking part, people are given “tokens.” The tokens can vote on issues and potentially gain real-world worth.

Group discussion topics to look out for – 2022 -Web 3

Web 3.0 will not fully substitute Web 2.0; instead thrive alongside. Ideally, they will not take out the social media universe but rather make it more blockchain-based social networks and businesses.

2. Confining to the new normal – Where are we headed?

Group discussion topics to look out for – 2022

The onset of Covid has given a paradigm shift in the way industries work. Would we travel the same, socialize the same or work the same? As much as it has posed a threat to the economy, some sectors thrived upon the onset of this pandemic. Redefining the “normal way of living” has become a heavy-lifting task where researchers, policymakers, and everybody in the service sector are reinventing the wheel of normalization. Although light does seem visible as we have begun the phase of endemic with the new variant and hope remains to be the best vaccine of all.

3. Virality in social media

Brands frequently employ the term “viral” in their marketing strategies to promote their products and services. It operates by customers sharing information about a product or service with their friends and family through social media. Typically, viral content has a short shelf life, lasting only a few days or months. The question still remains, should content overtake virality, or should brands focus on concept-based virality to boost the impression scores? The context seems to be the answer.

4. Fintech riding the unicorn wave

Group discussion topics to look out for – 2022

2021 has been a year of unicorns, especially in the Indian Startup environment. India has bought 42 startups whose valuation has crossed $1billion, which is twice the total number of unicorns seen in the last decade. With four startups hitting the unicorn status every month, there were 11 Fintech and e-commerce unicorns the previous year. This behavior is expected to be seen this year as well with the fintech space, as it would further see a disruption. This is mainly because many banks want to tie up with the fintech sector to reach larger masses.

5. Impact of ESG in India

Today’s businesses must have an added layer of ethics and social responsibility. A parallel shift in investor attitude has occurred, with goals extending to include long-term growth and the core goal of wealth accumulation. Boardrooms have taken notice and have begun to implement procedures to guarantee that these standards are satisfied.

India has taken the lead in demanding ethical commitments from businesses for some time, having been the first country to legislate corporate social responsibility. Accordingly, SEBI published a circular on May 10, 2021, establishing the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), which would take the Business Responsibility Reporting (BRR) place. For the top 1000 listed businesses by market capitalization, the new reporting format outlines mandatory ESG policies and standards. The framework is based on the “National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct’s” nine principles (RBC Guidelines).

We hope this blog is helpful. However, this just gives a head start to your preparation. We recommend you read further into these topics to increase your understanding to make a stronger case. Wish you the best in getting into your dream B-School.

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Let’s Crack the GD

Now that your CAT/MAT/XAT is done and dusted, the next step is to prepare for the Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interviews(PI), since you should receive your interview letters soon. A GD gives even good orators the jitters.

What is a GD? 

A Group discussion as the name clearly states is a discussion on a given topic within a group. GDs are conversational in nature as opposed to a debate where you need to prove your point. In GDs responding with logical, relevant points that add to the discussion or counter the popular arguments is as important as listening to other participants. A good GD is one where all participants in the group get a chance to put forth their ideas.

The most confident of the lot is usually super conscious not to over speak in the GD, and students who find public speaking challenging fear this will pull their scores down.

We have compiled some best practices to enable you to perform to the best of your ability.

Gather your points

Starting a group conversation does give one a head start, but do that, only when you have assembled and organized your thoughts.  Start by speaking clearly to the entire group. Usually, there’s some time given to prepare. Jot down all significant points that come to you. Also, keep in mind any outlier statements you would like to add. There’s a good chance that someone else will speak on the points you have jotted, so you can fall back on the unique points to add value to the discussion. Finally, remember that people will pay attention to you if your arguments are relevant, clear, and concise.

Stay Grounded

When expressing a point, it’s important to have a decent, polite, and respectful tone. For this, one should focus on vocal modulation that is the speed and pitch of one’s voice. Make sure you are not too loud, nor too faint. Do not be in a hurry to get your points over with, neither should you wait until the end of time for a chance to speak. It’s also essential to understand the difference between aggressive and assertive behavior. It is not advisable to engage in one-on-one verbal arguments. However, one can gently disagree with others.

Observe, listen and speak

When the GD is already going on, pay attention to what others are saying and come up with new ideas on the spot to make your case. This will take a lot of work, but this can be mastered with a lot of reading and mock GDs with friends. If you do not get a chance to speak, ask the group for an opportunity to put forth your points. Also, invite others who haven’t had the chance to speak.

If you’re given an abstract topic, think outside the box and develop as many different interpretations as you can. Assessors enjoy hearing alternative points of view and new ways of thinking.

Do Not’s

Do not overstep your time

An average GD lasts about 15-20 minutes, thus speaking for 30-40 seconds 5-7 times should be ideal. Think about what you’re going to say before you say it. You’re being heard and assessed. Don’t make the same argument twice or be too long or irrelevant. Intervene respectfully if someone else is traveling down a path that isn’t relevant.

Avoid personal opinions

Personal viewpoints and personal experiences or your observations from them are usually not relevant in a GD. Stick to facts and remain objective throughout the discussion. Make it easier for others to contribute. Don’t just ramble on and on about your personal beliefs. Keep in mind that this is a group conversation. Allow other people to talk as well.

Group discussion is not just for cracking your entrance for MBA admission, but also for conquering your dream job. It helps you overcome your shyness and brings forth your point of view to the forefront. GD enables you to think in fresh and diverse ways. It is a great opportunity to assess and accept altering viewpoints.  GD assists you in gaining a better grasp of your own strengths and weaknesses.

So go ahead and crack your GD.

Good luck!

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5 Skills you need to clear any Group Discussion and Personal Interview

The real purpose of holding group discussions (GD) and Personal Interviews (PI) in the MBA admissions round at leading MBA colleges is to test applicants’ “communication skills, knowledge of topics, thought process and leadership impact on the audience in order to complete their list of accomplishments and offer admission. Anyone who has good communication skills and knowledge of current events and believes that these skills are sufficient to pass a group discussion is wrong because there are a few other things that are needed to crack GD. Before dealing with the most important group discussions (GD) Tips and expert advice, it should be clear to you that if your communication skills are good and your behavior in the discussion is positive and consistent, then you are prepared to show your leadership skills to the group without being arrogant.

Group discussions test the knowledge, communication skills, and coherent flow of thought necessary for a candidate to lead on current issues. A healthy debate leads to the selection of one or more candidates from the group on a particular subject in a group discussions (GD) round. The discussion helps the group to make a specific decision or come to a conclusion.

Find below 5 Skills you need to clear any Group Discussion and Personal Interview

Lead the discussion

Your contribution to the discussion is the way you communicate with others, define your role in the group, and influence how others see you. By initiating a discussion, you can get the attention of the crowd without being judged. A discussion gives you the opportunity to hear the thoughts and ideas of other students.

Having a discussion is an essential skill for a well-rounded speaker. To this end, it is important to take into account the characteristics of effective discussion conditions that promote interaction and engagement in small groups.

Relevance is the key

Give structure to your ideas and listen, bring the group together when they stray, give a new dimension to the topic, build someone who takes a different point of view and give credit to other participants. Allow the participants to introduce themselves, whether you set up an icebreaker or have two students introduce you. Discussions are a powerful mechanism for active learning, and facilitating discussions allows participants to explore new ideas and recognize the value of others’ contributions.

5 Skills to crack Group Discussion and Personal Interview

Active Listening

A good listener has greater chances of winning over others. Just speaking throughout the discussion doesn’t make you better. Listening Skills are Essential for the group discussions (GD) round, so carefully listen to what others have to say. You should learn to give others a chance to speak. If the speaker is making an eye-contact with you remember to acknowledge him by nodding your head, so that the speaker is aware that his listeners are listening to him and paying full attention. This will also show that you are vigilant and are an active participant in the discussion. Unless you listen well, it will not be possible for you to add value to your content and communication.

Listening offers you the opportunity to summarize the Group Discussion on each and every aspect.

Good communication skills

It is a must. Improve your communication skills, the better you are in them the easier it will be to make yourself clear and to score well in this round.

Body gestures

Remember, it is not just the mouth, it is your body gestures which when in sync with speech, make others understand what you are trying to say. The panelists observe the way you sit and react in the course of the discussion. Body gestures are very important because your body language says a lot about you. In a GD, sit straight, avoid leaning back on the chair or knocking the table with a pen or your fingers.

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Jaipuria Lucknow STUDENT Speaks

A rejection leading Afreen of Jaipuria, Lucknow to one of India’s leading Rural NBFC- Mahindra Finance

When the HR of Mahindra Finance called Afreen Alim to inform her about the final selection, Afreen’s joy knew no bounds. “It was that very moment I realized the power of 3Ps- Preparation, Practice and Patience,” says Afreen of Class 2018, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow. While students often focus on brushing their domain knowledge, they forget the importance of familiarizing themselves with the industry knowledge as well. Afreen worked smart there! She researched well about the company, its functions, market competition, etc, to excel in her selection rounds. When the final test arrived, she was on the top!

“The best thing that happened to me during my PGDM is the kind of faculty I got to learn from,” says Afreen. “They have literally transformed my personality and perspective towards a lot of things.” When Afreen has first arrived at the Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow campus she was a shy and hesitant girl, trying to find her place in the world. Her PGDM helped her “to be assertive and more open to taking constructive risks,” mentions the girl who is all set to join Mahindra Finance in a matter of few months as a Management Trainee.

Afreen after her first year of PGDM, used her summer to intern with Amul. She was working from the Ranchi office of Amul on a very interesting project- B2B marketing and promotion of diced cheese; a new product of the company. Within the 75 days of her internship, she was getting to relate a lot of classroom theories to practice. The SIP helped her understand branding, analysis, strategies, market trends, customer relationship and of course team dynamics. Therefore when Mahindra Finance arrived at campus with their vacancy, Afreen knew this was the job for her.

She had to ace three rigorous rounds before the final Psychometric test. The first round was an Aptitude test followed by a Group discussion. Then, came the third round- the final interview which went for almost 50 minutes straight, non-stop. On clearing that, Afreen was left to excel in the Psychometric test. “Sometimes rejections work in favor! The only company I sat before Mahindra Finance was Amazon and I was rejected by them. I took the fire from that rejection and stayed focused, very focused. I saw that fire helping me in my selection with Mahindra Finance,” says a determined Afreen.

Now that her PGDM is about to come to a successful wrap, what is Afreen meaning to do with her first salary of life? She smiles and remarks- “I am going to buy presents as a token of gratitude for my family, friends and faculty. Without them, my journey so far would have been half complete!”

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