USUAL DOUBTS THAT STUDENTS HAVE AND THEIR ANSWERS

1. Are we allowed to carry a piece of paper during the GD for noting down some
important points?
Normally you are allowed to carry a piece of paper, but there might be some
instance where you are specifically to.

2. Is there any particular seating arrangement that is favourable to the participant?

If participants are asked to sit in a circle or a semi-circle, one position is as good
as any other. But if you are asked to sit on either side of a rectangular table,
then try to choose a position as close to the center as possible.

3. Should we begin the GD by appointing a leader amongst ourselves?

No you should not. Leadership in a GD is established implicitly through one’s
performance in the GD.

4. Should we distribute the total time available to all the participants to ensure that
everybody gets a chance to speak?
Since a GD is not like a debate or elocution, the participants should not resort to
the strategy of distributing time amongst themselves.

5. Can we take a definite stand right away and then later on during the GD, switch
over to the other side of the argument?
Yes, provided you do it in the right way. In a GD it is quite likely that some other
participant’s counter-argument convinces you to your point. If this happens, then
it is best if you accept his argument and explain to the group how your previous
argument was true within a narrow range, and how the new argument is
applicable to a broader range.

Naturally, it is safer not to make any rash statements for or against the topic
before you learn the facts of the argument. Blindly taking a stand will definitely
lead you into trouble. This does not mean that you should sit on the fence. You
may participate actively by pointing out issues on both sides of the argument in a
reasonable and logical manner.

6. If we do not understand the meaning of the topic, should we ask the moderator to
explain it to us?
No, you cannot ask the moderator the meaning of the topic. Instead of displaying
your ignorance in this manner it is better to wait for some other participant to
explain the meaning of the topic. So listen to the discussion carefully for the first
three or four minutes, and when you have gained some idea about the topic,
participate in the discussion.

7. Should we address the other participants by their names or by their assigned

numbers?
As far as possible, you should avoid the use of names or numbers. It is better to
use pronouns such as ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘you’ etc. while referring to the other members
of your group.

8. Are we expected to stick to the normally accepted line of thought or can we come
up with something radical?
 In a GD, your creativity in thinking is very important. This means that you are
supposed to come up with ideas and convince the group about the workability of
your idea. There is no defined norm about ideas, other than that they should be
relevant to the topic.

9. If I feel strongly about an issue, should I voice my feelings?

There are many topics which you may feel deeply about. However, it is
important to be cool and emotionally stable during a GD. If you let yourself get
involved at a personal level with the topic, or react emotionally to statements of
other participants, you are likely to lose control over yourself during the GD.
Remember that while it is important to say what you feel, it is equally important to
be able to speak in a calm and logical manner.

10. Can I use technical terms or jargon, which is clear to me but not to the group?
If you have to use technical terms, then please do not use abbreviations. After
mentioning the term in full, take time off to explain to the group what it means. It
is quite likely that the members of your group have a different academic
background and are not conversant with the jargon that you use.

11. Do I begin my participation by requesting the group’s permission to do so?

At times when the group is very orderly, you could start off by asking permission
to present your case. But when the GD is noisy (which is usually the case), do
not waste time in formalities. First, nobody will be willing to give you a chance
and second, it could also go against you (as lack of initiative on your part).

12. Which is the right time to enter a GD to ensure that I am heard properly?
In any GD, there are crests and troughs during discussion. At a crest, the noise
level is the maximum and at a trough there is almost total silence. Ideally, you
should enter the GD during the trough period. But normally in competitive GDs,
the crests occur more often and for more prolonged periods. Troughs, if they do
come, last for very little time. In such cases, you could identify those stages in
the GD where ideas dear/familiar to you are being discussed and enter the GD
irrespective of the noise level. The logic here is that you might never be able to
identify a trough and even after identifying, might never be able to enter
effectively them. Since being silent is not of much help, perhaps by participating
at a noisy stage, you might gain some points at least.

13. How do I participate when the noise level is too high?

As explained above, if the noise level is high you have two options – remain
silent, or join in by raising your voice to be heard above the din. At times it is not
possible to speak loudly because of the nature of your voice. At such times,
identify the most powerful speaker in the group and note down the point he/she is
making. The moment the noise level lessens even a little, enter by supporting
the most powerful speaker. You will have made a strong ally who will aid you
and pull you through noisy situations.

14. Do I have to be cautious about other participants’ feelings (on sensitive issues
like religion, caste, etc.)?
Yes, you must. Running down others by arguing on religious practices and caste
differences displays your viciouness and lack of maturity. Remember that you
 will end up sounding like an irrational and biased person. This is also true for
touchy topics such as abortion, sexual discrimination, euthanasia etc.

15. Is it beneficial to be the first speaker in a group discussion?

If you can make a positive and confident start by speaking for at least 20-30
seconds at a stretch, then it would be advantageous. This is because the first
speaker is normally expected to provide direction to the GD. If the job is properly
done, then the first speaker automatically becomes the leader of the group and
his/her opening idea remains alive throughout the GD.

16. How critical is fluency in English to my performance in the GD?

Command over the language and good grammar definitely aid you in enhancing
your performance. A lack of ideas may7 be partly covered up by your skill in
speaking, but not fully. If you are not fluent, or if you have to struggle to express
your thoughts, you need to present very strong ideas to attract attention.
Knowledge rather that speech becomes your mainstay. If you are able to
communicate with the group by some means or the other, then fluency is not
critical.

17. How necessary is it to use examples for illustrating an idea?

Please remember that examples by themselves do not prove anything. The use
of examples is helpful in elaborating your point, because people are able to
understand you better. They associate better with your example than with your
point.

18. How much and for how long should I participate?

In a 20 minute GD with 12-15 participants, you should participate at least 4 times
with each entry lasting for at least 20-25 seconds. You could participate more
depending upon your comfort level and the need for participation.

19. How important is the use of body language in a GD?

Use of proper body language is an advantage. Some of the ways in which you
could use your body effectively are:
- Have significant eye contact. Look at the GD members when you speak to
them. Keep moving your eyes all around so that you focus on the whole group and not on
specific individuals.
- Keep your body upright, and lean forward while speaking or listening. This
will show your sustained interest in the GD.
- If you agree with somebody, nod your head, so that the speaker realizes
that you understand him.
- Use your hands effectively to emphasise your statements and to persuade
others to listen to you.
- Do not place your hand in front of your mouth while speaking. It inhibits
speech and shows self-consciousness.
- Do not use your arm to support your chin. It communicates a lack of
interest in the GD.
- Do not point your finger or pen at a person aggressively. These are
intimidatory tactics and will be recognized as such.
- Keep your hands on the table when you are not using them to emphasise
you points. If you tend to keep your hands moving then you might end up distracting
others.
- Do not sit cross legged during a discussion. A cross-legged position is for
relaxation and not good for competitive situations.
20. Is it good to be humourous in a GD?
In a relaxed type of GD which is not very competitive, humour is acceptable. But in a
competitive GD, your attempts at humour may fall flat. Other members of the GD are
likely to be tense, or thinking seriously about what to speak, and will be in no mood to
laugh.

21. Is it necessary to make an interim summary?

An interim summary is a way of directing the group mid-way through the GD. It helps
the group pick out and focus on the most important points and thus use the remaining
time effectively. However, it is not always necessary to make a interim summary,
especially when the discussion already is well-focused.

22. What do I do if someone else has already said all that I wanted to say?
You have two choices:
- agree with the point made by your colleague and add on to it by displaying
the applicability of the argument to different situations. By doing this you will have
broadened the scope of the argument.
- Drop the point and think of something new to say.

If possible try to avoid this situation by speaking in the 4-5 minutes of the GD,
when new points are being introduced. If you wait a long time to speak,
someone else would most probably have covered ‘your’ point.

23. Is the use of slang/colloquialism permitted?

Generally not. For two reasons – first that it is bad English, and Second, that other
members of the group may not understand it.

24. Can I use a language other than English at any time to drive home my point?
No. You will have to stick to English.

25. How is aggression measured and judged in a GD?

The moment people start reacting to you negatively and strongly, you may take it that
you are being too aggressive. The degree of reaction is the measure of your
aggressiveness.

26. What level of aggression is permissible?

There is a very thin line separating aggression and assertiveness. You should be
aggressive enough to sound assertive, but aggression in excess of this will make you
sound stubborn and incoherent.

27. Is it true that the person who speaks the most in a GD is sound to be the most
successful?
This is a myth. Generally, a person who has sound knowledge about the topic and is a
clear thinker tends to speak more. This leads students to wrongly believe that success
is directly proportional to the amount you speak. Just speaking for the sake of
speaking will not take you far.

28. Will I be quizzed in my interview about my participation in the GD?

 If the interview immediately follows the GD, then this is likely to happen. You may be
asked to rate the performance of all members in the GD, or to state your opinion on
the topic etc.

29. Is it true that the GD is used more as an elimination technique than as a selection tool?
In institutes other than the IIMs, during the preliminary stages of selection, the GD is
used as an elimination technique. In the final stages of the selection process, it is
used to actively select, rather than to discard. This is because most of the elimination
has been done at the earlier stage already. At the IIM, since there are no such stages,
the GD is used to select and not to eliminate.

30. What is the level of accuracy desired in the facts and figures that you quote in a GD?
An error margin of 5% on the higher/lower side is permitted.

31. Is motivating other persons in a group to participate looked upon favourably?

If you try to motivate people by openly requesting them to speak then it might not be
acceptable. You might be forcing someone to talk at the expense of the other
members of the group. Also, the person who you are “helping” may not really want to
speak at that point. It is therefore better to use other methods of motivation. These
include agreeing with halting speakers, adding on to their point, implicitly supporting
them and giving them direction, etc.

32. Does the moderator have any biases or preconceived notions about the topic?
Ideally the moderator is supposed to be unbiased and neutral. But being a human
being, the moderator may not be totally free from bias. The moderator may feel
strongly about a topic and our views could differ from his. If you are a good
participant, this will not seriously affect your chances of getting selected.

33. Can we expect the moderator to stop or cut short the GD much before the stipulated
time is over?
At times if the GD becomes chaotic, or the level of discussion deteriorates abysmally,
the moderator might cut short the GD.

34. Can I be aggressive with a lady participant?

Being rude in a GD (to any member) is downright unacceptable. But being aggressive
(within acceptable limits) is entirely OK, with both male and female members of the
group. A GD is no place for excessive gallantry.

35. Is it OK to ask pointed questions of the group members?

While you may ask for some clarifications from other members during a GD, remember
that you should not play the Devil’s advocate. Some participants question regularly
the statements of the group members (with the aim of proving them wrong) and are
difficult to convince. By playing the Devil’s advocate, such a participant obstructs the
smooth flow of the GD and does not allow the topic to progress. The pointed
questions that he/she asks unsettle the other members, and the quality of the GD
deteriorates. The moderator would hold such a tedious inquisitor responsible for this,
and would judge him/her badly.

36. Is it necessary that the group should arrive at a conclusion in the stipulated time?
 In the ideal case, the group is expected to reach a conclusion. Normally the time
constraint does not allow the group to do so. Where not all points have been
discussed, and there is need for further discussion, the group may continue if it
wishes, without a conclusion or a consensus.

37. Is an end-summary absolutely essential?

No. If the group has not reached any conclusion then it would be good if somebody
puts the whole discussion in perspective by summarizing. But if there is not enough
time, a summary may be avoided.

38. How are listening skills evaluated in a GD?

A participant displays his/her listening skills by doing any of the following:
-Reacting time and again to arguments presented by the other members.
-Recollecting the ideas and summarizing at different points in the GD.
-Connecting the various arguments presented to come up with something
more meaningful.
-Constantly looking at the person who is speaking and not looking disinterested.
-Nodding the head in agreement or disagreement with ideas presented during the GD.

39. Do we have to write a synopsis of the Gd once it is over?

Some institutes insist on this; but it is not universal.

40. Is voting an acceptable method of reaching a consensus?

No. As far as possible, try to avoid this.

41. What is the acceptable performance level of a GD?

The scoring in a GD is relative. Generally, participants are marked on a scale of 0-10
with weightages assigned for individual elements. If the consolidated score for the
best participant in the GD is very high, the other participants will be judged against this
score. Normally a cut-off score is established and all those who score above this are
selected. If the level of a GD is very low, and the highest score is below the cut-off,
then all members of the GD are rejected.

42. How should a group select a topic if asked to?

The group should brainstorm for about two minutes and narrow down the list of topics
to about 3 or 4. After this the group should prioritise them based on the comfort level
and ease of discussion of the topics. This could be done by asking each participant to
rank the 4 topics, and the most popular choice should be taken.

43. What is the normal duration of a GD?

About 20-25 minutes at the IIMs.

44. How many students are usually clubbed in one group discussion?
The number varies between 10 and 15.

45. How may panel members will be there?

 Normally 2 or 3.

46. How appropriate is it to act a coordinator in a GD?

The role of a coordinator is usually played by a person who is senior in rank or
designation to the other members. In a Company Board meeting for example, the
Chairman or CEO coordinates. In a GD, since all the participants are to be as equal in
rank, playing the coordinator is not advisable.

47. Are the topics decided on the basis of the academic background of the participant?
No. Topics are usually general in nature. They may be based on some current event
or some issue of general interest.

48. What do I do if one member is very stubborn/aggressive?

You could use any of the following methods:
- Ignore him and address other members of the group.
- Be assertive with him and collectively tell him that his argument is faulty.
- Point out