Types of Group Discussion Topics

This post is being made as a sequel to my previous article on Group Discussion, which says you what is GD & how to go about it.

While preparing for GD (for example for organising mock-GD), you need to know what short of GD topics are given in a real job test. This post tries to categorise these topics into following four categories:
1. Factual topics.
2. Controversial topics.
3. Abstract topics.
4. Case studies.

Factual topics:
As the word says - these topics are about facts. You are given a factual statement and you are supposed to discuss it. Examples include:
1. Conspiracy is a very common form of political behaviour.
2. The pros and cons of having a credit card.
3. Drinking and driving is dangerous to yourself and others.
4. Terrorism breeds out of a sick mind.
5. Affirmative action draws people to work they never considered before.

Controversial topics:
These are the topics would heats up any GD:
1. Sustainable urban living without the use of excessive natural resources must be our future.
2. China is better than India in software.
3. Reservations should be removed.
4. Multinationals: Bane or Boon?
5. The pros and cons of a female President.
6. Online dating chats have nothing to do with the search for a soul mate.
7. Sex education should be implemented in all schools.
8. Life imprisonment is a good alternative to capital punishment.

Abstract topics:
These topics by itself does not tells you anything. You need to formulate what it means and how to go about it:
1. Group Discussion.
2. Position of Women in India compared to other nations.
3. Environment Management.
4. A multi-polar world.
5. The Internet and Web 2.0.

Case studies:
These topics gives you a situation (mostly a problem) and you need to chalk out a startegy to reach at a consensus solution with your group mates:
1. Lata moves from the Insurance sector to FMCG sector. Her performance during training and during the year she is assigned a small territory, is very impressive and so she is assigned a larger territory. But her performance there is not very good. Her supervisor blames her. Her excuse was being in a male dominated society. What does the central office do?

2. Prasad, who works for a reputed educational institute is made in charge of relief operations for a particular camp in an area that has been hit by an earthquake. Some medicines being sent to his camp are hijacked by Dinesh, the nephew of the local MLA. Dinesh wants to divert the shipment to another camp. The goods are being held 20 km away. What does Prasad do?

3. Mutthuswamy works as a teller in a bank. One fine day one person enters his bank to rob it. Mutthuswamy is asked to put money in robber's bag. He complies. But the moment the robber leaves the bank he presses the alarm, jumps on his vehicle, follows the bandit, tries to stop him, and gets shot in the leg. But he somehow manages to detain the robber till the police show up. Mutthuswamy is a hero. But the Chief Manager wants to sack him because he broke the rule that employees are to wait for the police and not go off on any adventure themselves. The public, the trade union, and the HR manager are behind Mutthuswamy. The chief manager feels that his decision to stick by the rules would earn him a promotion. What should the manager do?

4. A king of an Arab country is approached by a foreign mining company with a contract. Presently, the country earns its revenues through tourism. The contract if signed will initiate mining near the coastal regions which will affect tourism. The opposition party is very powerful and if the contract is not signed, they will initiate a coup. What should the king do?

5. An Ice Hockey team hires only International players. But for the past few years the team has not done too well. These members are also part of other teams and have other obligations too. New Coaches have been hired without any change. What should the management do? Hire yet another new coach or change the international players. The disadvantage would be that they would lose sponsorship money. Or should a local team be considered – one that can be trained and can identify themselves with the region.

Above examples are given so as to familarise you about what topics are given in a GD. You can invent you own topic for preparing yourself for the GD.


BY:-
SKU STUDENT GUIDE