GD-PI-WAT round is crucial for an MBA aspirant. It is the only way to your dream b-school. But, are these GD-PI-WATs all about? It’s about you, your profile, a little bit of “why MBA” questions and awareness of things happening around you and the world. Current affairs are an important part of the GD-PI-WAT round because it tells the interviewer about your knowledge, awareness and how you perceive a current issue. Want to ace all the pre-interview rounds? We bring you a list of heated topics currently trending in Indian b-school interviews. Read. Prepare and Excel!
A lot has changed since last month in terms of the Coronavirus pandemic. Cases of COVID19 (Novel Coronavirus) are continuously rising. There are around 175,982 confirmed cases and 6716 deaths so far. This has led to travel bans all over the world. Countries are on a lockdown both from the outside world and within. Trade, business, and commerce have been severely affected. A global economic slowdown is now a real thing. In this article, we bring you a compilation of facts and news so that you get a 360° view of the whole situation.
Mr. Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia recently resigned from office at the age of 94. It was a shocking turn of events, that too in the midst of the economic slowdown, political unrest and the aftermath of the infamous 1MDB scandal.
Australia always had wildfires in their backyard. However, in 2019 the scale and intensity was unprecedented. Around 28 people died, 3,000 homes were destroyed and 7.3 million hectares (17.9 million acres) of land was on the blaze. So, what caused the blaze that devastated such a huge chunk of the country?
President Donald Trump was found 'not guilty' in his recent impeachment trial, ending the plea to remove him from office. The issue apparently bitterly divided the US. The Senate voted to acquit him of the following charges: Abuse of power and Obstruction of Congress
Recently, Yes Bank, India’s fifth-largest private bank, has entered a state of crisis. The RBI has suspended Yes Bank’s board of directors and has also replaced the CEO with a new one. The RBI has also created a plan for the restructuring of the bank. A cap has been put on the amount of money depositors can withdraw, and net banking, as well as debit and credit card services, have stopped working, resulting in major transaction issues for businesses dependent on Yes Bank.
Here’s what you need to know about the Yes Bank crisis.
With the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act, the nation has seen various protests and acts of violence in recent times. In 2020, the most recent example of such violence is that of the Delhi riots, which has led to many casualties and clashes between religious groups. So, what exactly is happening in Delhi? Why have these riots taken place? Who is responsible for these riots, and what is the government doing to check the violence that has ensued in the national capital?
Here is a deep-dive into the Delhi riots of 2020 to help you form an opinion on the issue.
A few days before Trump’s visit to India, the US declared India as a “developed country” and took India out of the Generalized Preferences Scheme (GSP). Does this new development call for a celebration or deep worry? That is something we will try to find out in this article. To know more keep reading.
Earlier this month, the Ministry Of Health And Family Welfare updated a number of diseases and disorders in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. If the bill is amended, any organisation, individuals, and whoever found guilty of promoting fairness creams, cure to premature ageing or grey hair, claim to enhance sexual performance, increasing the height of children or adults, increasing brain capacity and memory, strengthening of teeth and vision, change of foetal gender by drugs, will be penalised. The ban sure has economic, social and psychological implications. Hence, a possible GD-PI-WAT Topic. To know more about the topic, click here.
If you want to prepare yourself for the interview, then you will have to be aware of things not just in your country but across the world too. In this case, your neighbouring country. There is a lot happening in China. From last year to January 2020, it was the US-China Trade War. Now it's the outbreak of Coronavirus that originated in Wuhan district of China. All these will have a significant impact on the world economy and geopolitics too, making it a possible GD-PI-WAT topic. Learn everything about the topic in this article here.
In order to do well in GD-PI-WAT processes at b-schools, it’s smart to read up on Current Affairs and form an opinion about these issues. In the 2020 b-school interviews season, a highly expected topic of discussion is going to be the Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA. Find everything you need to know about CAA here.
This MBA admissions season, b-schools are searching for - a) candidates with a knowledge of current affairs, and b) their unique views on the matter and the ability to portray it in a clear and concise manner. You can only do that when you are aware and well-informed; specifically, about things happening in India and the world. A global event that has been in the spotlight for the better part of 2019 has been the US-China Trade War. What is it, and why do you need to know about it? Find your answers here.
Budget 2020 was the first budget of the decade and came during the crucial time of economic slowdown when unemployment is at a record high and inflation is also on the rise. As such, a lot of stimuli were expected from this budget and it was thought that the government will make this a “spending” budget to give the necessary boost to the economy. Get the full highlight of the Budget 2020 analysis here.
MBA admissions are serious business. After intense entrance exams come - GD-PI-WAT, where they go two steps ahead in testing a candidate’s personality, knowledge, mental ability, and more. GD-WAT topics are unpredictable, hence one has to be prepared for anything, especially current affairs (both India and world). In this year's interview season, the Iran-US conflict is a big possibility when it comes to WAT-GD-PI topics. Apart from political unrest, the situation is also expected to have some major economic ramifications. Here's everything you need to know about the topic.
They say one needs to follow a strategy to write WAT essays or crack GDs. Today we are going to do the same by deconstructing one of the hottest topics that India is currently battling since August 2019 - the abrogation of article 370 and the Kashmir question. Read the full article here.
As it is the saying practice makes perfect, write, and check it by yourself/get checked by your friends/mentor, it would improve your writing skills. Here are 65 WAT topics for you to practise!
Imagine this: you, the common man or woman, is struggling to buy daily rations and 2 meals a day. While you struggle to make ends meet, your country’s president visits with international communist and socialist leaders and makes impossible deals. All this leading to Hyperinflation that has the country in its vice-like grip. Once known as the pioneer in oil mining and policy across the world, today Venezuela has fallen on harsh times. How did this happen? And why is it important for you to know about, especially when you are preparing for GD-PI-WAT? Find your answers here.
'Is India ready to become a cashless economy?' is a question that has recurred frequently as a GD-PI-WAT topic for the last couple of years during the b-school admissions process. To help you answer this question like a pro, in this article, we will investigate various standpoints and derive our own answer to this question! Are you ready?
Let’s go!
With OYO layoffs, the whole matter of WeWork and SoftBank, the world of startups is seeing a shift in perspective. Amidst this chaos, we see news of Zomato acquiring Uber Eats, Uber’s food business in India. What does this deal mean for Zomato and Uber Eats? What repercussions does it have on the food delivery market in India? In case, you have this deal to discuss during your GD-PI process, know everything about it here.
In a world where there are countries competing in the deadly nuclear race, the last thing we would want is World War III. India is trying hard to maintain reverent relationships with all of its foreign entities. The striking element of the Modi government's diplomatic methodology this time is “neighbourhood first” policy. Find more about the topic and why it is an important part of your GD-PI prep, here.
Post-Independence, the government acquired 49% of the Tata airline and renamed it Air India. Within a year, "Malabar Princess" (VT-CQP) took off from Bombay bound for London Heathrow, marking the airline's first international flight. Since then Air India didn’t look back. In 2007, Air India and Indian Airlines merged under Air India Limited, and the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 777 aircraft. And the airline was invited to be a part of the Star Alliance. When everything was going right, what could have gone wrong to become a possible topic of GD-PI-WAT round? Get the full update here.
Trade deals tend to continue for a long time and remain unfinished. In a major blow to the East Asia Summit, India opted out of RCEP. "Neither the Talisman of Gandhiji nor my own conscience permits me to join RCEP," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok on 4th November, as India opted out of the free trade agreement negotiations that began seven years ago. Many experts agree that India's decision to not join RCEP reduced the impact of RCEP significantly. Let’s find out why India chose to opt-out and rethink its decision here.
Hope this listicle helps you in your GD-PI-WAT prep. In case you have any topic you want us to write on, comment down below.
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Check Out Our Guides On Answering The Difficult Personal Interview Questions: Part 1 | Part 2
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During your interviews, the panellists check if you're aware of the concepts of the domain that you wish to pursue you career in, post your MBA. To help you with that, here are a few important concepts across the four domains. Take a look!