Brainstorming ability: How well you think on your feet and generate relevant ideas.
Speaking skills in a cohort: Your ability to communicate effectively in a group setting
Influencing power: How persuasive and impactful your ideas are.
Capability to structure a topic: Your ability to organize and direct the discussion constructively.
GDs often involve a panel of 8–10 students, with 2 minutes to jot down thoughts and 8 minutes for discussion. Topics may range from current affairs, recent news, dilemmas, to abstract concepts.
Strategy:
Stay Updated: Read newspapers like The Hindu or follow financial magazines for trends in politics, economics, markets, and geopolitics. Be particularly well-versed with Indian current events as they are commonly discussed.
Time Management: Wear a watch during mock GDs to monitor when to start and how to conclude. Initiating and concluding discussions earns you brownie points.
Structure Over Quantity: Rather than listing points, focus on giving the GD a clear structure. Start by outlining how to proceed and topics to discuss. Intervene at intervals instead of displaying ‘desperate participation.’ Initiate by proposing a framework: “Let’s discuss the causes first, then the impact, and finally the solutions.”
Enter the discussion 2–3 times but avoid ‘desperate participation.’ Speak meaningfully, and ensure your points are backed by facts or credible sources.
Maintain a calm and respectful tone. Smile, stay polite, and avoid being aggressive.
If interrupted, you can politely say, “Excuse me, please let me finish; you can continue after I finish.”
Pro Tips for Participation:
✔ Speak for 40 seconds uninterrupted.
✔ Maintain eye contact with all participants.
✔ Use polite interruptions like, "Sorry, please let me complete; you may continue after."
✔ Back your points with data or a credible news report.
✔ Keep a calm demeanour, smile, and engage respectfully.
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Personal Interview (PI)
Premise:
The ‘final lap,’ usually lasting 15+ minutes, tests:
- Your personality
- Confidence
- Knowledge (academic and professional)
- How engaging you are
Strategy:
- Know Thyself: I created pointers highlighting my science background, engineering education, data analysis experience, finance role, and love for badminton. I prepared questions and answers around these areas, covering topics like thermodynamics, coding, portfolio management, and details about the badminton court and recent champions.
- Mock PIs: Watching mock interviews (e.g., Drishti IAS channel) helped me master non-verbal cues and stay composed in stressful scenarios.
- Truth Over Bluff: Avoid pretending to know everything. Be honest and polite: "To the best of my knowledge, [answer], but I can't recall exact details."
- Handle Stress: Stay polite with daunting interviewers. Use strategies like short eye contact intervals and honesty. For blackouts, steer the discussion towards your strengths: "I'm not sure about that, but I can discuss [related topic].”
- Depth Matters: Be prepared for 2–3 layers of in-depth questions on any topic. Don’t answer everything at once—leave a hook for them to inquire further.
Sometimes you might blackout during an interview if you are not able to answer a few questions in a row, what I did was to drive the process in my hand, I used to deviate the topic to my area of interest by “Sorry, I am not able to recall [question] but I am very well versed with [related topic]”. Try not to explain everything at one go, leave them cliff-hangered or with a hook so that they try to pick those topics.
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Written Ability Test (WAT)
Premise:
WATs test your ability to express ideas clearly and creatively within a short time. Topics may involve current affairs, societal issues, cultural norms, or abstract ideas.
Strategy:
- Practice on Paper: Always use pen and paper to practice. This helps improve handwriting and reduces errors.
- Be Knowledgeable: Build a solid base on current events and societal issues.
- Keep It Simple: Avoid overusing fancy words. A well-structured essay with clear ideas in simple language often scores better. Use advanced vocabulary sparingly.
Pro Tips for WAT:
✔ Focus on structure, coherence, and originality.
✔ Make your handwriting neat—clean presentation earns points!
✔ Creativity is a bonus for abstract topics.
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