ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY

MATERIALS FOR ENRICH ENGLISH PROGRAMME

Group Discussion
A group discussion is like comparing answers with your friends. You are simply sharing your
opinion and trying to convince others using facts and figures. Others in your group may not
agree with your opinion; that does not mean they are against you. They just have another
answer. Since people are different, their views are also different. Be yourself. You need to trust
your opinion and be confident. Your aim is to get selected; not to win arguments.
What skills are judged in a GD?
1. How good you are at communication with others.
2. How you behave and interact with the group.
3. How open minded are you.
4. Your listening skill.
5. How you put forward your views.
6. Your leadership and decision making skills.
7. Your knowledge about the subject.
8. Your attitude and confidence.
DOs and DONTs in a GD
DO
DONT
Speak pleasantly and politely
Talk too much
Try to look at everyone
Shout
Speak in a moderate volume and pace
Mumble
Listen
Show nervousness
Nod or smile to acknowledge a speaker
Become angry or emotional
When you agree, say so and add concise
Make gestures like finger pointing, table
examples, facts, etc.
thumping, leaning back, shaking leg, etc.
Be polite when you disagree and give
Fake facts and figures
reasons
Make personal comments or accusations
Make short contribution 3-4 times
Try to grab attention in the wrong way
through the entire GD
Wander off and give irrelevant
information
Repeat what others said without
referring to them
Useful phrases:
Giving your opinion
1. In my view
2. At a personal level I think that
3. Personally (speaking) I think ....

ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY
MATERIALS FOR ENRICH ENGLISH PROGRAMME

4. First of all/To start with Id like to point out ...

5. There can be no doubt that ....
6. Its a fact that ....
7. It is generally accepted that ...
8. Nobody will deny that ....
9. Everyone knows ....
10. Sorry to interrupt you, but ....
11. The point Im trying to make is ....
12. What I actually meant was ....
13. I would like to share my views on...
Asking about or for an opinion
14. Could you tell me ....?
15. What do you think about/of ....?
16. Whats your opinion about ...?
Asking for an explanation
17. Could you explain to me ....?
18. Could someone please tell me ....?
19. What do you mean by that?
20. I beg your pardon?
Giving an explanation
21. What I mean is ....
22. The reason for this is ....
23. The main problem is ....
Agreeing with an opinion
24. I agree completely/entirely.
25. I entirely/completely agree with you on that.
26. Thats true/right.
27. I think so, too.
28. Thats a very good/important point.
29. Youve got a good point there.
30. Thats exactly what I mean/say.
31. Im all in favour of what youve been saying.
Agreeing to a certain extent
32. Yes, perhaps, but ....
33. Yes, possibly, although ....
34. Yes, but on the other hand ....
35. I agree up to a certain point, but ....
36. Yes, in a way.
37. Maybe, I suppose so.
38. Well, it depends.

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MATERIALS FOR ENRICH ENGLISH PROGRAMME

39.
40.
41.
42.

I dont think its as simple as that .....

I see what you mean, but I think thats not the whole story
Yes, but theres also another aspect to consider
I think you are making a very interesting point. However, when I think carefully I
feel that
Polite disagreement
43. No, I really cant agree, Im afraid.
44. I dont quite agree there.
45. Im not at all sure if thats true/correct
46. Im sorry I cant agree.
47. Im not convinced that ....
48. One difference between your point and mine is...
49. I beg to differ with you...
50. Well, thats one way of looking at it, but...
51. Well, I have my doubts about that
52. I dont want to argue with you, but ....
53. I doubt that very much
54. Im afraid, I cant agree with you there
Expressing pros and cons
55. There are two sides to this question...
56. On the one hand ..., on the other hand ...
57. While admitting that ... one should not forget that...
58. Some people think that ..., others say that ...
To interrupt a speaker politely
59. May I interrupt here?
60. Do you mind if I say something?
61. Excuse me for interrupting, but...
62. Sorry to cut in, but may I just ask...
63. Excuse me, may I add to that...?
64. While that is an important point, it's also important to add...
65. Sorry, but Id just like to clarify something...
To continue in spite of interruption
66. Do you mind if I take a few more seconds to finish? As I was just saying,...
67. May I just finish
68. Please let me finish
To conclude a discussion
69. To sum up...
70. In a nutshell...
71. In conclusion...

ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY
MATERIALS FOR ENRICH ENGLISH PROGRAMME

Tips and Tricks

In a Group Discussion you must first generate content and then present it in a way that
leaves maximum positive impact on others
To generate content begin with the Keywords. Define them. For instance, in the topic
Management: An Art or a Science the keywords are Management, Art and Science.
Broaden the perspective. Include all the perspectives of all the stakeholders, that is, the
perspectives of everyone who is affected in any way by the topic. For instance, in the
topic Excessive exposure of the body in advertisements should be banned what are
the viewpoints of the viewers or readers, of the advertising companies, of the agencies
or media, of the models, etc.
Try to break down the topic into Social, Political, Economic, Legal, Technology (SPELT)
domains and consider perspectives from each. For instance, in the topic Should 100%
FDI in Retail be allowed the Economic aspect is that it would be increase in investment
in India, while the Social aspect is the effect on the local shops and small vendors.
Using more than one approach to generate content will give you more points to talk
about.
Do not keep on saying the same thing.
Listen to others carefully. Add examples. Agree and disagree with particular points.
You can include both points for and against in a GD. Just remember not to start with a
strong I agree with ... or I disagree .... When you take a fixed stance vis--vis a topic,
you cannot include ideas that go against your stance. The only time you must take a
position is when the topic which forces you to do it, like Child labour should be
abolished
To leave impact it is important to say the right thing at the right time in the right way.
Be precise. Make your point, stop to listen to others and then add to what you hear.
You will not get more points for simply speaking more. Your contribution must be
constructive.
Be polite. Dont say That doesnt make any sense. Say I dont know if I agree.
Could you please elaborate? Dont say That is not what we were asked to do. Say
I think we are getting diverted. Lets get back to the topic.
Remember the time limit.

Some Important GD Topics

If you don't understand your topic or you know nothing about it, you will have less to
contribute. Look up the following topics and collect some information about them. Try to have 3
points in favour and 3 against, if possible. For each point look up and list some examples. Do
not collect complex definitions and theoretical matter that you dont understand. Remember if it
is simple for you to understand, it will be easy for you to remember.
Social Topics
1.
Should Smoking be Banned Completely?

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MATERIALS FOR ENRICH ENGLISH PROGRAMME

2.
3.
4.

Should Mobile phones be banned in schools/ colleges?

Dress code/Uniforms in educational Institutes.
Love Marriages vs. Arranged Marriages [Similar: Marriage is a social trap, Marriage vs.
Live-in relationships]
5.
Morals & Values among Indians is Degenerating [Similar: Our Culture is Decaying, Bride
burning and dowry may look bad but are an integral part of India]
6.
Classical Music Heritage and the Growing Pop-Culture [Similar: Is Remixing Good Trend
in Music?]
7.
Films are corrupting the Indian Youth [Similar: Censorship in Movies & Our Culture, With
Media Publishing and Telecasting Trivia Censorship is the Need of the Hour]
8.
Effects of Television on Youth [Similar: Foreign Television Channels are destroying Our
Culture, Showing Violence and Crimes should not be allowed in films and on television.]
9.
Is Dependence on Computers a Good Thing? [Similar: Gadgets and video games hampering
childhood, Living room is becoming play ground, A day without gadgets]
10.
Influence of Online Social Networks on our Youth [Similar: Social Networking is changing
the face of friendship, Dot com or doubt com?, The Internet is an exercise in hype, Content on
Internet should be censored]
11.
The medical profession and malpractice [Similar: Should Animals be used for Testing New
Drugs & Medical Procedures?, Should Research on Human Cloning be banned?, Doctors'
Accountability to Improve Health-Care]
12.
Corruption is the Price we pay for Democracy [Similar: Corruption is a Necessary Evil for
Success in Any Sphere, Rules & Regulation Breed Corruption, What we need to reduce scams is
better regulatory bodies, Government should clean its own hands before pointing finger at the
private sector for corruption]
13.
The position of women in society [Similar: Are beauty contests degrading womanhood?,
Women are not fit for Defence Services, Women Empowerment - A Cause for Increasing Divorce
Rate in India]
14.
We are not serious about saving Wildlife/Environment
Management Topics
15.
Management Education in India [Similar: How effective are Indian B-schools?, MBA in India
is highly Over-rated, We Need More Entrepreneurs than Managers, Is an MBA necessary to
succeed in life?, Is Management Education Required for Business?]
16.
Are Leaders Born or are they made in Business Schools? [Similar: Managerial skills learnt
in the classroom can never match those learnt from experience, Is Management an Art or a
Science?]
17.
Engineers joining management is a national waste [Similar: Engineering Students are
wasting their Time in Management Studies]
18.
Rise in MBA Salaries is Not Sustainable in the Long Run [Similar: The Salaries that
MBAs Get is more than they deserve, The Rush for MBA is really a Rush for Big Money]
19.
Role of Ethics in Business [Similar: The objective of Management is to maximize profits, Are
Ethics just Business Pretence?, Ethics in Business are just a passing fashion/ fad, Does Morality

ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY
MATERIALS FOR ENRICH ENGLISH PROGRAMME
have an Essence in Corporate Life?, Is the Business of Business only Business?, Corporate Social
Responsibility, Can One Contribute to the Social Sector while Being Employed in the Corporate
World?, How can a Business get rid of the Bad Name that it has earned?]
20.
Indians Perform Better as Individuals than in Groups/Teams
21.
Positive Attitude and not Knowledge is required for Business Success
22.
Smaller businesses and start-ups have more scope for professional growth [Similar:
Family owned business vs. professionally run businesses]
23.
Retention of Employees
24.
Do Women make Good Managers? [Similar: Women are better at Multi-Tasking]
Economic Topics
25.
Should the public sector be privatized? [Similar: Privatization will lead to Less Corruption,
Public Sector being a Guarantor of Job Security is a Myth, Is disinvestment really that good for
India or is a rethink in order?, Private Participation in Infrastructure is Highly Desirable]
26.
Are MNCs Superior to Indian Companies? [Similar: Who says MNCs are superior to Indian
companies?, Multinational Corporations: Are they Devils in Disguise?]
27.
Advertising is a Waste of Resources [Similar: Advertisements Cheat People and hence Should
Be Banned, Celebrity Brand Endorsement: Effective Advertising?]
28.
Globalization vs. Nationalism [Similar: Is Globalization Really Necessary?, Are co-operatives
relevant in today's globalised environment?, Is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail sector
good for India?, Poverty in Third World Countries is due to Prosperity in First World Countries,
Trade can help the poor, Developing Countries need Trade not Aid, Foreign aid is a dangerous
drug that can stimulate in small doses but become fatally addictive in larger doses]
29.
Technology Creates Income Disparities
30.
How to Deal with High Oil Prices?
31.
Are Indians Less Quality Conscious?
32.
Indian villages - our strength or our weakness?
33.
Water resources should be nationalised
34.
Commercialization of Health Care: Good or Bad?
35.
Space Missions are a Wastage of Resources for a Resource-Starved Nation like India
36.
What shall we do about our Ever-Increasing Population?
37.
Banning of Trade Unions will be Beneficial in Growth of the Economy
38.
Should Agricultural Subsidies be stopped?
39.
Should Petroleum Subsidy go away?
40.
The rise in vegetable prices is a man made farce
41.
Use of Force by Banks to Recover Loans
42.
Is India's economy slowdown result of lack of governance?
43.
Why can't India be a World-Class Player in Manufacturing Industry as it is in IT & BPO
Sectors?

ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY
MATERIALS FOR ENRICH ENGLISH PROGRAMME

Political Topics
44.
Need for Good Leaders in India [Similar: Politics is run by the Barrel of Gun in India,
Educational qualification for Politicians, Retirement Age for Politicians, Should Tainted
Ministers Allowed to Contest Elections?]
45.
Religion should not be mixed with politics
46.
Is India a Soft Nation? [Similar: Should We Pursue our Policy of Dialogue with Pakistan?,
China bullies India]
47.
Rise of Regional Blocs Threatens Independent Nations like India
48.
Is India Safe for Indians? [Similar: Terrorism in India]
49.
Unrest in Countries around India
50.
Are Peace and Non-Violence Outdated Concepts?
51.
Politics and youth.
52.
Has the political class failed to meet the aspirations of Indias youth?
53.
Reservations for minorities [Similar: Necessity of Women Quota Bill for Women
Empowerment]
54.
Should Sting Operations be Carried Out?
Topics on Education
55.
The education system needs serious reforms [Similar: The condition of primary education in
India is pathetic, Do we really Need Education to be Successful?, Indian education system is
concerned about marks not the knowledge, Examinations - has it killed education?]
56.
Advantages of Co-education
57.
Privatization of Higher Education
58.
Foreign Universities in India
59.
Should the Government Set-up More IITs and IIMs, OR should it be use the Money for
Primary & Secondary Education?
60.
Skilled Manpower Shortage in India
61.
E-Learning: A Substitute for Classroom Learning?
62.
Brain-Drain has to be stopped
63.
Is Reservation in Higher Education Only Alternative for Social Equality?
64.
Judging a candidate based on merit list is not the right thing to do.
Sports
65.
Sports in India has lost its glory [Similar: Is T20 Cricket killing Real Cricketing Skills?,
Cricket as a National Obsession is a Detriment to Other Sports, Are Cricketers to be blamed for
Match Fixing?]
66.
Sports associations have become completely corrupt
67.
If Winning isn't everything, why do they Keep the Score?
Creative and Abstract Topics
68.
Rules are Meant to be Broken
69.
Every Cloud has a Silver Lining
70.
A Ship Docked in Harbour cannot face the Storms

ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY
MATERIALS FOR ENRICH ENGLISH PROGRAMME

71.
Do Beauty and Brains Go Together?
72.
Food Comes First, Ethics Later
73.
There is No Right Way of Doing the Wrong Thing
74.
Is God Male?
75.
Nice Guys Finish Last
76.
All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy
77.
If I was the Finance Minister/Prime Minister...
Other Topics
78.
Is Hard Work more desirable or Smart Work?
79.
Flexi Timings or Fixed Timings - Which is better at Work?
80.
Technology is a Boon or Bane
81.
Should GD be Part of Campus Placements?
82.
Is Paperless Office a Reality?
83.
Security Cameras & Privacy
84.
Capital Punishment should be Banned or Allowed?
85.
Rising crime against Women [Similar: Capital punishment for rapists, Juvenile rapists should
be treated same as adults]
86.
Should betting be legalized in India?
87.
Is climate change alert an exaggeration?
88.
Should English be banned in UPSC exams?
89.
Should the Opinion polls be banned?
90.
Is outside intervention essential in Gaza?
91.
Breaking law and order situation in UP Who is to be blamed?
92.
Is the Insurance Bill good for India?
Some Helpful Websites
http://www.gdpro.in/group-discussion-topics/
http://www.studyfreak.com/gdTopicHome.php
http://www.indiabix.com/group-discussion/topics-with-answers/