Group Discussion Topics IIM Lucknow 2005

Is capital punishment justified?

Yes: (Justified)

1.
2.
3.

Capital punishment in India is awarded for various crimes including murder, instigating a child's suicide, waging war
against the government, acts of terrorism, or a second conviction for drug trafficking. These are serious crimes and
hence deserve capital punishment.
If the courts have decided that the accused poses a grave danger to society, then capital punishment must be
enforced.
The death penalty serves as an effective deterrent against heinous crimes as well as sending a message to society that
such crimes will not be tolerated Eg: Dara Singh being awarded the death sentence for the murder of Graham Staines.

Counter point: In Western Europe, studies show that after the abolition of the death penalty, the crime rate has come down.

4.
5.

(Counter to point 1 of No) The prisoner suffering by rotting in jail for the rest of his life is more torturous and
inhumane than execution.
When the accused shows no signs of regret or remorse for his/her crime, then there is no point in trying to giving
him/her a second chance.

No: (Not justified)

1.
2.

Most convicts serve long terms in prison before the execution. Every day they have to undergo the mental agony of
waiting for their eventual execution. This, in itself, is the harshest punishment that civil society can ever give to
anyone. Eg: Dhananjoy Chatterjee spent 14 years in Alipore Jail in Kolkata before execution. During this time he was
said to be mentally shaken due to the prolonged wait for his execution.
Death penalty in India is awarded only in the rarest of rare cases as stated by the Supreme Court. However, the
interpretation is open to scrutiny and hence the judgment is solely at the discretion of the judge. Eg: Prof S.A.R.
Geelani was awarded the death penalty for his alleged involvement in the Parliament attacks of December 13, 2001 by
a POTA court in Delhi. However, the high court acquitted him of all charges since the evidence was insufficient.

Counter point: A death penalty awarded by a lower court is automatically referred to the high court of that state for
confirmation. Hence, S.A.R Geelanis case proves that the system does not bring injustice to the innocent.

3.

In a civil society, no one should have the right to take the life of another including The State.

Counter point: If society has no right to take life, then what of mercy killings?

4.
5.

Death penalty involves cruel form of torture viz hanging by the neck till death.
It is a relic of barbarism extending the principle of a life for a life.

Disinvestment in PSUs will promote efficiency

Yes: (Promotes efficiency)
1.
2.
3.
4.

Return on capital employed has been below acceptable levels

Organisations have often being plagued with problems of excess manpower, poor project management, lack of
continuous technological upgradation and engaging in noncommercial activities
As the NDA governments Disinvestment Minister Mr Arun Shourie said The government has no business to be in
business. Hence, the government should exit from ventures which have no social relevance
Running sick PSUs means that the loss has to be born by the tax payer

No: (Does not promote efficiency)

1.
2.
3.
4.

Efficiency can be promoted by corporatising the PSU. Eg: ICICI is the number 2 banking firm in India since it was spun
off as a separate corporate.
Removing excessive governmental control is the key.
Boards of PSs should be made more professional and given greater power. This will ensure greater autonomy and
more accountability
Disinvestment leads to loss of jobs.

Counter point: Schemes like VRS are offered wherever possible to minimize the effects of job loss.

5.

PSUs are a must in core sectors like oil.

Legal issues:

The Supreme Court has ruled that any PSU set up through an act of Parliament requires an act of Parliament to disinvest those
PSUs, thereby causing a change of ownership. It is because of this reason that HPCL and BPCL could not be disinvested. These
were formed by the nationalization of ESSO, Burma Shell and Caltex oil in 1974, 1976 and 1977 respectively by 3 separate acts
of Parliament viz. the ESSO (Acquisition of Undertaking in India) Act, 1974, the Burma Shell (Acquisition of Undertaking in India)
Act, 1976 and Caltex (Acquisition of Shares of Caltex Oil Refining India Limited and all the Undertakings in India for Caltex India
Limited) Act, 1977.
Hence, the NDA government could not disinvest these firms. The UPA government on the other hand intends to sell shares in
these firms to a maximum of 49% so that no change of ownership occurs. However, it depends on the support of the Left front.

Reservation in private sector: is it justified?

Yes: (Justified)
1.
2.

Jobs in PSUs are no longer as widely available.

Equal opportunities are not available to the weaker sections of society

Counter point: Equal opportunities do not exist because the employability of the lower sections of society is abysmally low. Hence
the government should educate and train them towards employability.
3.
4.

Government should give contracts to those firms which employ a sizeable number of workers from the weaker sections
of society
It is the way forward in social and economic empowerment as well as correcting historical imbalances in Indian society

No: (Not justified)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Why should the future generations bear the consequences of historical wrongs?
Reservation based on any form leads to weakening of the meritocracy system
Affirmative action as in the US can be followed instead of reservation
It will render domestic industry globally uncompetitive.
Such a system could prevent foreign firms from setting shop in India

Note:
Article 15 of the constitution says that the state can make special provisions for the advancement of Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes or any other class of people who are socially and educationally backward. Reservations in educational
institutional institutions, public employment etc, are therefore constitutionally directed measures in favour of Scheduled Tribes'
and Scheduled Castes' and other socially and economically backward classes'
Hence, the recent debate in Rajasthan, during election to their state assembly in December 2003, with regard to reservation for
the economically backward would require the amendment of the constitution.
Reservation in any form can be only up to a maximum of 50%.
Many opponents of reservation talk of the affirmative action policy in the US. The US constitution strictly forbids reservation of
any kind. Hence, during the civil rights movement of the early 1960s, the term Affirmative Action came into being. By
affirmative action, one meant that a company, firm or educational institution decided on its own to employ more workers from
the weaker sections of society. In some cases, the government gives contracts to those firms who employ a reasonable number
of workers from the under privileged section of society. However, unlike in India, there is no law which mandates reservation.

Can the Kashmir issue be solved?

Yes: (Can be solved)
1.
2.
3.
4.

If politicians give way to the will of the people, it can be solved

More CBMs(Confidence Building Measures) like the Srinagar-Muzafarabad bus can create environment for a final
settlement
Pakistan must recognize that India will not cede any part of Kashmir. A resolution was passed in Parliament in 1994
proclaiming that Kashmir belonged to India and every political party toes this line
The visit of President Musharraf to India was very fruitful and options are being explored to reduce troops in Siachen
and Kashmir as a whole. This is an encouraging movement

No: (Cant be solved)

1.
2.
3.
4.
History:

It was politics in the first place that created militancy. The J & K elections in 1987 were rigged to favour the National
Conference. This led to a legislator Syed Salahuddin to form the militant organization Hizb ul Mujahideen. Politicians
created this problem and hence there is hardly a possibility that they can solve it.
The wounds of partition and militancy are still festering and this does not provide enough space for any future
settlement
Kashmiris want Kashmiriyat(independence from both India and Pakistan) which is unacceptable to both sides
Hurriyat, which is an umbrella organization of many Kashmiriyat forces, claims they are the true representatives of
Kashmir and are unwilling to recognize the elected government of Kashmir

As per the terms of partition, Muslim majority areas were to go to Pakistan. However, this would apply only to British ruled areas.
J & K was ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh. He wanted to stay independent and not be part of India or Pakistan. However, a
movement called the National Conference Movement of the Kashmiri Muslims led by Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah (Farooq
Abdullahs father) preferred India over Pakistan since India claimed to be a secular, tolerant and inclusive republic. At this point,
the Pakistanis sent in tribal raiders to raid Kashmir. Fearing that he would lose his entire kingdom, Maharaja Hari Singh signed
the Instrument of Accession and thus became a part of India. However, at the time of signing, he had already lost control of most
of his kingdom. The raiders had come as close as Srinagar. The Indian armed forces were then pressed into service and the
raiders were pushed back till the present Line of Control. This is a critical juncture. Jawaharlal Nehru, who was incidentally a
Kashmiri Pandit, went to The UN. In 1948, The U.N. passed a resolution calling for Kashmiris to determine their governance. This
referendum has never been held, because it is not clear of its details or its legitimacy. Militancy erupted in the late 1980s. The
daughter of the then Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, was kidnapped by members of the Jammu and Kashmir
Liberation Front (JKLF). The abductors included Yasin Malik, who is now a prominent figure of the Hurriyat. They demanded and
obtained the release of 5 political prisoners. With this battle won, the militants were emboldened to launch insurgency in
Kashmir. In the early years of militancy (1989 1993), it was predominantly Indians who formed the militant groups. Since
1993, it is almost completely foreign fighters under the command of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad.

Size of Defense Budget reflects fear of a country

Yes: (Reflects fear)
1.
2.

For a country like India, development should be the key area of expense. High budgetary allowances for defense is due
to the fear that our neighbours will have a military superiority over us if we dont increase our spend on defense
The 2005 2006 budget increased the allocation of defense from Rs. 77,000 crores to Rs. 83,000 crores. This, inspite
the fact that the relations between India and its neighbours are at its best in recent years.

No: (Does not reflect fear)

1.

2.
3.

After the balance of payment crisis of 1991, Indias defense spending came down substantially. Hence, new and
improved weapons were not purchased. When the Kargil conflict happened, the lack of adequate defense weaponry
especially the ammunition for the Bofors Howitzer 155m guns were clearly hampering our fight. Defense spending
should never be reduced.
Every great country in the world and every great civilization have and continue to have very high defense spending.
The spending on defense should not be compromised as its a matter of national security
USA is the worlds largest spender on defense with more than $450 billion dollars being spent each year. This does not
reflect their fear, but rather the fact that there is a huge worldwide market for arms and ammunition which they would
like to have a large slice of.

LEVEL 1 TOPICS
1. Large states are better governed than smaller states
2. Love marriage VS Arranged marriage
3. Dowry system a boon or a bane
4. Do you need an MBA to be a successful manager
5. Rivers are national resources and hence, all the states have equal rights over them
6. Cricket should be made the national game of the country
7. PSUs should not be privatized
8. Graduation should be made compulsory for entry into Parliament
9. Casteless India- a pipe dream
10. Grade system vs marks system in schools. Discuss
11. GD/PI should not be a part of the selection process in B-schools
12. Role of extremists in Indias struggle for independence. Discuss
13. India lives in its villages
14. Every business organsiation boils down to just three things: Product, People and Profits
15. Every able-bodied individual should serve in the army for two years
16. People with criminal backgrounds should not hold public office
17. The prime minister should be a citizen of India by birth
18. Competition and not Co- operation sustains life
19. Dual citizenship should not be granted to NRIs. They are neo-colonialists in the
making
20. Voting, by all eligible citizens, must be made compulsory

21. Banning child labour leads to more poverty

22. Team work is difficult to achieve in todays competitive environment
23. The root cause of all problems in India is the all pervading corruption
24. Should there be more women in the police force
25. Will India be a super power in the Next twenty years
26. Will Mumbai remain the commercial capital of India
27. TV is an idiot box
28. Indias population Is it a resource or a liability
29. English should be made the official working language, and Hindi a regional language
30. Do beautiful people lead better lives
31. The learning in a B-school takes place outside the classroom
32. Is divorce a necessary evil
33. India must have dictatorial rule if it is to progress rapidly
34. Is honesty the best policy for an ordinary citizen of India
35. Management education is good mainly for those who are mediocre and cant shine in
their own fields
36. The selection process adopted by management institutes is not a fair process
37. Reservations hinder the development process in our country
38. One day cricket is not cricket
39. Family values have little relevance today
40. In a developing country like India where illiteracy is very high, universal adult
franchise should be restricted to literates only
41. Given our performance over the last fifty years, India should not participate in the next
three Olympic games
42. Would Indian corporates be better off without MBAs
43. The money being put into cricket is harming the development of other sports
44. Activities seeking short term publicity dont yield long term results
45. The world is one big family. Why quarrel
46. Management cannot be taught
47. Eve teasing should be made a very serious criminal offence
48. Print media should be banned and replaced by digital media to save the earth.
49. Indians are excellent individual workers but poor team workers
50. We need labour intensive rural industries and not capital intensive urban industries
51. The reigns of leadership should be with the young and not the old
52. Why are our defense services not attracting our youth
LEVEL 2 TOPICS
53. Governors are mere political appointees. The post has lost all its relevance
54. The government should use Indias huge foreign exchange reserves to fund
infrastructure projects
55. India stands to gain from the re-election of George Bush
56. Corporate boardrooms should not become family battlegrounds
57. Indias place at the U N Security council
58. Freedom of press is a must in a democracy
59. Rise of feminism in Indian politics is it for the better
60. Use of animals in medical research is immoral and should be banned
61. Liberalization of the Indian economy has only helped the rich become richer
62. Advertising and freedom to choose are contradictory

63. While the majority rules, it is the minority that moves the world
64. Hierarchy cannot flourish in democracy
65. Can IT sustain Indias economic development
66. Euthanasia and abortion are individual rights. No one can dictate to an individual in
these matters.
67. Prompt and efficient punishment is essential to eliminate corruption
68. There is a limit to which a female manager can rise in her career.
69. Chinese goods- competition or dumping
70. Men feel threatened by the presence of women at work
71. Since the disaster cannot be predicted disaster management is impossible and irrelevant
72. What should be the form of penalty for corrupt politicians
73. Rs 1000/ and Rs 500/ notes should be immediately demonetized
74. India spends too much on defense
75. Success of VRS shows that employees are dissatisfied with the banking system
76. Education reforms- what is the road ahead
77. Linking of Indias rivers is no solution to the imminent water crisis
78. Reservations should be extended to the private sector
79. Film makers are indulging in cinematic prostitution in the name of folk culture
80. The contribution of family businesses to Indian industry.
81. In order to make the balance of trade in favor of India we should concentrate on
exporting agricultural goods only, and not industrial goods
82. Euthanasia should be legalized
83. Prostitution should be legalized
84. All political parties in India should be banned
85. The powers of the press should be used with responsibility
86. Gradual withdrawal of subsidies will help accelerate economic growth
87. Globalisation is not an essential condition for growth in India
88. Secularism is dangerous for Indian culture
89. Will an Asian Euro ever be possible
90. In the liberalized environment, trade unions have lost their significance
91. Reforms in the power sector one step forward and two steps ackward
92. Exit polls during elections are harmful, They should be disallowed
93. Religion cannot be the basis for Indian nationhood
94. Profits and customer service do not go hand in hand
95. Administrative corruption cannot be separated from political corruption
96. Increasing power of the regional parties is the first step towards disintegration of India
97. Swadeshi is detrimental to Indias economic growth
98. India, China and Russia can change the world from Unipolar to Multipolar
99. Speedy justice should be made a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution
100.
Is it Unity in Diversity or Diversity in Unity
101.
The caste system is losing ground with the changing times
102.
The emergence of NGOs as an independent force is a phenomenon of
questionable merit

LEVEL 3 TOPICS
103.
Americas unilateralism signifies the end of multilateralism of the United
Nations
104.
Naxals must lay down arms for meaningful negotiations: you cannot shake
hands with a clenched fist
105.
India has abandoned the cause of democracy in Myanmar why are we shaking
hands with the Generals?
106.
The post-quota regime in textiles, provides India with a golden opportunity
107.
The judicial system in India has failed the masses
108.
No one is untouchable in todays era of coalition politics
109.
The present Indo-Pak talks will not improve economic relations
110.
Freeing of the Indian rupee under the capitalistic account will lead to less
Foreign Direct Investment
111.
How should biotechnology be used for improving agriculture in India
112.
The nexus between the underworld and politicians can never be broken
113.
NATO has lost all relevance. It should be disbanded
114.
The appointment of an expenditure reform commission will reduce wasteful
expenditure of the government
115.
A progressive judiciary is the only hope for women in an orthodox society
116.
Can India become a permanent member of the UN Security Council
117.
India after Independence
118.
Under Indian parliamentary democracy, it is impossible to ensure balanced
regional development
119.
Hindutva is not a way of life it is merely Hindu chauvinism
120.
Will there ever be a solution to Ayodhya
121.
For the poorer sections of society, a state controlled economy is better than a
liberalized economy.
122.
The five year Plans are redundant and should be discarded
123.
The IITs and IIMs are a drain on the economy both in direct terms and in
indirect terms
124.
The UN is an ineffective body and should be disbanded
125.
Stock markets in India are nothing but a gamblers den
126.
Dickens portrayal of 19th century Britain can be a source of much hope to
contemporary India
127.
The IMF and the World Bank are modern day the East India Companies
128.
FIIs are not an ;important source of capital for India
129.
The main obstacle to the development of India-Pakistan peace is the tacit
support of USA and China to Pakistan.
130.
Second Generation reforms- their meaning and impact
131.
If we dont allow foreign investment, the economy dies if we allow foreign
investment, domestic industry dies.
132.
Judicial activism is bad for Indian democracy
133.
Article 356 should be scrapped
134.
There should be a uniform civil code in India
135.
Non alignment has more significance today than it ever had, before
136.
Inflation is inevitable in a developing economy seeking rapid growth
137.
For developing countries like India, soft loans are sometime more harmful than
hard loans

138.
Options trading is a better instrument than the badla system in Indian stock
market
139.
The Central Vigilance Commission has not produced any tangible results. It
should be disbanded
140.
Environmental regulations in India are in piecemeal form and serve no useful
purpose
141.
The main bottle neck in Centre-State federal relations is economics, and not
politics.
142.
Indo- China trade a boon or a bane ?
143.
Will India benefit from another spell of Emergency rule?
144.
India has lost out on the race of economic supremacy to China and South-East
Asian Countries
145.
Indian Agriculture and WTO are they at odds
146.
A budget is a method of worrying both before you spend money as well as after
you have spent it
147.
If automobiles had followed the same development as computers, a Rolls Royce
would cost 100$, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year ki8lling every
one inside
148.
Are Indian stock markets a reliable source of funds for Indian companies
149.
Should we sacrifice human rights for winning the war on terrorism
150.
Indian politician cannot separate religion from politics
151.
The UN is dead. Long live the U N
152.
Sensex Is there another scam in the offing
153.
The move to create SAFTA on the lines of the EU is not a practical proposal. It
is doomed to fail
154.
Brazils move to finger print American tourists should be welcomed. India
should take similar stand
155.
The Nobel Prizes have become highly politicized. They no longer honour the
deserving
156.
Debit, and not credit cards, should be the future of plastic money in India
157.
The retail boom in India is coming at eh cost of the small trader. It will harm
the country in the long run
158.
China: Lessons for India to learn
159.
The proposal to use Indias foreign exchange reserves to fund infrastructure
development is fiscally imprudent.
160.
The print media, the biggest proponents of liberalization, should also be opened
to foreign competition