Group Discussion (GD) is a discussion by a group of people which involves an exchange of thoughts and ideas. Group Discussions are largely used by institutes where there is a high level of competition. The number of participants in a group may vary from 8 to 15 people. In most cases a topic or a situation is given to the group and the members have to discuss it within a given period of time. It is a methodology used by an organization to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills that it desires in its members. In this methodology, the group of candidates is given a topic or a situation, given a few minutes to think about the same, and then asked to discuss it among themselves for 15-20 minutes.

What the Panel Looks for
All that one observes in a GD can be categorized into two broad areas: the Content and the Process. The content is all about the matter (or the 'what') spoken in the GD. Whereas, the process refers to the 'how', 'when' and 'why' of the GD. Both are equally important and need adequate attention at all stages. A high quality contribution with no regard to the 'process' is as suicidal as one which is high on packaging with little content. Skills of an Individual that are Judged in Group Discussion are:

• How good you are at communication with others.
• How you behave and interact with group.
• How open minded are you.
• Your listening skill.
• How you put forward your views.
• Your leadership and decision making skills.
• Your analysis skill and subject knowledge.
• Problem solving and critical thinking skill.
• Your attitude and confidence.