CAT Group
Discussion: Do's and Don'ts
What is the CAT Group Discussion?
A 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, and is used as a tool for evaluating
candidates.
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.
Keep in mind, this is a simulated exercise,
where you cannot suddenly put up a show.
This lesson will outline group
discussion do's and don'ts to ensure a positive
outcome
Do's
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Be as natural as possible. |
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Be yourself. |
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A group discussion is your chance to be
more vocal. The evaluator wants to hear you speak. |
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Take time to organize your thoughts. Think
of what you are going to say. |
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Seek clarification if you have any doubts
regarding the subject. |
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Work out various strategies to help you
make an entry: initiate the discussion or agree with someone
else's point and then move onto express your
views. |
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Always be polite - Use phrases like: "I
would like to share my views on…" or "One
difference between your point and mine…" or "I beg
to differ with you." |
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Brush up on your leadership skills and be a
gate keeper; motivate the other members of the team to
speak. |
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Be receptive to others' opinions, show
interest, and fully engage in listening to their
comments. |
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Be aware of your body language - your
gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your
attitude than what you say. |
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If you have a group of like-minded friends,
you can have a mock group discussion where you can learn from
each other through giving and receiving feedback. |
Don'ts
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Don't try and be someone you're
not. |
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Don't start speaking until you have clearly
understood and analyzed the subject. |
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If you do not give valuable insights during
the discussion, all your efforts of initiating the discussion
will be in vain. |
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Do not dominating - try to maintain a
balanced tone in your discussion and analysis. |
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Don't lose your cool if anyone says
anything you object to. The key is to stay objective: Don't
take the discussion personally. |
Good luck with your CAT Group Discussion!
Reference:Ascent Education,
Image Credits: Jiscinfonet , Great Beyond, Bound for Freedom
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