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Group Discussions are nearly ubiquitous for all Interviews that a CA Fresher faces.
One of my seniors advised me once - "Group Discussions are a pretty Organised mass slaughter".
Most Group Discussions have much less than a 25% passing rate i.e best 2 applicants out of eight qualify for the next round. GD in CA Interviews commonly focuses on the technical & problem-fixing competencies of the applicants. But you require command over your voice & a character to influence the discussion towards you.
Most GDs turn out to be a fish market, there will usually be that single man or woman who is getting to dominate the complete discussion and there will usually be instances where the undeserving applicants get selected.
So cracking a Group Discussion needs proper guidance and a lot of practice. In order to achieve it, first, we need to know what exactly are the topics that can be asked for a group discussion.
Common Group Discussion Topics for CA
In CA Interviews, Group Discussions are often classified into 2 categories:
- General Topics
- Case Study Topics
1. General topics
Here the companies give either an easy topic or a Technical Topic to debate
a) Simple Topics - These aren't usually asked in the CA Interviews. Sometimes there can be few current affairs that are asked as Group Discussion topics.
The following are such examples
- Goldman Sacs - Should Uniforms be made obligatory in Work Places
- Olam International (Multiple Rounds of GD) - Are CAs' better than MBAs'?
- Vedanta - Apple is more about Status symbols instead of Innovation.
b) Technical Topics - Most Group Discussion Rounds have a Technical Topic.
- Vedanta - Role of Mining & Extraction in India's GDP (It was given due to the fact Vedanta is engaged in the business of Extraction of Minerals)
- Vedanta - is that the business version of Reliance Jio sustainable?
Other Hot Topics -
2. Case Study topics
Most of the companies recruiting for high-paying positions (Eg - Deloitte, ITC, BPCL, ABG, Marico, etc.) deliver a Case Study in the Group Discussion round in place of asking a Generic Topic.
For the CA Freshers who have not really mastered a Case Study, this may be pretty overwhelming.
Try to swim against the Flow
Once Maruti Co. asked this topic "GST is beneficial for the economy" during their Campus placements. Everyone supported it stating that it is going to be enhancing the GDP, a friend of mine became the only one to oppose it announcing that its impact on the Economy is uncertain as of now. Even though she raised a liability, having taken an opposing view helped her rating better in the discussion.
Think out of the Box
The judges sitting out there are not professionals, they are the directors of the company who're being attentive to equal points. Feed them something different. In the ITC Case Study, we had been requested to pick out the best man or woman to lead a set of stranded passengers on a crashed flight. There was a commando among the passengers. Everyone had haunted the placement that the Pilot became skilled and could lead the institution. But a friend of mine, who was silent for the complete discussion, apart from that one minute where he keeps on argued that Commandos are given guerrilla training and are known for his or her passion, dedication & integrity and hence that commando became the proper man or woman to steer the institution.
Gain the eye of the Judges
In the BPCL Interview, we were given a case study on the manner to select ethics over your job security. Everyone was arguing at the same factors on a way to develop Goodwill & how Ethics in valued in CA Profession. During my very personal turn, I raised the practical components of the way that is frequently now no longer viable in the world, and that we have to look for a workaround that's both ethical & might additionally save my own job. The applicants sitting beside me lauded me after the interview for the points I had raised however when the results were out, I was rejected. The cause being I became the ultimate one to elevate my point & I became not loud enough for the judges to be attentive towards me. So gaining attention is very important irrespective of the amount of knowledge an individual has.
Speak Up
The primary applicants who get rejected are those who do not even speak. Take that braveness and acquire from your shell, and show your views on the matter.
Conclusion
Give a concise summary of the group discussion. Prepare well and have the right subject knowledge. The group discussion may be a wonderful medium to broaden and enhance leadership and overall communication skills by the side of showcasing your domain knowledge. This is the reason maximum companies have a set discussion session as part of their hiring process. Speak only when relevant. Your overall personality and knowledge-based talent level may be judged by comparing your overall performance in a group discussion. So prepare well and with confidence, get ahead for your profession with all the mentioned group discussion tips.
All The Best !!
