A Comprehensive Guide for Smart Preparation andWinning Performance in Personal Interviews and Group Discussions forJobs, MBA Entrance Tests and SSB Interviews

CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt Ltd

Dinesh Mathur VSM

Wing Commander (Retd.)

Dinesh Mathur VSM

Wing Commander (Retd.)

MasteringInterviews and

Group Discussions

9 789386 478566

ISBN: 978-93-86478-56-6

Fourth EditionFourthEdition

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A valuable for success in group discussions | personal interviews of all selection tests, including SSB, MBA entrance tests, etc.Latest like US–India Defence Relations, Brexit, LCA-Tejas, India and Olympic games, added.Latest frequently asked interview questions and latest group discussion topics

Mock group discussions and 27 detailed discussions updated in all topics

Valuable for success in selection interviewsSignificance of and techniques explained

handbook

WgCdr Dinesh Mathur VSM (Retd)is a senior selector and trainer on the faculty of a number of management and training institutes. He has conducted thousands of selection GDs/PIs. He has received Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) awarded by the President of India and Commendation by the Chief of the Air Staff. Besides this, he has written three other books:

, and .

Manual of Interviewing Techniques Eyes and Ears of Indian Air Force Handling Group Discussions

,

Fourth Edition

Mast e r i n gInterviews and

Group DiscussionsFOURTH EDITION

Forewords

VS BejoyDirector, AIMA

Anurag VohraManaging Director, Royal Bank of Scotland

Mast e r i n gInterviews and

Group DiscussionsFOURTH EDITION

Dinesh Mathur VSMWing Commander (Retd .)

Ind ian Air Fo rc e

CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt Ltd

New Delhi • Benga luru • Chenna i • Koc hi • Kolka ta • Mumb aiHydera b ad • Jha rkhand • Na gpur • Pa tna • Pune • Utta ra kha nd

ISBN: 978-93-86478-56-6

Copyright © Author and Publisher

Fourth Edition: 2018First Ed ition: 2011Second Ed ition: 2012

Reprint: 2014

Third Ed ition: 2016Revised and Abridg ed Ed ition: 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or byany means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information

storage and retrieval system without permission, in writing, from the authors and the publisher.

Published by Satish Kumar Jain and produced by Varun Jain for

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MasteringInterviews and

Group DiscussionsFo urth Ed ition

to

the fond memory of our dear sonUmang

who was a special child, confined to bed.His ever-smiling face,

despite his tremendous suffering,has encouraged me to

work under most difficult circumstances.He was a beautiful flower that bloomed for only

17 years, but his fragrance shall lingerin our hearts forever.

Foreword

To be successful in any academic or career environment, thecandidates should have the right knowledge, skill and

attitude sets. The knowledge level could be assessed throughacademic achievements or test results. However, skill andattitude components can be ascertained only through directinteraction with the candidates. To this end, group discussion(GD) and personal interview (PI) are the two tools which aretime-tested and being extensively used for job recruitment aswell as for admissions to higher professional education.

A large segment of the candidates lack the much neededinformation and source of guidance for GD and PI. This handicapcan quite often lead to non-achievement of the right career/course in time despite the necessary potential in the candidates.

Wing Commander (Retd.) Dinesh Mathur has made greatefforts to bring out a candidate-friendly publication to help outthe aspirants from various segments of the society despite theirurban–rural divide and/or technological divide.

This book provides critical hints, practical tips and guidanceto the candidates to enhance their performance in GDs and PIs.I am confident that the candidates will find this book very helpfulin preparing for GDs and PIs.

VS BejoyDirector

All India Management Association (AIMA)New Delhi

Foreword

M astering Interviews and Group Discussions is a new anddetailed guidebook compiled by Wing Commander

Dinesh Mathur for students seeking admissions in variousmanagement institutes or seeking entry level jobs. Most selectionprocesses entail GD/PI as essential tests to screen or selectcandidates. I am confident that the book would be of immensehelp to a wide set of readers, since not only does it provide adetailed analysis to highlight critical success factors, it alsoprovides refreshingly new insights into the same, and with thatit stands out from a lot of existing books on similar subjects. Thebook lays required stress on brushing-up general awareness andacquiring skills to effectively participate in GD/PI phase of theselection process. The book is quite easy to read, which is a nomean task given the subject area, and I would encourage readersto absorb it in its entirety.

Anurag VohraIIM Calcutta Alumnus

Managing DirectorRoyal Bank of Scotland

International Banking Technology Support

Preface to the Fourth Edit ion

This is the thoroughly revised and updated edition of the bookwhich focuses on laying the foundation of the planned strategy

to face interviews successfully and effectively participate incompetitive group discussions. Towards this aim, in Unit I a step-by-step approach to face interviews has been adopted to facilitate easyand fast track assimilation of this strategy by the students.Comprehensive tools for preparation and essential tips for puttingforth an improved performance have been included.

In Unit II of this book, detailed analysis to highlight critical successfactors to crack group discussions (GDs) have been included. MockGDs and expert comments highlight the finer aspects which providecrucial tips to ensure a winning performance. The book includesdetailed discussions on 27 significant current topics based on mostrecent developments in various fields of generic interest. It is hopedthat comprehension and adequate practice of discussing these topicswould sufficiently equip the students in their preparation for effectiveparticipation in GDs. Comprehensive lists of 500 Frequently AskedInterview Questions and 200 suggested GD topics have also beenincluded in this book for easy reference and guidance of students.However, students should make efforts to gather sufficientinformation and relevant data on these topics to update theirknowledge base.

This book aims to serve as a handy yet authentic guide to allstudents who have to face interviews and participate in groupdiscussions as a part of the selection/screening process forvarious entrance examinations as well as entry level jobs. Thereis a huge demand for a comprehensive book on the preparationfor interviews and group discussions. Hence this effort.

Wing Commander Dinesh Mathur VSM (Retd.)

A-3/ 110, Ja na kp uri, New Delhi 11 0058Mo b ile : 9811281391

email: d mma thur21@g ma il.c om

Since the book includes discussions on a large variety oftopics, the job entailed rummaging through voluminous data

and scattered commentaries on current topics published in dailynewspapers like The Hindustan Times and The Times of India andvarious other journals, to extract relevant information. Asobviously, such information cannot spring from any one sourceor an individual.

I would like to sincerely thank Madhvi and Sadhvi for helpingme collect the material from various sources in the preparationof the manuscript. Finally, I thank my wife Malka for extendingthe much needed support to complete this book despite severeconstraints of our lives.

Acknowledgments

Foreword by VS Bejoy viForeword by Anurag Vohra viiPreface to the Fourth Edition ix

Unit IInterviews

1. Interview Fundamentals 3

2. Defining an Interview 6

3. Communicating with the Employer: Your Manners, 8Conduct and Etiquette

4. What Interviewers Look for and Criteria of 10Selection in an Interview

5. Essential Preparation Required to Face an 12Interview

6. Facing an Interview 16

7. Do’s and Don’ts of an Interview 20

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) during an 22Interview

9. Trends of Interview Methods of Premier MBA 34Institutes

10. Tips on Body Language for an Effective 39Performance in an Interview

11. Ten Smart Tips for Managing Interview Stress 41

12. Services Selection Board (SSB) Interviews 43

Contents

Mastering Interviews and Group Discussionsxii Mastering Interviews and Group Discussionsxii

Unit IIGroup Discussions

Part IConc ept of a Group Disc ussion and

How to Effec tively Pa rtic ipate in a Group Disc ussion

13. Introduction to Small Group Interactions 53

14. Some Significant Aspects of a Group Discussion 59

15. Criteria for Assessment in a Group Discussion 64

16. Basic Elements of Group Discussions 6617. Essential Preparation Required for a Group 70

Discussion18. A Dozen Smart Hints for Excelling in Group 73

Discussions19. Conduct of Group Discussions in Services Selection 76

Boards

20. Role of Non-verbal Communication in Group 79Discussions

Pa rt II

Moc k Group Disc ussions

21. Will e-commerce Dominate the Indian Retail 83Business?

22. Can BRICS Pose a Formidable Challenge to the 88West?

23. Should We Allow Indians to Die with Dignity? 9224. Indo-Russian Relations in Present Times 9725. Are Slums Urban Eye Sores and Must be Removed? 10326. He/She Works, He Comes Back, She Comes Back 108

and Cooks27. Importance of Marketing 11228. How to Resolve the Kashmir Issue? 11729. India and the World Trade Organization 12330. Should India be Proud of its Democracy? 128

Contents xiii

Pa rt III

Deta iled Disc ussions on Signific ant Current Top ic s

31. US-India Defence Relations 13532. Britain’s Exit From EU (BREXIT) 13833. India’s Pride—LCA Tejas 14034. India and Olympic Games 14235. Indus Waters Treaty 14436. Role of Media in Moulding Public Opnion 14637. Significance of Indo-Japanese Relations 14838. Is Naxal Movement India’s Greatest Internal 150

Security Threat?39. Can Sri Lanka Resolve the Problem of Tamils? 15340. How should India Deal with China? 15841. Is Creation of Smaller States Desirable? 16142. After Information Technology, is Medical Tourism 164

All Set to Boom in India?43. Right to Information Empowers Aam Aadmi 16644. Should Students Participate in Active Politics? 16945. Can Reservation in Jobs Solve Problems of our 172

Society?46. Is Knowledge of Financial Management Essential 175

for All Managers?47. How Relevant and Effective is SAARC in the 177

Present Day?48. Is Advertising an Art to Promote Goods or an 179

Instrument to Mislead Unsuspecting Customers?49. Leaders are Born, Managers can be Trained 18250. Can Corruption be Eliminated from India? 18551. Will India ever Get rid of Terrorism and 188

Insurgency?52. Is IQ More Relevant than EQ for Success in 191

Management?

53. Should We Import Management Techniques to 194Manage Indians?

54. Is Capital Punishment Necessary in 21st Century? 19855. Are Women in Defence Forces a Misfit? 20056. Is the Internet a World of Hidden Opportunities 203

or a Den of Dangers?57. Should Right to Recall be Given to Indian Voters? 206

Pa rt IV

Suggested Top ic s for Preparation and Revision

58. Some Suggested Topics for Preparation 21159. Basics Recapitulated 218

Mastering Interviews and Group Discussionsxiv