Well, it looks like you got through that aptitude test you were so edgy about. Phew! You can put your feet up on the table and relax now.
*Email notification*
No? Why do you look so anxious?
Group Discussion, you say.
Oh! Group Discussion. Chill-it! It’s all good in the hood. Let’s have a quick read about your prep strategy and you’ll be fine.

It’s okay if group discussions freak you out, it’s pretty normal to be anxious about making an impact in a group of 8-10 people you haven’t met before (oops). Anyway, brush that anxiety off and let’s get you a plan of action.

Prepping for your GD is simple, mainly it’s reading and re-reading. If you’re not much of a reader, thanks to YouTube, there is tonnes of information you can get by also watching videos.

To start off, where do you stand on the everyday know-how of important events around the world. If you’re high on all that information, re-reading and marking out all the important stuff is your best game plan. Also, don’t only read articles that are pro your ideas, also read what the antagonists have to say. This lets you in on what the counterpoints could be and you can plan your next move.

If you’ve been a happy sack in your own little bubble, it’s time to lace up your shoes and get out. Pick up the newspaper and feast on the tiny text. Make sure you read the front page news (duh!), world and city news and don’t miss out on the editorial section (best content for GD prep). For more in-depth information, you should pick up weekly magazines like Outlook, Open, The Week, India Today and Caravan.

For crucial events you missed out reading in the past year, you can google archives of newspaper and magazine articles and watch short news clips on YouTube (check out The Wire).

There are websites that often list GD topics that are popular in the coming interview period, click here and here to check some of those out, and you can also browse through InsideIIM’s GD Monday topics here.

Now that you know where to source your information from, start building on the habit of regularly reading and consuming the material. Download apps for quick news notifications and keep a few hours of your day set aside only for research.
Pro tip: Gather the gang (they’re probably stressing about GDs too) and practice mock sessions. Let someone take on the role of the moderator and you can switch roles with different topics. You’ll get feedback from your friends and it’s a great way to exchange information with each other. Lastly, breathe; you’ve got this.