SBI PO GD Tips and Tricks – Know Here

SBI PO GD Tips and Tricks: SBI conducted the SBI PO Mains 2023 on 30th Jan 2023. The result of the same is not out as of now. However, with the announcement of the result, candidates have to start preparing for the rounds that follow. These are the GD, Psychometric Test, and Interview. This blog will be focussing on the main tips and tricks for GD.

SBI PO GD Tips and Tricks

Group Discussion, commonly known as GD, is an assessment tool for corporations. GD in general refers to a group of people who gather and discuss a topic. The participants may be for or against the topic. In the case of recruitment, it is a great way of testing a candidate’s diplomacy, on-the-spot speaking and thinking skills, and presentation. It most importantly tests how the candidates work in a group to navigate a topic or problem and bring it to a satisfactory conclusion. The GD round may seem easy but it is quite important to get right. This blog will provide some vital SBI PO GD tips and tricks to help you boost your GD performance.

1. Appearance

Like an interview, keep your appearance professional. You will be assessed for everything, which includes the effort you put into your presentation as a professional. This does not mean that you dress fancy. Simple but practical clothes, look fresh, neat hair. Here are a few blogs to give you a better idea of what and how to prepare your look for a GD/interview:

2. Topics

The topics that may be provided for GD can be any. But mostly, the topics will be those that are based on current affairs. Here is a list of topics that can be asked:

1. Impact of CBDC on the financial system and economy of India 2. How Neo-banks are defining the future of Banking 3. Significance of India holding the G20 Presidency  4. E-Vehicles in India 5. How to reduce Carbon footprint 6. Challenges to the Indian Banking sector 7. Impact of 5G on the Global Economy 8. Inflation Impact on India 9. Adani Group fallout – Its impact on the Indian Economy 10. Union Budget 2023 – Pros and Cons 11. Work-life balance is a myth 12. Metaverse

13. Moonlighting 14. AI as the future 15. Cyberwarfare 16. Climate change – a Global threat 17. Social media and the spread of misinformation 18. Freebie politics in India 19. Depression & mental illness in India 20. Data privacy concerns. 21. Do brands rule our lives?  22. Should kids’ reality shows be banned? 23. Censorship of web series – Pros & Cons 24. Gig economy 25. Tech layoffs

These topics cover most of the very current issues that can be asked. It is best to read up on important points, facts, and data (if possible) on each. Here’s a blog for Important SBI PO GD topics:

3. SBI PO GD Talking Points Preparation

Before the GD begins, the candidates will be divided into groups. Candidates will then be given around 10 minutes to prepare talking points that they would like to present. They will also have to decide who begins and who concludes the discussion. These are a few vital points to keep in mind when doing this exercise:

• Make it in list form. Don’t use sentences, just write the keywords you can build on.
• Jot down points for the introduction. People who take the initiative to begin the discussion are immediate gainers. So if you’re taking the initiative to start, make sure you have solid points for that.
• Make sure your points provide a new perspective. There are points that everyone will have written. To stand out from the rest, you need to have points that only people will deeper knowledge and/or awareness may know.
• Stick to the topic. Whatever points you make should be relevant to the topic and not abstract. Deviation from the subject being discussed will lose you points.
• Quality over quantity. Having few but quality points will get you better results than having many redundant points. Focus on the material rather than the number of points.
• 5 W 1 H: The basics. What, Why, Who, When, Where, and How. With these sic query words you can draft six points instantly.
• Data: Since you have to make points on the spot, avoid specific data like percentages, numbers, ranks, etc. Of course, if you are very sure of the information, you can add it. But to avoid giving out wrong information, avoid pinpointed data.

4. Presentation

Now for the main event: the actual GD. Presenting this GD is not an individual task but the responsibility of the whole group. Here are a few pointers to make your GD more effective and communication smoother.

Beginning and Conclusion:

Decide on who opens the GD and who ends it. It is always difficult to start a group discussion when it is with strangers and that too assessed. But if you take the initiative to begin, it marks you out as a leader. Knowing how to succinctly wrap up a discussion is also a skill. So make sure to try and get to start or conclude the GD.

Point Presentation:

Don’t panic. Take your time to state your point because, in all, every member gets some 1-2 minutes to effectively state their point. Don’t waste it by jumping the gun and fumbling. Calmly state your view and ensure that you are heard.

Interrupting:

Here’s a video of what NOT to do in an SBI PO GD:

As you can see, it’s chaos. It’s very obvious that this is not something that is expected from a group discussion held for the recruitment to a prestigious organization like SBI. So-

• Make sure your group is not interrupting and cross-talking.
• When a member is presenting their point, make sure to listen, and then add or lay your counter-point.
• Speaking over someone else is a big no-no.
• What also makes a bad impression is a conversation between two members when another member is making their point. This shows disregard. So make sure to avoid that.
• Avoid correcting. In case someone has presented wrong data, interrupting and correcting them is in bad form. Instead, take your chance to speak next and present the correct data.

Body Language

The panel assessing your group will not just be paying attention to your points and verbal communication but also to your non-verbal body language. Here are a few tips to keep in mind during SBI PO GD for body language:

• Hands: Avoid moving your hands too much. This will distract you from your talking and shows nervousness. To avoid this, you can lay your hands flat on the table or hold them together. Practice speaking with your friends and family or in front of the mirror to note your habits.
• Expression: Since this is a discussion and not a debate, make sure that even if a member makes a point you heavily disagree with, you don’t show that on your face. Keep your expression open and neutral.
• Agreeing or making a counter-point: Avoid saying statements like “I agree” “I disagree” or something similar. Instead try and use phrases like: “To add to that”, “Another angle can be”, and “In my opinion”. These are more neutral and indicate that you are adding something different from what has been stated without agreeing or disagreeing with it. This works even if your point is in direct agreement or disagreement with the points stated.
• Tone: From the previous point, also make sure that your tone is genial. This is because this is a group discussion where you and your group mates have to discuss and reach a conclusion together. Aggressiveness or rude tones will mark you as uncooperative, which should be avoided.
• Eye-Contact: Make eye contact with your group members when you talk. Also, make eye contact when your group members are talking. This shows that you are an effective speaker and intent listener. Avoiding eye contact shows underconfidence.

Conclusion

Just as the discussion has an introduction, it should have a conclusion. Group members should decide in advance who will conclude the discussion. Or, if all points have been made and no one wishes to speak further, one person should take the initiative to summarise the discussion and conclude it with a statement. The statement should show both the pros and cons, not just one aspect of the topic.

5. Language

Language is not a major issue when it comes to communication. The candidates can express themselves in English or Hindi. However, this being the SBI PO GD, it is always preferred to use English. This is because there may be members who aren’t fluent in Hindi and/or may not understand it easily. It is preferred that candidates do the SBI PO GD in English.

SBI PO GD Tips and Tricks: Conclusion

So with the third phase of the SBI PO recruitment approaching, candidates should be prepared for the SBI PO group exercise, the SBI PO psychometric test, and the SBI PO interview. You have made it this far so make sure to not leave any stone unturned in preparation for this. For a comprehensive look at how an SBI PO GD roughly works and the ways to improve, refer to the following video:

SBI PO GD Tips and Tricks: Frequently Asked Questions

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