GDPI Preparation for MBA Admission

Once the CAT exam has concluded, the next thing to be the focal point for the MBA aspirants should be GDPI preparation for MBA. Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) are two important stages of MBA admission in India. The weightage given to this parameter may differ from college to college. Therefore it is very important for MBA aspirants to be prepared in advance for their GD and PI. 

What is GDPI for MBA?

PI known as personal interview is an evaluation process conducted by the MBA colleges and is a one on one discussion with candidates. This assesses the communication skills, presence of mind and IQ of the students and how fit they are to join the MBA program. 

GD, also known as group discussion, judges the leadership skills of the students and their ability to work collaboratively and how strongly they put up their points in a discussion. 

How to Prepare for Group Discussion for MBA Admission?

• Must be aware of the current issues – Candidates must be aware of the current affairs and the ongoing happenings. You can stay updated by regularly reading newspapers and magazines.
• Be a good listener – Do remember GD is not only about voicing your own opinion but it is also about listening to other opinions respectfully. Therefore it is important for you to be a good listener during the group discussion. 
• Be polite – You must put up your points clearly and politely. Do not be aggressive and ensure that you deliver your thoughts with utmost clarity and respectfully.
• Do not be aggressive – Be patient and do not get into heated arguments with your peers. Keep this in mind that this is a professional discussion and not a debate.
• Back your points with  facts – Avoid generic discussions and provide facts on the pointers that you discuss.
• Well framed conclusion – Ensure that you give a well summarised conclusion and end it with valid points. Remember your last words will also matter.

How to prepare for PI for MBA Admission?

• Prepare a good introduction – One common thing expected for your personal interview is ‘Tell me about yourself’. So you should have a brief yet a good introduction for yourself. Your intro should have your academic achievements, interests and work experience. Be prepared for follow up questions from your introduction by your interviewer.
• Be honest – You should ensure that your answers are transparent and honest. Mind you if your interviewer gets an impression that you are lying then this will be a setback for you. 
• Be wise in hypothetical situations – Your interviewer might give you an hypothetical situation and might test your views on them. So you should wisely decide on the answer for such questions.
• Give real time examples – For any question asked, ensure that you cite an example to prove your point. Real time examples will give more weightage to your answer and will be more real.
• Research about the institute – Do a good research about the bschool that you are preparing for. Interviewers might come up with questions on Why do you want to pursue MBA from that particular institute.
• It’s okay to admit that you don’t know – Do not unnecessarily try to prove your point if you don’t know any answer to a question. With utmost sincerity you can admit that you don’t have an idea about the topic that has been asked. 

Expected PI questions for MBA Admission

Here are some questions that are commonly asked in the PI by the interviewers:

• Tell me about yourself
• Why did you choose MBA?
• Why should we select you?
• What are your hobbies?
• Why this college for MBA?
• What skills did you develop in your organisation?
• Tell me about the place where you live.

GDPI for MBA – Evaluation Criteria

There are several criteria on which an informed decision is made by the admission authorities for the final shortlisting of the candidates. Here are some of the important criteria that are evaluated during the GDPI for MBA admission.

GDPI Selection Criteria for MBA Admission