I am sure you are aware of  selection procedure of SBI PO. After clearing Phase I i.e. the written round, you will be required to go through a group discussion and personal interview round (Phase II). You will be gauged on few important personality traits like

• Whether you are capable of handling the responsibility this job will bestow upon you
• If you can keep calm under adverse situations
• Your command over the language
• How updated are you about the current happening in and around the world, and most importantly
• Your leadership quality.

Let’s first talk about how a group discussion round usually takes place. In a Group Discussion a group of candidates, usually 10- 15, are supposed to discuss a given topic. There will be a panel of members who will judge your performance. A lot of importance is given to this round as your team handling, compatibility  and leadership skills are evaluated in this round. If you do fairly well in this round, your chances of bagging the job surges ahead.

Follow these guidelines to crack SBI PO Group Discussion round :

1. Keep abreast of current affairs

Staying up to date with current news and events is a never-ending process. However, you can keep a close tab at the important events of the recent times and prepare notes on them. It’s always better to provide the statistics (if you remember any) and highlight the pros and cons of the topic given. You can debate on a particular topic if you have read about it otherwise it would be quite embarrassing to repeat what others have said. Of course keeping mum is not an option. So try to keep up with as much information on the latest happenings and also on general topics as you can.

You can use quotations, proverbs, idioms,questions etc. This not only give you more time to think but also makes your discussion points interesting.

2. Discussion skills

Remember, it is not a ‘debate’. You are supposed to discuss the topic and not have a debate on it. When you will be given a topic some people will speak in  favour of the topic, some against it. It is important to keep in mind that the panel members are there to not only judge your knowledge on the topic but also how well you put across your thoughts to other people. If you have a fair idea on the topic , try to initiate the discussion, it will be a major advantage. Seldom people forget to summarise the discussion at the end of Group Discussion.Take the opportunity to summarise what the members have discussed in a nutshell.

3. Be patient and calm 

 If you are not well acquainted with the topic or you think you won’t be able to talk for long, it is always sensible to listen to others. You can remember the important points and take cues from them and elaborate. Also appreciate the good points others have made. you can criticise if you think someone has made a-not-so-sensible-point-in- your-opinion. This conveys that you were listening to others avidly as well as have an opinion of your own.

4. Be confident

Don’t be frightened to put forward your opinion on a particular topic. Be confident (at least pretend) and maintain eye contact with team members at all the time. Don’t feel shy to share your opinion.

5. Time

You will be allotted a specific time period to complete the group discussion. Depending on the number of students you need to finish the discussion in the allocated time. Do not think that if you speak longer you will fetch you more marks. Be precise and clearly put your points across.

6.Follow the rules

You would get to know about  the rules and regulations of the round before the group discussion start. It is recommended to follow all the rules set by the panel at all the time.

7. Body language

 Be careful with your gestures and tone. The group discussion is supposed to test how persuasive you are when working in a team. This would be a handy skill once you start working. So don’t get rude, offensive or aggressive.

8. Dress properly

Proper formal attire is what you need to don on the day of your group discussion round. Try selecting light and soothing colours. Make sure the your dress is clean and ironed.

Some relevant things to keep a note of

• Reach the venue on time.
• Always carry a pen and a notebook. You can jot down important points as soon as you are allotted the topics.

Note that the SBI PO group discussion round is of 20 marks.