exampilot.ai

Group discussion guide

Group discussion topics for interview, 2026: 45 current GD topics with points for and against, and GD scoring

Group discussion topics for interview rounds in 2026 come from five families: the economy, technology and AI, society, abstract one-liners and short case studies. Campus recruiters, B-schools and SBI's Group Exercise all use them to see how you think out loud with seven to twelve strangers for fifteen to twenty minutes. This page gives you 45 current topics with two or three talking points for and against each, how a GD is actually scored, opening and closing lines you can adapt, the do's and don'ts that separate a 7 from a 4, and what the ExamPilot AI group discussion checks when you practise.

English Updated 2026-10-14 AI voice lessons inside
Practise a GD with AI participants

Where group discussions are used in India, and the format

Campus placements at IT services and consulting firms sometimes add a GD between the online test and the interviews to cut large shortlists. B-schools use a GD or a written ability test before the personal interview. SBI PO's Phase III includes a Group Exercise of 20 marks alongside a 30-mark interview, with the combined 50 scaled to 25 of the final 100, as per the latest advertisement; IBPS PO has no GD and goes straight to a 100-mark interview. PSU recruitment after GATE often has a GD or group task before the PI. Private banks, FMCG sales roles and some government fellowships also use them. Check the current notification for whether your exam includes one and what it weighs.

The format is stable: eight to twelve candidates seated in a semicircle, a topic announced (sometimes on a slip, sometimes read out), two to five minutes to think and jot points, then twelve to twenty minutes of discussion while two or three assessors mark silently. Some panels ask for a summary at the end from one or two candidates. Case-based GDs give you a short situation on paper and ask the group to reach a recommendation.

How a GD is scored

Assessors are not counting how many times you spoke. Most marking sheets have five or six columns, and a candidate who spoke three times with substance usually outscores one who spoke eight times with noise. The columns vary by recruiter but almost always include these.

ParameterWhat earns marksWhat loses marks
Content and knowledgeFacts, a number, a named policy or example, a clear positionGeneralities, repeating what the last speaker said
Analysis and reasoningBreaking the topic into parts, cause and effect, weighing both sidesSticking to one line without development
CommunicationClear, audible, concise points in simple English; one idea per entryLong monologues, mumbling, grammar that hides the point
Listening and buildingReferring to others by what they said, extending or politely counteringInterrupting, talking over, ignoring the group
Group behaviour and leadershipOpening well, bringing in quiet members, steering back on track, summarisingDominating, shouting, side conversations, aggression
Body languageEye contact with the group, open posture, calm handsLooking only at the assessors, pointing, leaning back

The two-point rule

Aim for three to five entries of 20 to 40 seconds each, every one with a new point or a genuine build on someone else's. Two strong entries beat six weak ones. If you have said your point, stop; do not add 'and so on' or repeat it in different words.

Economy and business topics (10)

Each topic below carries two or three points for and against. Use them as a starting kit, not a script; add one current example from the week's news before you walk in.

TopicPoints forPoints against
Is India's growth creating enough jobs?Services exports, GCCs and startups add high-skill jobs; infrastructure spend creates construction work; formalisation is rising.Manufacturing share of GDP is flat; much new work is gig and informal; graduate unemployment remains high in several states.
Should India introduce a universal basic income?Simplifies a leaky subsidy system; direct cash shown to improve nutrition and small enterprise in pilots; supports gig workers.Fiscal cost is enormous; may reduce labour participation; targeted transfers via DBT already reach most beneficiaries.
GST at nine years: success or still work in progress?One national market, higher compliance and collections, input credit chain reduces cascading.Multiple slabs remain confusing; small businesses struggle with filing; petroleum and alcohol still outside.
Freebies versus welfare: where is the line?Welfare on education, health and food builds human capital and is a state's duty.Unfunded free electricity and cash schemes strain state budgets and crowd out capital spending.
Should India move to a four-day work week?Evidence of equal output with better wellbeing abroad; attracts talent; reduces commuting load on cities.Hard for manufacturing, healthcare and retail; India's output per worker is still low; may push work into longer days.
Startup funding winter: correction or crisis?Correction after excess; forces unit economics; strong companies still raise.Lay-offs hurt young workers; founders from smaller cities find capital hardest; investors concentrate in a few sectors.
Is the gig economy good for Indian workers?Flexible income for millions; low entry barrier; social security code now covers gig workers on paper.No fixed income, long hours, algorithmic deactivation; benefits still patchy in practice.
Should cryptocurrencies be banned, regulated or ignored?Regulation protects investors and taxes gains; blockchain has real uses; bans push activity offshore.Volatility and fraud harm retail investors; energy use; conflicts with monetary control; RBI's CBDC is a safer path.
Make in India: are we a manufacturing hub yet?Electronics and mobile assembly exports grew sharply; PLI schemes attracted global firms; defence exports rising.Value addition is still low; land, labour and logistics costs; MSMEs face credit and compliance barriers.
Should the retirement age be raised?Longer lifespans; experienced workers retained; eases pension burden.Blocks youth hiring in a young country; many jobs are physically demanding; productivity in some roles declines.

Technology and AI topics (10)

TopicPoints forPoints against
Will AI take away more jobs than it creates in India?Entry-level coding, support and content roles are already shrinking; IT services hiring of freshers has slowed.Every technology wave created new roles; AI raises productivity and lowers the cost of services; demand for AI-literate workers is rising.
Should AI-generated content be labelled by law?Deepfakes damage elections and reputations; consumers deserve to know; platforms already have the tools.Hard to enforce; labelling can be stripped; may stifle creative and assistive uses.
Is social media doing more harm than good to young Indians?Attention, sleep and mental health effects; misinformation; comparison culture.Learning, careers and small businesses run on it; connects rural youth to opportunity; moderation is improving.
Should India build its own foundation AI models?Strategic independence; Indian languages and contexts underserved; government compute missions are funding it.Enormous cost; open models already exist; better to build applications on top than compete at the base layer.
Work from home versus return to officeProductivity held up; saves commute and real estate; opens jobs to smaller cities and caregivers.Mentoring and culture suffer; collaboration is slower; many firms have recalled staff.
Is digital payments growth leaving anyone behind?UPI scale is unmatched; zero-cost transfers; formalises small merchants.Elderly and non-smartphone users; fraud and scams rising; outages hit small sellers hardest.
Should coding be compulsory in school?Computational thinking is a basic skill; early exposure widens access; cheap to teach with free tools.Teacher shortage; adds load to an overfull curriculum; AI tools reduce the need to write code by hand.
Data privacy versus national securityThe data protection law gives citizens rights; surveillance without limits chills speech.Security agencies need lawful access; terror and cyber threats are real; the law already provides exemptions.
Electric vehicles: ready for mass adoption in India?Two-wheeler EV sales are strong; falling battery costs; cleaner cities.Charging and grid gaps; subsidies being phased down; battery recycling and fires are unresolved.
Will AI tutors replace teachers?Personalised pace, available at night, cheap at scale, especially where teachers are scarce.Motivation, discipline and care are human; access gaps; risk of over-reliance and wrong answers.

Society, education and governance topics (10)

TopicPoints forPoints against
Is the NEP 2020 changing Indian education for the better?Multidisciplinary degrees, multiple entry and exit, mother-tongue early schooling, focus on skills.Uneven implementation across states; teacher training lagging; four-year degrees strain colleges.
Should entrance exams like NEET and JEE be replaced by board marks?Reduces coaching dependence and student stress; boards reflect two years of work.Board standards vary widely across states; paper leaks and grading differences; a common test is fairer across boards.
Reservation in private sector jobs: yes or no?Public jobs are shrinking; representation in corporate India remains low; some states have tried domicile quotas.Merit and competitiveness concerns; may push companies to other states; better to invest in education and skilling.
Is India doing enough on women's safety and workforce participation?Female labour participation has risen in recent surveys; maternity benefits and POSH law exist; more women in STEM.Participation still far below peers; safety concerns limit night work; unpaid care work falls on women.
Should voting be compulsory in India?Higher turnout improves legitimacy; makes parties address all voters.Freedom includes the right not to vote; enforcement is impractical; forced votes may be uninformed.
Paper leaks: can exams be made leak-proof?Computer-based tests, question banks, strict laws now in force, shorter windows.Insider networks, pressure of lakhs of candidates, technology itself can fail; trust is hard to rebuild.
Are Indian cities liveable?Metro expansion, digital services, job growth, improving air action plans in some cities.Floods, traffic, air quality, unaffordable housing; urban local bodies lack funds and powers.
Should the legal drinking or driving age be changed?Uniform national rules reduce confusion; aligns with adulthood at 18 for other rights.Road deaths among young drivers; states have different cultures and should decide.
Mental health in colleges: whose responsibility?Institutions must provide counsellors and reduce academic overload; peers can be trained.Families and students also bear responsibility; stigma is the bigger barrier; counsellors are scarce.
Should India have a uniform civil code?Equality before law; the Constitution's directive principle; some states have moved on it.Diversity of personal laws; consultation and consensus take time; risk of alienating communities.

Stay balanced on political topics

Assessors mark reasoning, not allegiance. On reservation, civil code, freebies or any topic that touches party positions, present both sides, cite a fact or a commission, and avoid attacking any community or party. A balanced two-point entry scores; a slogan does not.

Abstract topics (8)

Abstract topics test whether you can build structure from nothing. The method is: define the phrase in one sentence, give it two or three interpretations (personal, business, national), and attach one example to each. Do not spend the whole GD arguing about what it means.

TopicInterpretations you can open withExample to attach
RedDanger and warnings; passion and energy; loss on a balance sheet; the colour of signals and of celebration.A startup that ignored red flags in its unit economics; a red signal that prevents a train accident.
ZeroA starting point; the Indian contribution to mathematics; zero tolerance; net zero emissions.Zero-balance bank accounts under Jan Dhan; India's net-zero 2070 target.
WallsProtection versus isolation; firewalls; trade barriers; social walls between communities.Tariff walls and their effect on prices; paywalls and access to knowledge.
Slow is fastQuality over haste; compounding; the tortoise; also the cost of delay in projects.A metro built late but safely; a product launched fast and recalled.
MirrorSelf-reflection; media as society's mirror; reflecting versus creating.Social media feeds that only reflect our views back; a performance review as a mirror.
Every cloud has a silver liningOpportunity in crisis; but also denial of real harm.Pandemic-era digital adoption; farmers whose crops were lost get no silver lining without insurance.
BlackAbsence or completeness; black money; black box of AI; the colour of formal wear.Demonetisation's goal versus outcome; explainability in AI decisions.
Winning is not everythingProcess, ethics, learning from loss; but competition drives performance.An athlete who was stripped of a medal for doping; a company that won market share by burning cash.

Case-based GD topics (7)

In a case-based GD the group gets a short situation and must agree on a recommendation. The assessors watch for whether you identify the real problem, list options, weigh them against a criterion (cost, fairness, time, risk) and move the group to a decision. State the criterion out loud; most groups skip it and then argue in circles.

CaseOptions to put on the tableA criterion to decide by
A factory in a small town is the main employer but pollutes the river. The pollution board orders a shutdown.Shut down; phase out with a treatment plant and a deadline; relocate; subsidise clean technology.Public health first, then jobs: a time-bound treatment plan with monitoring.
Your team's best performer is rude to juniors and two have resigned. You are the manager.Warn and coach; move them to an individual role; let them go; restructure the team.Long-term team output and retention, not one person's numbers.
A college must choose between a new library and a new sports complex with one budget.Library; sports; a shared multi-use building; phased spending; alumni funding for one.Which serves more students more often, and what the accreditation requires.
A food-delivery company is losing money on every order in small towns.Raise delivery fees; exit small towns; move to a subscription; cut rider pay; partner with local kiranas.Unit economics within twelve months without destroying the rider base.
A bank branch manager finds a long-time clerk has been adjusting small cash shortages from his own pocket.Report to vigilance; counsel and record; audit all entries; transfer.Integrity of records and policy compliance, with fairness in process.
A state government wants to make a local language compulsory in all private schools from Class 1.Compulsory as a subject; optional; compulsory only in state board schools; phased in.Learning outcomes and migrant families' needs, with the constitutional language provisions.
Your startup has three months of cash. A large client offers a contract that will take the whole team off your product.Take it; negotiate a smaller scope; raise bridge funding; shut the product.Survival first, but with a written path back to the product.

Opening and closing lines you can adapt

Opening a GD earns marks only if the opening is good. A weak opener who merely repeats the topic scores lower than a strong second speaker. If you are not sure of the topic, let someone else open and come in second with structure.

  • Define and divide: 'Good morning everyone. The topic has two parts: whether AI reduces jobs, and whether it creates new ones. Let me take the first and suggest we come to the second after.'
  • Lead with a fact: 'To set context, fresher hiring at the top four IT services firms fell sharply in the last two years while demand for AI skills grew. That tension is the heart of this topic.'
  • Frame with a criterion: 'Before we take sides, can we agree on how we judge this? I suggest we judge by the effect on the average Indian worker, not on the economy as a whole.'
  • Open an abstract topic: 'Red can mean danger, passion or loss. I want to take the danger meaning first, because warnings that are ignored is a pattern we see in business and in public life.'
  • Build on someone: 'Priya made the point about fiscal cost. I agree, and I want to add that the money is not the only constraint; delivery capacity is.'
  • Counter politely: 'I see it differently from Arjun. The data from the pilot in Madhya Pradesh showed the opposite, that cash transfers increased work, not reduced it.'
  • Bring in a quiet member: 'We have not heard from Sneha yet. Sneha, what is your view on the enforcement question?'
  • Steer back: 'We have spent five minutes on one example. Can we return to the second part of the topic, which is what the alternatives are?'
  • Close with a summary: 'To summarise the group: we agreed that AI will replace some entry-level roles, that new roles will emerge but with a lag, and that the real issue is reskilling. The group's view is that policy should focus on that lag.'
  • Close when there is no consensus: 'The group did not reach one view. The majority felt regulation should come first, and two members felt the technology is too early to regulate. Both positions were supported with examples.'

Do's and don'ts of a group discussion

DoDon't
Use the thinking time to write three points and one example.Spend the thinking time rehearsing your opening sentence.
Enter early with one strong point, within the first two or three speakers.Wait for a perfect gap; it never comes in a group of ten.
Speak to the group and make eye contact across the semicircle.Speak to the assessors or stare at one person.
Use names: 'As Rahul said'. It shows listening and earns building marks.Say 'the person who spoke before' or interrupt mid-sentence.
Bring a number or a named example to each entry.Say 'according to a survey' with no source.
Keep each entry to 20 to 40 seconds.Deliver a two-minute speech; the group will cut you off.
Disagree with the idea, politely and briefly.Disagree with the person, raise your voice, or use 'you are wrong'.
Summarise if the group is drifting or at the end if asked.Announce yourself as the leader or ask the group to vote on who leads.
Keep simple, clear English; Hindi words are fine if the panel allows.Use jargon or quotations you half-remember.
Sit upright, hands visible, no pen-tapping.Lean back, cross arms, point at people or look at the clock.

If the GD is part of a selection where an interview follows, remember that the assessors carry an impression into the PI. A calm, factual GD performance makes the interview warmer. For the questions that follow, prepare with HR interview questions with answers and tell me about yourself.

What the ExamPilot AI group discussion checks

In the ExamPilot GD practice, you join a voice discussion with AI participants who behave like real candidates: one dominates, one is quiet, one builds on others, and a moderator announces the topic and keeps time. You speak out loud for twelve to fifteen minutes on a topic from the families above, including abstract and case-based ones, and you get a scored transcript afterwards.

  • Entries: how many times you spoke, how long each entry ran, and whether each added a new point or a build.
  • Content: facts, examples and numbers detected in your entries, and whether both sides of the topic were acknowledged.
  • Listening: references to other participants by name or by their point, and whether you countered or extended them.
  • Group behaviour: whether you opened, steered, invited a quiet member or summarised, and whether you interrupted.
  • Language: clarity, filler words, sentence length and pace, so a Hindi-medium candidate can see exactly which sentences lost the group.
  • A one-paragraph rewrite of your best entry, showing how the same point could have been made in 30 seconds.

Start with Group Discussion Basics if this is your first GD, move to Case-Based and Abstract GD for the harder formats, and if your GD is for SBI PO, a B-school or a campus drive, GD for Bank, MBA and Campus Selection uses that exam's format and timing. The whole Group Discussion and Extempore category is listed in one place.

Practise out loud

Practise a GD with AI participants

Join a voice group discussion with AI participants and a moderator on a current topic, then get a scored transcript on content, listening, group behaviour and language.

Group Discussion Basics · 8 lessons

Read how this interview works

Frequently asked questions

What are the latest group discussion topics for 2026?
The topics recruiters are using in 2026 cluster around AI and jobs, the labelling of AI-generated content, work from home versus office, the gig economy and the social security code, paper leaks and exam reform, NEP implementation, the startup funding correction, EV adoption, a uniform civil code, and the usual abstract one-liners such as Red, Zero and Walls. All 45 on this page come with points for and against; add one example from the week's news to each before your GD.
How is a group discussion scored?
On five or six parameters: content and knowledge, analysis, communication, listening and building on others, group behaviour and leadership, and body language. Assessors mark silently during the discussion. The number of times you speak is not a parameter; the quality of each entry and how it moved the group is. Three to five substantive entries of 20 to 40 seconds each is the usual range of a high scorer.
Is it good to start the group discussion?
Only if your opening adds structure or a fact. A good opener defines the topic, divides it into parts or offers a criterion for judging it, and earns leadership marks. A weak opener who repeats the topic and gives a vague opinion scores lower than a strong second or third speaker. If you are unsure of the topic, let someone else open and enter second with a clear point.
How many times should I speak in a GD?
Three to five times in a fifteen-minute discussion with ten participants, with each entry bringing a new point, an example, a build on someone else's point, or a summary. Speaking more than that in a group of ten usually means you are interrupting or repeating. Speaking once or not at all is scored as absence, no matter how good the single point was.
Which exams and companies have a GD round?
SBI PO Phase III has a 20-mark Group Exercise with the 30-mark interview, as per the latest advertisement. Many B-schools use a GD or WAT before the PI. Several PSUs hold a GD or group task after GATE shortlisting. IT services, consulting, FMCG and private-bank campus drives sometimes add a GD to cut large shortlists. IBPS PO, most state PSCs and UPSC have no GD. Always check the current notification for your exam.
What should I do if I know nothing about the GD topic?
Use the thinking time to break the topic into parts (who is affected, costs and benefits, short term and long term) and listen to the first two speakers for facts. Then enter with a structuring point: 'We have heard two examples; can we separate the economic effect from the social one?' Structuring and summarising earn marks even when you have no facts. Never bluff a statistic.
Can I speak in Hindi in a group discussion?
Most campus and B-school GDs are in English because communication in English is being assessed. Bank Group Exercises generally allow Hindi or English, and some panels permit a mix. If the panel allows it, a clear Hindi point beats broken English. If English is required, use short sentences, one idea per entry, and practise the sentence patterns first in the Group Discussion Basics course.

Official sources