Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) are the next two big hurdles for the IIM aspirants. Deccan Herald spoke to some students already into IIMB to get a preview of the processes, and discovered that there is no exact time frame for GD and PI.
GD varies from one institution to another. For instance, one IIM may give a case for discussion while another may give only a topic. Some students had to write the summary of the GD. PI, the students said, was more of “knowing yourself” and “being confident.” 
Currently doing his Post Graduate programme at IIMB, Gautam Gurnani had found that the GD was essentially about a case study. “We were six people in the group and each of us gave our ideas. In GD it’s important not to fight but allow others to speak and express their opinions. Emphasis is more on listening and how one is open to other suggestions,” he said. The candidate will then have to summarise the entire discussion, including opinions of others as well.
Another IIMB student Pranav Narasimhan, who got 99.52 percentile and got call from all six IIMs, said it was important not to interrupt in a GD. “Give people as much space as you want,” he said. GD was not a debate and candidates had to handle it as business discussions.
Rohit Lohia, who scored 99.18 pc, emphasised on the need for candidates to relax in the GD.  “A common misconception about GD is that the more you speak the better. But, if one is able to express their idea then it should do,” he added.
With a high score of 99.97 percentile in last year’s CAT, Vivek Pabari was competent enough to comment on the GD process. “In three IIMs, the subject for the GD was case study and the remaining IIMs we were assigned topics including contemporary ones. In GD, it’s important to express oneself and be a leader,” he said.
In the interview, he said it was important to be honest. “One should not come across as arrogant.” The Interview usually depended on the candidates’ profile and institutions. For candidates with work experience, the questions would be more on work-related matters and in case of freshers, the focus would be more on academics.
For students such as Vivek, attending workshops designed for candidates who received IIM call letters helped a lot. “In these workshops, they point out the mistakes so that you won’t repeat in the GD or PI conducted by institutes,” he said.