Extempore Speech in MBA Admissions: Topics, Tips

Some MBA colleges in India have made extempore speaking an integral part of the selection processes for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or other postgraduate programmes. Extempore is usually conducted as a part of the Personal Interview (PI) round of the MBA admission process.

Some colleges where Extempore is now being conducted for MBA admissions include International Management Institute (IMI), Delhi and Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi. IMI Delhi gives a 40% weightage to Extempore speaking while in FMS Delhi the weightage is 5%.

Candidates who are gearing up for MBA admissions at top colleges must be prepared for Extempore speaking. Check the extempore topics for MBA, the best tips for extempore speaking and other related information in this article.

What is Extempore?

Extempore speaking is a form of public speaking which is done without knowing the topic beforehand. Thus, extempore speech does not allow a speaker time to prepare for the topic.

In MBA admissions, candidates are asked to give a 1-2 minute long extempore speech. Usually, it is done before the personal Interview is conducted.

Extempore Process for MBA Admissions

The MBA extempore round is conducted in the following steps.

1. Candidates are given a random topic by the interviewer. The topic can be related to anything -- social issues, current affairs, economy, abstract topics etc.

2. The interviewer explains the time limit provided with the topic. Usually, 15 seconds are given to the candidate to gather their thoughts and 1 -2 minutes are given for the speech.

3. Candidates can explore the topic in any way that they want and have to limit their speech to the given time limit.

Skills Required for Exptempore Speaking

Extempore speaking is not necessarily used to test a candidate's theoretical or factual knowledge of any topic. It is mostly a test of a candidate's communication skills and confidence, which are two vital qualities for any manager. Given below are the key skills required for extempore speaking.

• Communication Skills

• Analytical Skills

• Clarity of Thought

• Confidence

Popular Extempore Topics for MBA

Candidates preparing for Extempore must take note of the popular MBA extempore topics as that can help them in the extempore speech. Most of the topics given in MBA extempores will be general topics that any candidate with even average level of general awareness would be able to tackle.

Current Affairs Topics for MBA Extempore

• Recent initiatives by the government

• India vs China

• Artificial Intelligence

• Privacy concerns with social media platforms

• Moon Mission

• Is India's space programme justified?

Social Issue Topics for MBA Extempore

• Subsidy in the fertilizer sector.

• Unemployment in India

• Beef ban in India

• Reservations in India

• Global terrorism

• Inefficacy of Indian education system

• Good economics is good politics

• Rural development

Economy-Related Topics or MBA Extempore

• Problems faced by the Indian power sector.

• Globalization

• Inflation or Growth

• Banking frauds

• Common currency in South Asia like in Europe

• Impact of demonetization

• Privatization of universities

Abstract Topics for MBA Extempore

• Optimism

• Namaste

• Zero vs Shunya

• Infinity

• Are scores a good measure of intelligence?

• Red vs Blue

• Ignorance is Bliss

Many of these topics have already appeared in the Extempore rounds of MBA colleges. Some of the given topics are taken from past examples and some are probably topics based on recent events and past trends.

Extempore Tips for MBA

Giving an extempore speech can be a bit difficult especially for a candidate who does not have well-developed soft skills. However, it is an admission round in which full marks can be obtained with minimal effort.

It is important to understand that in-depth knowledge of any subject is no required to deliver an Extempore speech. It can even be based on superficial knowledge about a topic and you are allowed to give your own opinions as well.

In an MBA extempore, having clarity and a well-defined structure will always be more important than flaunting your knowledge of the topic.

Here are some of the best tips to deliver a good extempore speech in MBA admissions.

• Improve your general awareness: Improving your General Awareness is an essential step for any MBA admission process. Being loosely familiar with an MBA extempore topic will help you in creating a base for your speech. Hence, you should be aware of the general happenings of national or international importance.

• Prepare an outline of the topic: During the time given to you, the first step would be to prepare an outline i.e. introduction, body and conclusion.
  The Introduction is an important part of the extempore as not only it can help you create a good first impression but it also forms the base to the body and the conclusion.

• Give facts and numbers if you have them: This is not necessary at all but if you have the exact facts or data related to a topic, do not hesitate to share it in your extempore speech. Factual data captures the attention of the listener and can help make your speech even more impressive.

• Stay calm and take your time: It is very important to have a clear head when delivering an extempore speech. Take the time given for preparation to arrange your thoughts and prepare small mental notes that will help you go through the entire speech.

• Do not rely on other people's process: Everybody's mind works differently and the way you might process and extempore speech may be vastly different than any other candidate. It is important to create your own process and be original in the speech.

• Practice Extempore Speaking: Choose any random topic and practice speaking on it for 2 - 3 minutes. This will help you create your own process as well as make you better at creating mental notes as well as speaking.

• Be clear when speaking: Your voice should be clearly audible the interviewer without being considered as shouting. Speaking clearly portrays confidence and can make a lot of difference even if you do not have much content to share.

• Be honest: It is better to not try to unnecessarily add data or content to your speech. Instead, focus on what you know and explain your opinion clearly to the interviewer.

• End on a positive note: It is generally better to end on a positive note when delivering an Extempore speech. If your topic is about a problem, end on a possible solution, if it is about a social evil, end on ways it can be remedied.

Check out our other related articles that will help you prepare for the MBA admission process. If you have any doubts, you can consult our experts on the CollegeDekho QnA Zone. For help with admissions, fill our Common Application Form (CAF) or call our toll-free student helpline number 1800-572-9877.