Clearing the group discussion is the key to success in XLRI's selection process. For XAT 2024 aspirants, the review of GD topics over the last five years would help them prepare well and boost their confidence to handle this crucial stage with ease.
List of XLRI GD Topics from Past 5 Years: To get admitted into XLRI Jamshedpur MBA/PGDM in 2025, you will have to pass through three key stages: Group Discussion (GD), Writing Ability Test (WAT), and Personal Interview (PI). You will first cross the minimum XAT 2024 cutoff set by the institute. For the GD, the group is provided with a topic for 20–30 minutes and you would have a moment to collect your thoughts and then speak for a minute. Once everyone has had their turn, the group holds an open discussion. The topics vary from Politics to Economics, Philosophy, and Lifestyle, so be prepared for anything. Only those who clear each stage of the selection process will make it to the final merit list. Here is a list of XLRI GD topics from the past 5 years you can go through to ensure solid preparation.
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What is XLRI GD Round?
The GD round at XLRI Jamshedpur is an essential part of the admission process and is conducted in batches. Usually, 8-10 candidates are placed in a group and are given a topic to deliberate upon. During the discussion, various aspects are closely observed, including the relevance and strength of the arguments presented by each candidate, the validity of the points, and the tone and behaviour of the candidates. The GD session typically runs for 20-30 minutes, which gives all participants enough time to give their opinions.
What’s New for XLRI 2025 Admissions?
This year onwards, XLRI has initiated a context-based group discussion format with an additional analytical dimension to the process. Here is how it happens:
Context Introduction (3 minutes)
A candidate receives a brief literary excerpt or resources with which to prepare and refer.
During this initial step, you would analyse the material given to form a preliminary opinion about the situation.
Discussion Phase (15 minutes)
This is the heart of the session, where contestants discuss their views with other members. It is so important to present your arguments, listen actively to others, and build others' views to show collaborative qualities.
Takeaway Reflection (5 minutes)
At the end of the discussion, each participant shares their key insights or takeaways from the conversation. This phase helps evaluators gauge how well you’ve understood and reflected on the discussion.
Note: This revamped format tests not only your analytical and communication skills but also gives importance to teamwork, critical thinking, and reflection-very attributes sought after by XLRI
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Past Five Years Topics for XLRI GD Rounds
Here are some of the topics that were asked during GD rounds for the selection process at XLRI Jamshedpur. Candidates can take a look and prepare themselves accordingly.
Students with stellar academic records turn out to be average managers
Should dress codes be implemented in organizations?
Junk food decreases vitality and productivity. Should the government substantially increase taxes on junk food?
Trump is just another name for Modi
Monopolizing railways is bad
Should Sanskrit be made the national language of India?
The true guardian of democracy should be autocratic
Diversity in the workplace is overstated
Abortion should not be prohibited by law. It should be at the discretion of the mother.
Advertisement in print media has lost their relevance in the age of digital media
Capitalism and Democracy
Greatness is not in achieving some great position but in showing great character throughout life
One who does not recognize the inherent differences between men and women cannot be a good leader
Transition to industrial is necessary as agriculture contributes just 16% of the GDP
Is the culture of India identified largely as agrarian?
Does the ranking of business schools convey the true picture of management education in India?
Is religion an economic activity?
Do we have a morally corrupt system?
Could India replace China as the manufacturing hub in the near future?
Online existence is achieved at the cost of real-life achievement
5 years of service in rural India should be made compulsory post-MBA
Delayed justice is no justice
Money is the sole factor for progress and promotion in the workplace
The government is solely responsible for the growing unemployment in the country
Would Indian companies do better abroad
Nature is the longest-surviving and most sustainable business enterprise
A person's greatness in society is not defined by position but by character
Is absolute freedom of speech and expression a myth?
True democracy is a utopian concept
India’s Technical Education is a complete failure as it only produces managers.
Is Donald Trump good or bad for world peace?
Can women make better managers than men when given multiple tasks?
Is HR an important function or are technical people required in it or not
Are our industries staring at a future, where only robots will be employed?
All the topics differ and have a wide base for answering. The topics are not direct and consist of multiple layers and meanings. Hence, to appear for XLRI GD rounds, candidates must have a deep knowledge of all the topics, understanding, and factual information. While answering, candidates must be aware of making any statements facts, or numbers carefully. Hence, prepare well in advance for the XAT 2024 GD round.
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FAQs
Group discussions in XLRI often relate to socio-economic issues, current affairs, and business ethics. Trends are moving towards technological disruption, for example, AI, automation; sustainability and climate change; geopolitical tensions; and the impact of social media on society. Be prepared for discussions that challenge the thinking of individuals, create diverse perspectives, and enhance an understanding of the problems of the world.
XLRI shortlists a huge number of candidates for the interview process. For the 2024-2026 admissions, it is estimated that XLRI will interview around 2200-2800 candidates for different programs at both campuses. This includes PGDM (BM), PGDM (HRM), and so on. The shortlisting is done based on XAT scores and other criteria.
A safe XAT percentile for XLRI admissions usually falls in the 96-99 range. However, a 99+ score will considerably increase your chances, particularly for the BM program. The cutoffs change every year and depend on the performance of the applicant pool. Though a high percentile is essential, XLRI also looks at the academic background, work experience, and performance in GD/PI for final selection. Aiming above 96 percentile is a good benchmark.
While preparing for Group Discussions at XLRI, you will find four kinds of topics essentially:
- Factual: deals with current events, business trends, or economic issues.
- Abstract: Engage in imaginative or philosophical discussions.
- Case-based: Bring real-life problems that require analysis and solution.
- Controversial: No sure-shot answers to spark debates.
Yes, XLRI has a GD round for screening candidates for MBA admission. The group discussion round is conducted for 25-30 minutes where a group of students is given a topic on which they have to speak for a minute and then get into the discussion. The GD tests a candidate’s communication skills, knowledge of the topic, ability to think quickly, and more.
Here are some recent XLRI GD topics given to candidates during the selection process:
1. Students with stellar academic records turn out to be average managers
2. Should dress codes be implemented in organizations?
3. Monopolizing railways is bad
4. The true guardian of democracy should be autocratic in nature
5. Diversity in the workplace is overstated
Here are some mistakes to avoid in XLRI GD. Candidates who take note of these mistakes can improve their chances of getting selected for the MBA course at XLRI.
1. Don't hesitate to take the lead, if you know the topic.
2. Avoid taking the lead if you have no idea of the topic.
3. Don’t paraphrase someone else’s ideas.
4. Don’t interrupt others. Wait for the opportunity to speak.
5. Don't avoid eye contact with fellow candidates.
The 3 Cs of GD that every candidate must follow during the XLRI group discussion round are:
1. Clarity (how clearly you discuss the main points and put your ideas forward).
2. Content (how well-informed you are about the topics and the vertical depth in each point).
3. Confidence (how confident you sound while speaking).
Here are some tips to clear XLRI GD:
1. Research popular topics and get a clear understanding of them.
2. Take the lead if you know about the topic. However, if you are not sure of it, don’t initiate the conversation.
3. Respect the opinions of other candidates and communicate your perspective assertively, not aggressively.
4. Listen carefully when others are speaking, and then frame your response.
XAT Previous Year Question Paper
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