How to Prepare for GD, PI, WAT Rounds for MBA Admission?

How to Prepare for GD, PI, and WAT rounds for MBA admission is a major concern that lingers in all MBA aspirants. This is because, for MBA admission, qualifying for the entrance examinations is only the first step. The qualified candidates must also qualify for the GD, PI and WAT rounds to secure admission. The answer to this concern is that you must start preparing for these ahead of time and hone the necessary skills each round demands. 

MBA entrance examinations like CAT, XAT and MAT are only to shortlist you among the lakhs of aspirants who appear for the exam. The actual selection for admission happens through the GD, PI and WAT rounds. Knowing how to prepare for GD, PI, WAT rounds for MBA admission includes knowing the criteria for each of these rounds, the skills they demand, and the probable topics and questions. 

What are GD, PI and WAT? 

In MBA admission, GD refers to the Group Discussion round, PI refers to the Personal Interview round, WAT refers to the Written Ability Test round. MBA institutes either have all three rounds or choose to have one or two. First, we’ll look at what these rounds usually consist of and how to prepare and perform well. 

MBA Group Discussion (GD) Round

The GD round has been integral for college admission and company recruitment processes. The GD round aims to test the candidates’ communication, thought processes, leadership and teamwork skills. 

Important Topics for GD Round

We have compiled a list of probable GD Topics for MBA Admission to give you an idea of the topics for the GD round. 

1. Global Climate Crisis: India Leadership
2. Covid-19 Wave
3. Economic Survey
4. Coal Crisis in India
5. Privatisation of Public Sector in India
6. Are Stock Market & Economy Not Co-related?
7. Budget 2023: Will it Propel Economic Growth
8. Repealing of Farm Bills
9. Are Stock Market & Economy Not Co-related?
10. Facebook Rebrands to Meta: What is Metaverse & Augmented Reality Cryptocurrencies and NFTs: Real Revolution or Just a Bubble?

Important Tips for GD Round

The following are a few preparation tips and pointers to follow during the GD round.

• Be updated with the current political, social, technological and economic affairs.
• Be confident and assertive while delivering your ideas and statements.
• When given a topic to discuss, pick one side and make sure your statements align with that throughout the discussion.
• Don’t try to give false or incorrect information. Only state facts and make statements that are correct and true. 
• Do not try to overlap others when they’re talking. Be patient, listen and let them finish discussing before you contribute to the group discussion. 
• Approach the discussion with logic and clarity. Do not contradict your previous statements. 

MBA Personal Interview (PI) Round

In the Personal Interview round, a panel will interview candidates. The panel usually asks questions that test the knowledge and capabilities of the candidates. They also look into previous academic, internship and job records. 

Important Topics for PI Round

Personal Interview (PI) is a significant factor in MBA admissions. PI questions aren't tricky, but answering them with wit, positivity, and subtlety gives students an edge. The following are 10 potential discussion points for an MBA admissions PI:

1. Why MBA?
2. Introduction about yourself
3. Past Academic Questions
4. Leadership Work Experience Questions
5. Ethical questions
6. Industry-specific questions
7. Why this B-school
8. Which Specialization and Why?
9. Current affairs events & views on them
10. Questions on Extracurricular Activities

Best Tips to Prepare for PI Round

The tips that will prepare you and help you face the PI round sigh confidence are as follows. 

• Be attentive to the questions and give crisp, to-the-point answers. 
• Research the institution you’re giving the interview for beforehand. 
• Work on your English language fluency.
• When you don’t know an answer, be polite and tell them you’ll learn about it. Be honest. Do not give false or incorrect information. 
• Prepare yourselves with current affairs and answer controversial questions diplomatically. 
• Give the interview in proper formal attire, be confident, and maintain posture and eye contact while answering. 
• Feel free to ask your genuine doubts regarding the institution. Also, make sure you never put other institutions down.

MBA Written Ability Test (WAT) Round

WAT round is similar to essay writing using abstract or current trend topics. Depending on the institution, applicants are given between 15 and 30 minutes to complete the offline, pen-and-paper-based round. Most of the IIMs (out of 20) now use the WAT round to evaluate applicants instead of the GD round since it is more effective.

Topics for WAT Round

A few probable key areas from which the WAT round topics might be from are compiled below. Get updated with the below areas' trends to start your WAT preparation. 

1. ​Tech Layoffs
2. Chinese App Ban in India
3. National Education Policy (NEP) 
4. India as the world’s 5th largest economy
5. Moonlighting in India  
6. Rise of Gig Economy
7. Article 370 Abrogation
8. Union Budget of India: What is “Budget” and Key Features of Budget 2023
9. Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019
10. Shortage of Open Spaces and Playgrounds Lead to Negative Tendencies in Children

Read More: WAT Topics For MBA Admission

Tips for WAT Round

IIMs and other top B-schools use WAT, a 15–30-minute paper-pen writing exam, to evaluate applicants' writing ability. Most IIMs have replaced GD with WAT in the final selection phase. The top ten WAT round preparation tips are:

1. Analyze the topic carefully.
2. Plan the answer by doing a few minutes of brainstorming on the topic.
3. Pay close attention to the WAT round instructions.
4. Make things simple, and avoid using extra jargon or complex phrases.
5. To improve writing, use a structured format with an introduction, body, and conclusion.
6. Relevant examples and facts should back up the arguments and points.
7. To make your writing stand out, use imagination and a unique viewpoint.
8. Concentrate on well-researched, well-structured writing.
9. Observe the time and manage your time efficiently.
10. Revise and modify the work to fix errors and increase quality.

The GD, PI and WAT rounds are as integral to the candidate’s admission as the MBA entrance examinations. The candidates must prepare accordingly and face these rounds with confidence. All the best, aspirants!