[2012-13 Official GDPI Helpline] By NITIE Students - the Last lap to enter Dream B-Schools

MBA
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Dear All, For the third year in succession, we bring to you the PaGaLGuY Official GDPI Helpline in collaboration with students of NITIE Mumbai. Helpline has the sole objective to ensure that you are empowered to crack GDPI in a better way…

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Dear All,

For the third year in succession, we bring to you the PaGaLGuY Official GDPI Helpline in collaboration with students of NITIE Mumbai. Helpline has the sole objective to ensure that you are empowered to crack GDPI in a better way.

The hard part is done but the harder part is yet to be taken care of. The 'Battle' is over but the 'WAR' to enter dream B-Schools is still on. And this is the right time to ask all your 'last lap' questions to people who have been there, done that and wish to share their experience and time with you.

Continuing with the tradition set by helpline of last year, you can ask them about:

- How to start preparing for GDPI
- Customizing GDPI preparation for different B-Schools
- Dealing with fear to speak in group / before interview panel
- How to be prepared about out of the box questions in interviews
- Tips for group tasks/ case discussions
- Customized PI tips as per your background

If you have any questions related to above apprehensions or any other query, post them here and get them answered by NITIE Students. Start shooting your questions 😃

Special features of this helpline include:

- Regular discussions on topics important with respect to GDPI. This won't include the posting of news or articles on these topics, rather it will consist of complete analysis of the topic from management point of view posted regularly by NITIE Students after the discussion among puys on the topic has exhausted.
- Suggestions to perform better in PIs.
- Sharing GDPI experience of almost every elite B-School.
- Skype Conference with NITIE students and live discussions on topics.

New features introduced this year:
- One on One personal interviews in selected cities
- Guidance on Essay writings and SOPs and review of the same

Also, we will rope in few people from other B-Schools from time to time who have created success stories as the result of this helpline in past 2 years 😃

Link to previous edition of helpline - http://www.pagalguy.com/discussions/2011-12-gdpi-helpline-by-nitie-students-the-last-lap-to-enter-dream-b-schools-25075440/3087422

The other offerings will be disclosed as we move ahead in the journey together.

All the best everyone.

Regards,
Varun
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Links to GD Topics' Analysis

1. FDI In Retail - http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4153656

2. CSR - http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4190149

3. Photocopier Case Based GD: http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4562383

Dossier Posts!

Dossier 1: http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4195418

Most commonly asked questions on Work Experience in PIs : http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4260442

Helpful Blogs for PI and GD Preparation: http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4272631

Pointers on concluding a GD : http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4272935

Frequently asked PI Questions : http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4394921

Link to form for Skype GDs: http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4494649

Pointers for Case Based GDs: http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4518613

Body Language and Dressing Etiquette: http://www.pagalguy.com/posts/4740341
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@visionIIM-ACL I think NITIE accepts only graduates who have an Engineering background, if I am not wrong? Or is there any changes in the selection process for GD/PI calls this year?

Cheers for starting this thread...hopefully my CAT result allows me to have a shot at this prestigious institute
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@gagaboy said:
@visionIIM-ACL I think NITIE accepts only graduates who have an Engineering background, if I am not wrong? Or is there any changes in the selection process for GD/PI calls this year?Cheers for starting this thread...hopefully my CAT result allows me to have a shot at this prestigious institute
This thread is not to prepare for NITIE's GDPI ... this thread is meant for preparing for all B-Schools with the help of people who have been there and done it (( people having experience of process of almost all top B-Schools) ! :)
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@visionIIM-ACL oops... misread the topic ..sorry

howz the GD scenario generally? Generally current affairs aate hain right? but we can get any random topics I guess?
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@visionIIM-ACL Excited, and looking forward to it :)
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Excellent thread ... let the GD-PI season start ;D

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Hello All !!


From the behalf of NITIE students, welcome !!

We have taken up this initiative to help all you aspirants tackle THE MOST important phase of the B-School admission process. The GD PI.

It is very much the make or break for almost all B-School admissions. This is where your managerial acumen is thoroughly tested, not just your memory or your IQ.

Doing well in a GD requires not only good knowledge about the topic, but the ability to make people understand your point of view in an environment where several points of view compete for attention. This is a scenario every CxO faces in every board meeting. Hence, this is a critical platform to demonstrate your managerial skills.

Now, as Varun sir has said in the first post, we will be helping you refine your GD skills by releasing topics on the thread and fostering discussions on the topics via posts. We will intervene as and when required and we will post analyses of each topic. We will also give individual feedback as far as possible.

Later we will also conduct GDs through Skype or Google+ hangouts, as much as possible.

Also, apart from discussing on topics, you guys can even ask general or specific queries about GDs and the GD PI process of any B-School. If you want specific help regarding your profiles, you can pm any of us.

We will also be trying for mock PIs on skype and in-person in some locations. Details on that will be clarified soon.

The first topic will be released sometime today. So buckle up, and stay tuned.

Feel free to shoot queries about GD PI now, or in the break between two topic discussions or through pm.
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nice thread

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@visionIIM-ACL sir and @Mukulspock sir- I have a query regarding general GDs.. suppose the topic is- education can eradicate all other social evils. here, do we have to speak either for or against the topic??? like if I feel the it is partially true, then can I take a neutral stance, giving justification for doing so??? will that be categorized as being indecisive??
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@koyal1990 said:
@visionIIM-ACL sir and @Mukulspock sir- I have a query regarding general GDs.. suppose the topic is- educationcan eradicate all other social evils. here, do we have to speak either for or against the topic??? like if I feel the it is partially true, then can I take a neutral stance, giving justification for doing so??? will that be categorized as being indecisive??
In a GD you are not always expected to reach consensus.
You are expected to provide viewpoints and perspective to the topic, in a way that makes sense.
In this topic, you have to elaborate which social evils are connected in any way to education.
if they are connected, then how ?
Then, how can education help in eradicating them, if at all it can. What are the steps to be taken ?
If it cannot then why not ? what are the obstacles ?
these are all logical questions that must flow from the topic. it doesnt involve taking a stand anywhere. Once you give sensible answers to these questions, your discussion becomes fruitful i.e you get soem good perspective out of it
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@Mukulspock said:
In a GD you are not always expected to reach consensus.You are expected to provide viewpoints and perspective to the topic, in a way that makes sense.In this topic, you have to elaborate which social evils are connected in any way to education.if they are connected, then how ?Then, how can education help in eradicating them, if at all it can. What are the steps to be taken ?If it cannot then why not ? what are the obstacles ?these are all logical questions that must flow from the topic. it doesnt involve taking a stand anywhere. Once you give sensible answers to these questions, your discussion becomes fruitful i.e you get soem good perspective out of it
If I feel it cannot eradicate all social evils completely but considerably to a good extent and provide justification for the same, will that do or I have to firmly it either does or it doesn't???
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@koyal1990

that will do but not so superficially
get into the details, if it cannot eradicate evils completely, then why not ?
if it can to a good extent, then how ? by what means ? what will be the positive effects.
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@Mukulspock said:
@koyal1990that will do but not so superficiallyget into the details, if it cannot eradicate evils completely, then why not ?if it can to a good extent, then how ? by what means ? what will be the positive effects.
okay sir!!! I shall take note of that. thanks for the help.. :)
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Okay people !!

Lets kick off with GDs!!

After this GD, we will post analysis of every user who participated significantly in the discussion, our analysis of the topic followed by a post with Points to keep in mind while in a GD to score better over other participants!!

So, lets keep the inaugral topic as the one which is the most talked about one these days 😃 Hoping everyone knows about it so we will have good participation to start off!

Topic 1: FDI in retail , should it be allowed ?

House is open for discussion!!

PS: Quote only the relevant part of post if you want to refer to something mentioned in it.

PPS: For reference of how GDs proceeded last year, you can check out few posts following this http://www.pagalguy.com/forums/prep-resources/2010-11-gdpi-helpline-t-60989/p-2396594?page=1#post2397015

All the best!!

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Topic 1: FDI in retail , should it be allowed ?


Hi All,

The fist topic for our GD is FDI in retail. It is indeed a very popular topic and everywhere we see, from the print media .. all the way to our local retail owners, people are talking about it.
Before delving into whether FDI should be allowed or not I would like to elaborate a bit on this term FDI.

FDI refers to Foreign Direct Investment made by overseas organisations in our market either by buying a company in the our country or by expanding operations of any existing business here.(I am going to speak for FDI with reference to India only).

Recently the government announced a 51% in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and 100% FDI in single-brand retail.

This has been welcomed by certain sections of the community who have seen this as an opportunity for our market to grow and vehemently opposed by others fearing the overseas competition would ruin the local traders

The advantages and disadvantages of FDI can be debated upon later, and I welcome the stand to my fellow speakers, to put forward their views :)
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Hello everybody,


Knowing this much abt FDI, lets proceed to see this in Indian perspective. A few important points that I would like to mention, we need to first look at the build of Indian market. From times immemorial, we have been an agriculture based country. Which is no different from today's context also. Therefore, how much FDI, single or multi brand, would affect Indian farmer is one of the major factor.

Secondly, we also need to have a justified comparison with other countries. Let us not compare ourselves with industry-oriented countries like UK, as the effect can be drastically different!

And so, lets keep in mind the most basic levels of our country's economy and discuss the pros and cons..
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@dhruvwali said:
Hi All,The advantages and disadvantages of FDI can be debated upon later, and I welcome the stand to my fellow speakers, to put forward their views


Hello everyone :)

For me Foreign Direct Investment or FDI in Retail as my fellow member described is a good step taken towards the betterment of Indian economy and it should be allowed.

Reason-
1) 51% FDI in Multi Brand Retail and 100% in Single Brand Retail will bring more quality, quantity, variety in the products coming under this sector.

2) FDI will bring high competition in the retail sector and will eventually end up providing better prices for the consumers.

3) One of the biggest advantage associated with the arrival of FDI is the big number of employment opportunities that comes with it.

4) There will be a significant increase in the annual market of around 50 billion U.S. Dollars (Guess) in this sector in India.

5) There is a fear that with the introduction of FDI small retailers will face considerable loss but if you look closely FDI will definitely boost the growth of large as well as small retailers in the long run. Small Retailers can directly go these upcoming enterprises and sell their goods at a better price.

Over to other members here :)

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As explained by my colleague here , FDI stands for Foreign Direct Investment. Many people don't know the implication, I would like to expand on this first by looking at it from a pure Economist Approach for India.


1) FDI means the Co. is here to setup business which means its here to stay longer than FII (Foreign Indirect Investment) which is Short Term

2) Pro Include: Job opportunity, Infrastructure Creation, Technology and Process Improvement.

3) Cons Include: Profit Loss to home country, Elimination of Competition that can't compete ie home grown small industries.

With These basic points lets move forwardto the Context of India and FDI in Retail Sector. The topic is of allowing 51% investment in Multibrand Retail which opens doors for giants like : Walmart etc.

Now as per well researched article written by Prof having PhD in Eco. teaching at DU (I dont remeber the name 😞 ) he explained the opening doors to Walmart and others as opening a Pandora's Box. Not because it'll have negative impact on Indian Economy but further reaching consequences that we may sacrifice for short terms goals. Lets take simulation for next 5 yrz if FDI is approved.

In initial phase on arrival Walmart will bring many brands to India at quite low prices than our retailer can offer at the moment. Also the product they will bring will be of better quality. Hence consumer ie Indian Masses are at benefit. Walmart will also being direct supplier eliminates the need for middlemen hence farmers will get better value for their crops. Only middlemen and small time retailer will loose their jobs. They can and might be employed by chains as part of their process to expand. In all 5 yr plan makes it look a happily ever after romantic film.

Now move past 5 yrz n look at this from 10 yrz down the line. I dont suppose we would shift drastically from Agrarian based Eco. to Indutrial One in 10yrz. So, now what would happen is, margins for these Walmarts etc will have gone down as its a free economy with free flow of information. Everyone wants more price for their good and everyone wants to buy at cheaper rates. Now since these Multibrand Retailer will have monopoly they will push and keep prices as their own accord. So in essence we would have traded for another Middlemen , which is bigger and harder to eradicate.

The root problem must be tackled here first. Making policies that guard interest of farmers, give them more knowledge etc, FDI in retail with that policy in place give better solution