Having a Peaceful Group Discussion in SSB

Group discussions are a big part of testing in SSB. This is so because not only you gave a proper dedicated group discussion exercise but also you have to face group discussions on a number of occasions. These occasions include the discussion at the time of stage one testing for arriving at a common story and the discussion in the group planning exercise/military planning exercise to arrive at a common plan. Thus you face GD a lot of times in SSB. The most common problem which candidates face in GD’s is that it is full of chaos. Everybody wants to keep their own point and not let others speak. This makes GD a violent exercise where all people want to do is dominate. This kind of GD is surely a tool to irritate the assessor and cast a negative impression of the group. I am sure you all want to have a healthy and peaceful GD and I hope the following tips will help you in doing so:

Having a Peaceful Group Discussion in SSB

1. Never lose your cool: I agree it gets difficult to come in a rage mode when people around you are shouting and not paying attention to what you say. There may come a time when you are like a a mediator, trying to calm them down and establish peace, still no one listens to you. Then suddenly you may also go in the same angry mode. Here is the key, no matter how much they raise their voice and no matter how much they shout, never lose your cool. You’ll appear as a better person.
2. Choose a high level topic: This is again a way to have a healthy discussion. If you are able to choose the topic of high level, definitely the discussion will be peaceful. Of course it depends on the collective decision of the group, but still try you best to choose a high level topic. There won’t be chaos as there won’t be many points.
3. Don’t be the mediator: Many candidates try becoming the mediator of the group. They think that if they’ll do so, they’ll impress the candidates as well as the GTO. Sadly this is not the case. Anybody who has reached to the stage of SSB is good enough to represent themselves; you need not be their lawyer. This kind of behavior not only irritates the fellow candidates, it doesn’t cast a very good impression in front of the assessor too.
4. Give other a chance: If you’ll be the know all say all person in the group, nobody will like. Smartness is appreciated, over-smartness is disliked. If you do not let others speak, it’ll work against you, because the assessor will not get a chance to see others. This will irritate them. Also your fellow members won’t like you.
5. Talk to the group before: Take them in confidence and practice for GD’s before. It is not possible to prepare for the entire GD before Stage one testing, but you can still talk to your group mates and tell them not to create a scene. It works. For stage 2 testing GD’s you can practice mock GD’s with you group. This will give a fair idea of how the GD is going to be in reality.