Group Discussion

ICE BREAKERS [PAGES 165 - 166]

Ice Breakers | Q 1.1 | Page 166

You must have discussed many things with your friends, classmates in a group. It might
be about going on a picnic or selecting a gift for your teacher.
What do you think are the benefits of a group discussion?
(a) ___________________
(b) ___________________
(c) ____________________
Solution: (a) it helps by offering different perspectives
(b) it improves one’s analytical skills
(c) it improves one’s speaking and listening skills

Ice Breakers | Q 1.2 | Page 165

You must have discussed many things with your friends, classmates in a group. It might
be about going on a picnic or selecting a gift for your teacher.
Do you think some people are right and some are wrong in a group discussion?
Why?

Solution: Yes, I do believe that every group discussion consists of some people who
are right and some who are wrong. This is usually because a person’s opinion is
influenced by a large number of factors such as where they live, where they grew up,
what information is available to them, the kind of people that they are surrounded with,
what their interests are, the social and economic history of their family, political
influences and various other factors. Because every person is unique and because their
viewpoint is a combination of such a large variety of factors, it is natural that some may
have the right approach to a discussion and some may not.

Ice Breakers | Q 1.3 | Page 166

You must have discussed many things with your friends, classmates in a group. It might
be about going on a picnic or selecting a gift for your teacher.
People have different views and opinions because:
 Solution:

Ice Breakers | Q 2 | Page 166

Complete the web highlighting the uses of ‘Group Discussion’. One is done for
you.

Solution:
a. In job interviews
b. Business and project planning
c. For family decisions
d. Strategy building in team sports

BRAINSTORMING (A1) [PAGE 169]

Brainstorming (A1) | Q 1 | Page 169

Rama, Asif, Rachana and Aarav are participating in a group discussion. The evaluator
has given them a topic, ‘Teenagers are more inclined towards junk food nowadays’.
Write suitable dialogues for each participant giving his/her opinion on the topic.
Evaluator: You’ve all been given a few minutes to think about your topic for today’s
group discussion, which is ‘Teenagers are more inclined towards junk food’. You may
now begin the discussion. Who would like to start?
Rama: _____________________
Asif: ______________
Aarav: ______________
Rachana: ______________
Evaluator: Please conclude
Aarav: ______________

Solution:
Evaluator: You’ve all been given a few minutes to
think on your topic for today’s group
discussion, which is ‘Teenagers are
more inclined towards junk food’. You
may now begin the discussion. Who
would like to start?

Rama: Teenagers are probably some of the

biggest consumers of junk food today.
Picking up a snack or two from the street
vendors while on their way back home is
now common practice.

Asif: Absolutely. There has been a rapid

increase in the consumption of junk food
by teenagers. In my opinion, one of the
reasons for this is a large number of
options available today at throwaway
prices. For example, various brands of
chips, sodas, and candies available at
every nook and corner are sure to entice
anyone.
Aarav: You may have something there, Asif, but
I am afraid you are not considering a
large number of healthy options also
available to them. Teenagers today are
also involved in a lot more physical
 exercise as part of their extracurricular
activities, like swimming, football, cricket,
etc. Because of this, they are more likely
to eat well and focus on their fitness.
Rachana: I fully agree with Aarav. In fact, fitness
has become a trend among teenagers
today. Moreover, most teenagers get
their information from the internet and
are exposed to the ill-effects of junk food
and the benefits of a healthy diet. So I
believe, they are less likely to indulge in
junk food.
Rama: I can see your point Rachana, but don’t
you agree that the internet can also be a
source of exposure to harmful dietary
items, thus tempting more teenagers to
consume junk food? I believe it all
comes down to awareness about the ill-
effects of junk food which should be
imparted at an early age.
Evaluator: Please conclude.
Aarav: We can conclude by saying that while
teenagers have more access to junk
food today, they also have a large
number of equally tasty and healthy
options available. Whether or not they
are inclined to indulge in a bad diet
depends upon their level of awareness
about their ill-effects and this should be
made a part of their curriculum and must
be discussed at home right from an early
age.

BRAINSTORMING (A2) [PAGE 170]

Brainstorming (A2) | Q 1 | Page 170

Read the following statements. If you agree, say ‘Yes’ and if you don’t agree, say ‘No’.
State the reason for your opinion.
Sr.No. Statement Yes/No Reason
1. It is not possible to guess
the topic for group
discussion. Then there is
no need to prepare.
2. Always have a discussion
with your family and
friends on different topics.
3. You must aim to get
noticed by the evaluators.
4. Forget the evaluator and
look at the participants
while discussion
5. You should raise your
voice to be heard by
everyone and speak for a
long time to show your
knowledge.
6. You should always take
the opportunity to begin
the discussion
7. Take a strong
position/view and defend it
till the end.
8. Do not keep waiting for
your turn to speak. You
have to be alert and quick.
9. Listening to others also
plays an important role in a
group discussion.
10. You must interrupt a
person if you do not agree
to his opinion.
11. Show your leadership skills
by being assertive, not
aggressive.
12. Participating in a group
discussion also means
helping everyone to reach
a consensus in spite of
difference of opinion
Solution:
Sr.No. Statement Yes/No Reason
1. It is not possible to guess No Knowledge is strength. Since a
the topic for group group discussion is a test of
discussion. Then there is one’s knowledge and ability to
no need to prepare. clearly express one’s thoughts,
one can always prepare for it
by reading up on diverse
topics. Reading newspapers,
watching documentaries and
indulging in stimulating
discussions are a few ways to
enhance knowledge. A
candidate with sound
knowledge of different topics
has a higher chance of
success.
2. Always have a discussion Yes Having meaningful discussions
with your family and on diverse topics will not only
friends on different topics. help you gain a better
understanding of the topic and
a broader perspective, but also
help you develop a deeper
bond with your family and
friends. Such discussions will
also help you understand your
weaknesses and give you a
good idea about how well you
can express your thoughts.
3. You must aim to get No The aim of the discussion is
noticed by the evaluators. not to impress the evaluator
but to contribute meaningfully
to the topic while listening and
learning from other
participants.
4. Forget the evaluator and Yes The group discussion is
look at the participants between you and the other
while discussion members, not the evaluator. It
is considered good practice to
avoid interaction and any kind
of eye contact with the
evaluator while the discussion
is in progress.
5. You should raise your No It is very important for a
voice to be heard by participant to remain calm and
everyone and speak for a logical in a group discussion.
long time to show your Reacting emotionally in a
knowledge. discussion causes one to lose
 control and this may affect
your evaluation because the
participant is judged not only
on his communication skills but
also on his ability to work in a
team. In addition, evaluation
focuses on the quality of your
argument and not on its
quantity. The participant must
focus on making relevant
points and not take up too
much time. This reflects
negatively on his ability to
accept other people’s opinions
and makes him look self-
centred.
6. You should always take No You should only initiate the
the opportunity to begin discussion if you have a very
the discussion valid point to make. If you are
doubtful, do not initiate the
discussion. Simply starting,
without careful consideration
or sufficient knowledge, can
result in a wrong interpretation
of the topic and cast a bad
impression.
7. Take a strong No Blindly taking a stand
position/view and defend it throughout the discussion may
till the end. land a participant in trouble.
During the course of the group
discussion, it is possible that a
participant’s viewpoint
changes because he is
successfully convinced by
another participant. In such a
case, the participant may
change his position, giving the
impression that he is open to
accepting others’ viewpoints.
As the aim is to reach a
conclusion, it is natural for
some participants to change
their views to make sure the
team reaches a common
conclusion.
8. Do not keep waiting for Yes In a group discussion, it is not
your turn to speak. You likely that one will be
have to be alert and quick. specifically asked to speak. In
order to express his opinion,
the participant must be alert
and seek out an appropriate
time, such as, after another
participant has finished
speaking and present his
views. If one feels like they
must interrupt another person,
they should do so, politely.
9. Listening to others also Yes Not only does listening to
plays an important role in a others indicate a willingness to
group discussion. accommodate others’ views, it
also offers the participant a
chance to respond
meaningfully, which increases
his chance of making a good
impression on the evaluator. In
addition, it allows the
participant to broaden his
perspective by understanding
various viewpoints. Listening
intently, nodding while
appreciating another’s
viewpoint can also reflect
positively on the participant.
10. You must interrupt a No Interrupting a person while
person if you do not agree they are speaking, just
to his opinion. because you don’t agree with
their opinion, indicates an
emotional response and
creates the impression that
you are not a team player. In a
team, one often has to work
with people who they do not
agree with, but one must
always listen patiently to what
each person has to say. Thus,
one must wait for the person to
finish before expressing
disagreement.
11. Show your leadership Yes While it is important to be
skills by being assertive, assertive, that is, to be
not aggressive. determined in one’s
 arguments, it is important to
not cross the line into
aggression. Being aggressive
creates a bad impression
because it indicates that you
are not approaching the
discussion logically and cannot
work well in a team.
12. Participating in a group Yes The aim of the group
discussion also means discussion is to reach a logical
helping everyone to reach conclusion through teamwork.
a consensus in spite of a Thus, it is essential that the
difference of opinion differences of opinion are
resolved and the participants
direct the discussion to reach
an outcome that is agreed
upon by all. This may mean
that one may have to support
or discourage another
participant’s views so that the
group reaches a consensus.

BRAINSTORMING (A3) [PAGE 170]

Brainstorming (A3) | Q 1 | Page 170

Group discussion helps to unravel the following personality traits in a person.

Solution:
1. Critical thinking
2. Leadership skills
3. Communication skills
4. Creative thinking

Brainstorming (A3) | Q 2 | Page 170

Match the following.

Column A Column B
 Discuss Give special importance or value to
something in speaking or writing
Argue Say something again, a number of
times
Deliberate Express opposite views in a heated or
angry way
Reiterate Engage in long and careful
consideration
Emphasize To talk about a subject with someone
and tell each other your ideas and
opinions
Solution:
Column A Column B
Discuss To talk about a subject with someone and
tell each other your ideas and opinions
Argue Express opposite views in a heated or
angry way
Deliberate Engage in long and careful consideration
Reiterate Say something again, a number of times
Emphasize Give special importance or value to
something in speaking or writing

BRAINSTORMING (A4) [PAGE 171]

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 1.1 | Page 171

Write the following sentence in reported indirect speech:
He said, “If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give me five rupees?”

Solution: He asked me whether I would give him five rupees if I found his answers
satisfactory.

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 1.2 | Page 171

Write the following sentence in reported indirect speech:
The astrologer said, “You were left for dead. Am I right?”

Solution: The astrologer confirmed whether I was left for dead.

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 1.3 | Page 171

Write the following sentence in reported indirect speech:
 “I should have been dead if some passerby had not chanced to peep into the well,”
exclaimed Guru Nayak.

Solution: Guru Nayak exclaimed that he would have been dead had some passerby
not chanced to peep into the well.

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 1.4 | Page 171

Write the following sentence in reported indirect speech:
He told her, “Do you know a great load is gone from me today.”

Solution: He confessed to her that a great load had gone from him that day.

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 2 | Page 171

Read a part of a conversation between Neha and Nidhi.
Neha: Where are you going, Nidhi?
Nidhi: I am going for my music lessons.
The above conversation is written in exact words spoken. If this conversation was to be
reported by a third person then it would be written as:
Neha asked Nidhi where she was going. Nidhi replied that she was going for her music
lessons.
Notice the changes in the reported sentence. Note the changes in pronouns, tenses,
reporting, and reported verbs and other changes. Now find sentences from the text in
the direct speech and convert them into the reported speech.
Solution: Some examples of direct speech from the text are:
1. Evaluator: You may now begin the discussion. Who would like to start?
2. Manisha: I think the topic of this discussion is very relevant to all of us here.
3. Anamika: I also agree with Manisha.
4. John: Yes, I would like to add to it. I don’t think students use mobile phones only for
seeking useful information. They use it for entertainment too.
5. Anamika: Yes John, you are absolutely right.
6. Ananya: Yes, all this is true but don’t you all agree that they do see unwanted things
and waste their time in things not suitable for their age group.
7. John: I agree with what Ananya says. It is a sheer wastage of time, money, and energy.
8. Evaluator: Could someone conclude, please?
These can be converted into reported speech as follows:
1. The evaluator instructed the group to start the discussion and asked them who would
like to go first.
2. Manisha thought the topic of the discussion was very relevant to all those who were
present there.
3. Anamika said that she, too, agreed with Manisha.
4. John added to the discussion by saying that students not only used the mobile phone
for seeking useful information but also for entertainment.
5. Anamika affirmed that John was absolutely right.
6. Ananya accepted that everything that had been saying was true and asked the group if
they agreed that the students did see unwanted things and waste their time in things
that were not suitable for their age group.
7. John agreed with Ananya about mobile phones being a sheer wastage of time, money,
and energy.
8. The evaluator asked whether someone from the group could conclude the discussion
Brainstorming (A4) | Q 3.1 | Page 171
Read the following sentence given in indirect speech and convert them into direct
speech.
Shirish said that he would not be able to solve the problem.

Solution: Shirish said, “I won’t be able to solve the problem.”

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 3.2 | Page 171

Read the following sentence given in indirect speech and convert them into direct
speech.
Lata told me to give her a glass of water.

Solution: Lata said, “Give me a glass of water.”

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 3.3 | Page 171

Read the following sentence given in indirect speech and convert them into direct
speech.
Ananya exclaimed with joy that she had received the Ph.D. degree.

Solution: Ananya exclaimed, “I have received the Ph.D. degree!”

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 3.4 | Page 171

Read the following sentence given in indirect speech and convert them into direct
speech.
Shilpa asked us if there was any other document to be typed.

Solution: Shilpa said to us, “Is there any other document to be typed?”

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 3.5 | Page 171

Read the following sentence given in indirect speech and convert them into direct
speech.
Swati said that she would not get the money.

Solution: Swati said, “I won’t get the money.”

BRAINSTORMING (A5) [PAGE 171]

Brainstorming (A5) | Q 1 | Page 171

An economically deprived girl student in your class who has received admission to a
reputable college abroad needs monetary help to pursue further studies there. Have a
group discussion amongst your friends to seek solutions to help her. Write four/five
views in the form of dialogues.
Solution:
Veena: As we all know, Priya has secured admission at the prestigious Oxford
University to pursue a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. However,
since she is finding it difficult to pay the fees, let’s try to find a way to help
her. I believe we can organize a fundraising event in college with the
Principal’s permission and urge people to donate at the event.
Vivek: Yes, that is a great idea, Veena. The event can be part of the college’s
annual festivities. But I also think we should approach some educational
trusts like the Tata Trust to secure some donation towards her fees. I hear
they offer scholarships to many deserving candidates each year.
Siddhi: Absolutely. There are a number of reputable institutions that offer
scholarships to deserving students. In addition, there are also a number of
organizations working towards encouraging higher education among young
girls in India. We should seek such institutions that work towards the
empowerment of girls, like the Shiksha Foundations.
Rohit: You may have something there, Siddhi. But I do believe the fundraiser would
be our bet. Such trusts receive a large number of applications and involve
long procedures. On the other hand, the event will solely focus on helping
Priya. In addition, we can use the event to raise awareness about educating
the girl child. We can also use the college website and put up posters around
campus to raise awareness about the event.
Veena: I fully agree with Rohit. The fundraising event is the best way to help Priya.
We can also start an online campaign on our college’s social media channels
and urge our friends to spread the word. The campaign will raise the
curiosity of the students and ensure maximum participation on the day of the
event.
Vivek: I think we have a plan in place now. To conclude our discussion, we have
decided to organize a fundraising event for Priya which will be preceded by
an online campaign on the college’s social media channels. The event will
focus on the cause of the education of the girl child. In the meantime, we will
also gather information about educational trusts that offer scholarships to
deserving students and help Priya in applying for the same.
Brainstorming (A5) | Q 2 | Page 171

There is an inter-school cricket match and your school is losing. As you are the captain,
have a group discussion with your teammates in the tea break about the strategy to be
followed to save your school from losing the match. Give at least four/five suggestions.
Solution:
Swati: Hello, everyone. I know that our score is not very good right now.
But I believe that together, we can figure out a way to win this
match. I think our best strategy would be to play on the offensive
with our fielders assuming attacking positions. This way, we may
have a higher chance of picking up the first few crucial wickets.

Vishal: I agree with Swati. Chasing a low score of 150 runs will not be
difficult for the opposing team if we don’t adopt an offensive
strategy. I also think Rohan and Minaz should bowl the first few
overs as they have the most experience at playing inter-school
matches.

Pooja: I’m afraid I don’t agree with you Vishal. In my opinion, the best
tactic would be to set a defensive field and keep the run rate to a
minimum.

Ninad: I fully agree with you Pooja. By adopting a defensive strategy we

can frustrate the players into making a rash shot. Their batting
order includes some inexperienced players and I think we should
focus on slowing the run rate rather than on dismissing the
players.
 Vishal: I understand what you’re saying Ninad but I really think Swati is
right. If we look at the last few matches played by their school,
their best players are known for their aerial shots. We should use
this knowledge to our advantage.
Pooja: You may have something there, Vishal. I think I can conclude by
saying that an attacking field may be our best bet right now.
Rohan and Minaz can bowl the first few overs and let’s focus on
goading the players into playing over the top. I think if we put our
minds to it, we can win this match.

Brainstorming (A5) | Q 3.1 | Page 171

Form four groups in your class and have a group discussion on the following
topic.
Role of ICT in education

Solution:
Moderator: You’ve all been given a few minutes to think on your topic for
today’s group discussion, which is, ‘Role of ICT in education’.
You may now begin the discussion. Who would like to start?

Vivek: Hello, everyone. As we all know, we live in an era of

technology. As with everything else, technology has also
influenced the education sector. The use of ICT (Information
and Communication Technology) in education has completely
revolutionized the idea of a classroom and optimized the
delivery of information. As opposed to an ordinary classroom,
computer or internet equipped classrooms offer a large variety
of tools and material to the student to help improve their
understanding.
Nisha: You’re absolutely right Vivek. Not only are classroom lectures
enhanced with the use of presentations, videos or interactive
tools, but the development of online lectures for students has
also become a popular phenomenon, providing accessibility of
education to a larger number of students who may not be able
to reach their classrooms for myriad reasons.
Nazim: That is an excellent point, Nisha. I would also like to add that
besides the advantage of being able to access the lectures
from their homes, children also have the added benefit of
flexibility. Because of their ability to access study material and
lectures any time they want, they can decide a study schedule
best suited for their needs.
 Avani: Absolutely. Let’s not forget that even in a physical classroom, a
learning management system can help conduct quizzes, grade
papers and even give the teacher an analysis of how much the
students have learnt, all at the tip of her fingers. In addition,
such digital systems can eliminate the need to perform tasks
like taking attendance or creating reports and leave more time
for the teacher to focus on the content of his course.
Riya: That’s a great point, Avani. Finally, I’d also like to add that in
situations when a student is unable to attend his regular
lectures for personal reasons, an ICT equipped classroom can
help him bridge the divide by revising the material at home and
then rejoining his classmates in the physical classroom.
Moderator: Please conclude.
Nikita: I think we can all agree that ICT has greatly transformed our
outlook on education. To conclude, I’d like to say that
technology in education helps facilitate universal access to
learning, helps bridge learning gaps, optimizes time
management, and improves overall administration, in addition
to providing a wide variety of digital tools to aid learning.

Brainstorming (A5) | Q 3.2 | Page 171

Form four groups in your class and have a group discussion on the following
topic.
Clean India

Solution:
Moderator: You’ve all been given a few minutes to
think on your topic for today’s group
discussion, which is, ‘Clean India’. You may
now begin the discussion. Who would like
to start?
Kalpesh: Hello, everyone. I would like to begin the
discussion by pointing out that a ‘Clean
India’ is the need of the hour. Given our
ever-increasing population, it is becoming
harder and harder to maintain cleanliness
in our public spaces. I think our biggest
obstacle is improper waste disposal.
Despite the installation of garbage bins in
various public spaces, littering is a common
sight.
Amit: You’re absolutely right, Kalpesh. Improper
waste disposal is a big problem, particularly
in overcrowded cities. Besides the obvious
problem of ruining the beauty of the public
spaces, it also poses a serious threat to
public health. Garbage left rotting on the
streets or in a public space is often a
source of disease as it attracts insects and
flies.
Rahul: Could I make a point, please? Besides the
disposal of waste, another major problem
we face is the lack of segregation of waste.
Unfortunately, very few households take
the pains to separate their waste into
recyclable, biodegradable, and non-
biodegradable items. This leads to a
wastage of products that can either be
recycled or made into compost and all of
these end up in landfills, further contributing
to land pollution.
Kaya: I fully agree with you, Rahul. Cleanliness is
often wrongly considered to be a
responsibility of the government alone.
Thus, I believe we need to work towards
raising awareness among individuals about
their role in the Clean India Mission. In fact,
the recent campaign by our government
proved to be a resounding success as it
addressed the need for individuals to take
responsibility for the cleanliness of their
surroundings.
Ronik: Absolutely, Kaya. Besides, the campaign
also focused on the development of
sanitary facilities and hand pumps in the
rural areas of our country. However, the
government alone cannot succeed without
the efforts of the populace. Therefore, I
believe that students like us, should
participate in the youth wing of local civic
bodies and adopt the issue of cleanliness.
Even as ordinary students, each of us can
contribute by not littering, segregating
waste at home and by pointing out those
that litter on the streets.
Moderator: Please conclude.
Aarav: In conclusion, I think we can all agree that a
‘Clean India’ is only possible through a
combined effort of the government and the
people. It is the duty of every citizen to
practice safe disposal of waste, to
undertake separation of waste and to raise
awareness in their schools, colleges or
societies about the need for maintaining a
clean environment. Finally, as the youth of
the country, we should also play our part by
reaching out to local governing bodies and
asking what we can do to help the cause.