Generating Ideas for Group Discussion

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As the content and fresh ideas are life and blood of any Group Discussion, at times many aspirants get confused regarding the idea generation. The aspirants many a time fail to understand the framework in order to generate relevant ideas for the discussion. In the absence of a sound framework, no doubt the apirants can generate ideas through brain storming, but many a times they end up with irrelevant ideas. Throwing irrelevant ideas in the Group Discussion can backfire and prove detrimental in the eyes of the evaluators. Since time to think and speak is limited in the Group Discussions, it is advisable to follow a sound framework to generate ideas.

Framework

The following three framework work in almost all Group Discussions:

1. Stakeholders Analysis
2. Keyword Approach
3. PESTLE Approach

Stakeholder’s Analysis

Stakeholders can be defined as the all the living beings including person, group, organization, animals, plants etc that has direct or indirect stake in an event or action. Or in other words stakeholders are all those entities that would be affected directly or indirectly through an event or action. For example consider the case “Saving Our national animal, Tiger”. In such case the following are the stakeholders:

1. Tigers
2. The other animals who are related to tigers in one way or the other like deer etc
3. Forest ecosystem
4. Forest authorities
5. Tourists who come to see the tigers
6. People dependent on tourism industry related to tigers like forest resorts, jeep drivers
7. Poachers
8. Forest dwellers
9. Tribals

In Stakeholder Analysis the following steps can be useful:

1. Identifying the stakeholders
2. Identifying the stakeholders that would be benefitted by the action or idea that you are proposing
3. Identifying the stakeholders that would be at a loss by the action or idea that you are proposing
4. Evaluating benefits v/s loss
5. The ways to maximize the benefits
6. The ways to minimize the losses
7. Conclusion

For example in this case you come up with an idea that to Save Tigers the Tourism in the core areas must be banned.  Now you can follow the above steps and generate the ideas to speak.

The keyword approach

The emphasis of this approach is to expand the meaning of each word and expression and then correlating it with the central idea. For example consider the topic “Culture of India is better than that of the western world”. As per the key word approach, you need to discuss the meaning of each word and expression as:

1. Meaning of culture
2. Components of culture
3. What is Indian culture?
4. What is western culture?
5. The basic difference between these two culture
6. Components and criteria for defining a “better culture”
7. Conclusion

Therefore in keyword approach every keyword is looked upon as a separate entity and its meaning and essence are defined. Compiling those meaning and essence the conclusion for the Group Discussion is drawn.

PESTLE Approach:

The PESTLE Approach is an analytical approach which addresses the issue from the following prespective:

1. Political
2. Economic
3. Socio-Cultural
4. Technological
5. Legal
6. Environmetal

UPSC Mains Question & Answer GS1

Q."Non-Cooperation Movement gave new direction and energy to the National Movement".Explain. (IAS-Mains 2008, 150 words)

Ans. Non-Cooperation Movement prevailed in many parts of India. The Bijolia movement in Mewar, Rajasthan, won a partial victory in 1922, 'while agitation against cesses and begar on the Khalisa lands of the Udaipur Maharana took place. In Bengal, peasants under the student leader Someshwar Prasad protested against indigo cultivation. No tax campaign was

organised in Midnapore in Bengal. In the United Provinces, the peasants upsurge in South and South-east Avadh associated with Baba Ram Chandra culminated in widespread agrarian riots in Rae Bareilly, Prarapgarh, Faizabad and Sultanpur in 1921. Eka Movement was also started in North-west Avadh by some local Congressmen. In Andhra, a powerful agitation led by Duggirala Gopala Krishnayya developed in Guntur district, where people' refused to pay municipal taxes. In Malabar, (northern Kerala) the Muslim peasants, Moplahas created a powerful anti-zamindar movement, under the inspiration of Khilafat leaders like Ali Musaliar, against the Hindu landlords.

So the movement gave a new boost to nationalism in India. It hastened the advent of Swaraj. Henceforth the Congress accepted the policy of direct and self-reliant acts. The movement made the masses in general and the workers in particular fearless in crossing

swords with the Government. The prisons began to be regarded as places of pilgrimage by the patriots.

Prohibition got encouragement. The Congress realised the nature and value of real sanction, 'i.e., popular support. Though the movement failed to attain Swaraj, il definitely came nearer to it.