The positives of India hosting the G20 Summit far outweigh the negatives, but as a critical student, one needs to be open to all approaches. Let us explore some of these points as a GD/WAT topic for MBA admission. By Aritro Dasgupta

Group Discussions (GDs) used to be an especially popular method to gauge the ability of students, who were appearing for admission to the leading business schools in India. This was for those who had already been shortlisted, after the written round of examinations. Over time however, we have seen that GDs by their very nature have fallen off the cliff in terms of popularity among the very best. It has been observed that GDs tend to favour the extroverts and also cause chaos during the admission procedure. The subjective aspect of judging students is also quite high, putting a lot of emphasis on the discretion of the panellists.

The COVID-19 crisis and the subsequent emphasis on digital modes of education had a key impact on college selections as well, as they too went online. An online Group Discussion, was deemed quite impossible and thus the practice fell further out of favour. While many colleges have restarted GDs, after the end of the pandemic, many of the practices adopted then have stuck on. And one of them is the use of Written Ability Tests (WAT) or Essay Writing, instead of the GD. There are several arguments in support of WATs. One of the most compelling one is that it allows for greater individual scrutiny and does not favour extroverts alone.

Like in a GD, a WAT too should include a multi- faceted response. But due to the unidimensional nature of the examination, some aspects naturally change. The student gets more time to write in a WAT, than speak in a GD, so the response can be more coherent. One can also give a more balanced viewpoint as there is little counter- argument during the time of writing. A disadvantage is that in case of a lack of knowledge on the topic, there is very little to glean off the rest of the group, as in a WAT, one is left to one’s own devices.

GD/WAT Topic: India as G20 Host

Students must still think of each topic from both sides of the coin. India hosting the G20 Summit in 2023, can be one of the most important essay- writing topics for this year. The G20 is one of the world’s largest organizations involving leading countries, both from the developed as well as developing world. Hosting rights are in rotation, with Indonesia and Italy having hosted the last two editions, and Brazil to follow on from us in 2024. The positives of us hosting surely far outweigh the negatives, but as a critical student, one needs to be open to all approaches. Let us explore some of these points in greater detail.

India and G20 Host: Pros

Some of the pros of India hosting the G20 Summit in 2023 are as follows:

1. Huge opportunity at country’s brand building if well- hosted.
2. Indian economy and stock markets to get a massive boost, with such a dazzling array of big political names to visit the country during this round.
3. Tourism will get a shot-in-the-arm, thanks to a lot of facilities to be built and refurbished, plus the limelight on India for a few weeks at least.
4. Overall infrastructure will get a facelift, not only in the capital city, but across the country, as many mini- events are also planned alongside.
5. India’s soft power will get recognized globally.
6. Countries that are unfriendly to India or those that are outright hostile, will now be more careful, thanks to the most powerful of dignitaries to visit India, creating a further sense of purpose with some of the world’s leading economies.
7. A sense of pride could get inculcated among even common Indians, otherwise unconnected with the event proper.
8. Employment opportunities to be generated around this event in various roles.

India and G20 Host: Cons

A few of the cons of this event being hosted here could be:

1. India has a patchy record of hosting some international events, as we have seen corruption cases mar some earlier ones, so there is a fear of such repetitions.
2. The cost of hosting such a event will be massive, with a separate portion of the budget earmarked for it, so the returns need to really impressive, otherwise will end up bleeding the coffers.
3. There are a number of domestic issues of importance, such as unemployment, price rise and agrarian distress which will not disappear with the hosting of such events.
4. Enormous efforts will need to be put towards the security arrangements, and due to India’s threats from the neighbourhood, there exist fears of some terror attacks planned on India, particularly during this duration.
5. While the G20 itself is an institution India is proud to be a member of, there are some countries in it, which do not share great terms with India, like China.
6. The cloud of the Russia- Ukraine war may linger on, unless the war ceases by then with a favourable decision for most stakeholders.
7. There is an opinion among several experts that supra- national bodies such as the G20, BRICS, QUAD, SCO etc. do not really perform a lot of the tasks that they are mandated to be, but are merely good opportunities for photo- ops.

Students will thus need to find out the balance between the positives and negatives and pen down their response accordingly, given the WAT topic. They must research thoroughly on most topics, so that data can be shared from the most reliable of sources. Reliable national or international newspapers and respectable web publications are the best sources to track data on. B-School aspirants must take care, not to offend sensibilities and try to remain neutral on political and religious issues. However, opinions on economy, business, sports and travel are more than welcome. Of course, utmost care needs to be taken on grammar, but the language and style of writing needs to be business- like and not unnecessarily flowery.

About the Author:

Aritro Dasgupta is a Teacher, Trainer and Content Writer. He has taught at several leading colleges and coaching institutes in both India and the UAE. Several of his students have finished in the top 10 of various national level exams such as CLAT, AILET and DUJAT. He is also a prolific content writer, having written for several leading publications in India, while currently, also working for one in the USA.

 

 

 

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