🧠 Introduction
The Group Discussion (GD) round in SBI PO 2025 is a key component of the final selection process after the Main Exam. It’s not just a test of your speaking skills, but of your leadership, clarity of thought, awareness, teamwork, and decision-making—qualities essential for a future bank officer.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- The GD process flow
- Top GD topics for 2025
- Proven techniques to speak with impact
- What SBI expects from a PO during GD
- A 7-day practice strategy to sharpen your performance
📘 GD Round Structure – SBI PO 2025
| Component | Duration | Participants | Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Discussion | 15–20 minutes | 8–10 candidates | ~20% of final score |
| Role Play (optional) | May be included | Dynamic discussion | Qualitative only |
- The panel gives a topic (can be economic, social, or abstract)
- 2 minutes to prepare individually
- Discussion begins, usually unmoderated unless unruly
- Evaluators observe, don’t interfere
🗣️ What SBI Evaluates in GD
| Trait Evaluated | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|
| Communication Skills | Expressing views clearly and logically |
| Team Behavior | Listening, supporting, and building on others’ points |
| Leadership Quality | Driving discussion without dominating |
| Content Relevance | Staying on-topic with examples or logic |
| Emotional Control | Keeping calm even when countered |
| Initiative | Opening or concluding strongly |
🧩 Top GD Topics for SBI PO 2025
📌 Current Affairs-Based
- Is India ready to become a $5 trillion economy?
- Digital Rupee vs UPI – What’s the future of payments?
- Is India’s stock market overvalued?
- Banking mergers: Good for customers or not?
- The impact of AI on financial sector jobs
📌 Social & Ethical
- One Nation, One Election – Pros and Cons
- Should Social Media be regulated more strictly?
- Right to Privacy vs National Security
- Work-from-home: A sustainable model?
- Is Gender Equality still a myth in Indian workplaces?
📌 Abstract / Situational
- Speed vs Accuracy
- Customer is Always Right – True or False?
- Innovation is the key to growth
- Freedom without responsibility is chaos
- What would you do as a branch manager during a public protest?
🛠️ GD Preparation Techniques
✅ 1. Stay Updated
- Read The Hindu, Business Standard, and follow RBI/SEBI updates
- Follow banking, economy, budget, and social policy headlines daily
✅ 2. Structure Your Response
Use the PEEL Method:
- Point
- Example
- Explanation
- Link to the topic
✅ 3. Don’t Interrupt—Contribute
- Wait for the speaker to pause
- Enter with phrases like:
“I’d like to build on that point…”
“While I respect that view, here’s an alternate angle…”
✅ 4. Be a Silent Leader
- Help the group stay on track
- Summarize the discussion if it’s disorganized
- Bring quieter members into the conversation
✅ 5. Practice in Small Groups
- Create mock GDs with friends
- Record and review your performance
- Focus on clarity, tone, and time taken per point
🚫 Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why It’s Harmful |
|---|---|
| Speaking too much | Seen as dominating, not collaborative |
| Not speaking at all | Lack of confidence or initiative |
| Getting emotional or angry | Shows poor emotional control |
| Using slang or casual tone | Reduces professionalism |
| Repeating the same point | Shows lack of content depth |
| Attacking other participants | Negative team behavior |
📅 7-Day GD Practice Plan
| Day | Focus | Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Current Affairs GD Topic | Read + simulate a 10-min mock GD |
| 2 | Economy/Banking GD Topic | Practice summarizing the discussion |
| 3 | Abstract Topic | Learn opening and closing skills |
| 4 | Group Role Play GD | Simulate with 4–5 friends or online peers |
| 5 | Listening Skills + Note-taking | Watch a GD video and summarize 3 key arguments |
| 6 | Mixed Mock GD (2 topics) | Self-record and evaluate tone, structure, clarity |
| 7 | Full-length GD Simulation | Time-bound + feedback from mentor/peer |
✅ Final Words
The SBI PO 2025 Group Discussion is not about being the loudest, but the clearest, calmest, and most constructive voice in the room. If you show the qualities of a good team player, informed speaker, and ethical leader—you’ll stand out.
At Bank Whizz, we help you:
- Prepare with mock GD sessions
- Provide topic-wise structured notes
- Offer performance feedback to improve clarity, tone, and leadership