2012's HOTTEST GD topics you MUST be ready for

Abhilash Kanaparthi, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Raipur tells you why you can expect these 6 hottest subjects in a B-school Group Discussion this year.

With the Group Discussion and the Personal Interview season around the corner, some of the common and most relevant topics you can expect your GDs are as follows.

Also, do note that, information on such topics may be helpful in the Personal Interviews and will make you confident as a person.

The hot topics are as follows.

1. European Debt Crisis

According to me, this is by far the most important topic.

The current slow down across the entire world is due to this one reason.

Also a single development with respect to Greece and the European Union can put the world markets into a tizzy.

Refer to the following links:

1. http://bonds.about.com/od/advancedbonds/a/What-Is-The-European-Debt-Crisis.htm

2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/16902321

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_sovereign_debt_crisis

4. http://blogs.cfainstitute.org/investor/2011/11/21/european-sovereign-debt-crisis-overview-analysis-and-timeline-of-major-events/

5. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/21/european-debt-crisis_n_1147173.html

6. http://www.lapasserelle.com/billets/greek_crisis.html

7.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/Europe-debt-crisis-could-trigger-global-recession-warns-IMF/articleshow/11618990.cms

Other relevant data about the terms related to these topics would be 

1. http://useconomy.about.com/od/internationalorganizations/p/IMF.htm

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_rating_agency

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh

Censorship on Google, Facebook and Twitter-- is it right or wrong?

Today, when freedom of speech is the essence of living, where every one's personal life is up online (No one had ever thought 10 years ago that people would share their honeymoon pics online and other can see and comment on it) -- Is the government justified in asking these social networking sites to selectively censor content??

That to at a time when Facebook has launched its IPO!!

You may refer to the following links while you prepare:

1.http://www.christianpost.com/news/facebook-google-apple-censoring-religious-speech-55736/

2.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/twitter-to-censor-tweets-in-individual-countries/article2316879/

3.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/facebook-google-bow-to-indian-censorship-demands/article2327810/

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limits are being raised in certain sectors by the government of India with a view to develop and help the sectors having long term repercussions.

Firstly, let's be clear about the differences between FDI (Foreign Direct Investment)and FII (Foreign Institutional Investment).

FII typically means Portfolio Investments financial markets of a certain country (say India) by financial institutions belonging to other countries could be financial institutions based outside India).

These institutions are generally Mutual Funds, Investment Companies, Pension Funds, and Insurance Houses. It is just like how we as individuals may trade or say buy shares of a company to make some profit.

The Indian markets are majorly driven by FIIs as we are an emerging economy with great growth potential. Hence FII movements can create huge fluctuations in the BSE/NSE.

A parallel to these are the DIIs who are the Domestic Institutional Investors with the same motto as FIIs.

FDI is generally a long term commitment to a particular company in terms of equity investment by some foreign entity.

For example, Walmart invests in India, Balckstone invests in Jindal Steel and Power, etc.

However if Blackstone had bought shares of Jindal Steel and Power through secondary markets (BSE/NSE) it would have been an FII. FDIs have to follow a rules and regulations to enter the markets.

In short we can safely say that the highs and lows of an economy depend on the FDIs while the ups and downs in the Stock markets are generally because of FIIs.

Also refer to: http://www.differencebetween.net/business/difference-between-fdi-and-fii/

This seemed like a shocker which caught everyone one of us unaware.

The Sahara group has been associated with Indian cricket from a very long time

Refer to the following links:

1.http://www.firstpost.com/sports/why-sahara-should-not-pay-rs-3-34-cr-for-every-india-match-205810.html

2.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2096468/Sahara-India-chief-Subrata-Roy-ends-sponsorship-ties-BCCI-Yuvraj-Singh-row.html

The recent sanctions against Iran by the EU have created political un-easiness in the world.

Iran has taken an aggressive stance vouching to attack any hostile country if intimidated.

Refer to the following links:

1. http://www.cfr.org/iran/eu-sanctions-against-iran-january-2012/p27166

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctions_against_Iran#EU_sanctions_against_Iran

3.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9064463/US-levies-new-sanctions-on-Irans-Central-Bank.html

4. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9033640/Iran-EU-sanctions-Q-and-A.html

5. http://news.yahoo.com/iran-responses-world-sanctions-212400614.html

This had shaken the business confidence in democratic India.

It had massive long lasting impact on the telecom sector and also political implications with telecom corporate big-wigs and political honchos tasting the dust of jails.

The recent Supreme Court decision of cancelling the licenses under questions has been applauded by many at the same time the involved telecom companies have cried foul.

Refer to the links below

1.http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4875319#page=1

2. http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/what-is-2g-spectrum-scam-66418

3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2G_spectrum_scam (please do not quote Wikipedia as a source of reliable information. Its an open encyclopedia and information may or may not be verified)

4.http://knowledgetoday.wharton.upenn.edu/2012/02/revoked-licenses-are-the-latest-fallout-from-indias-2g-telecom-scam/