Abirami's group formation for case competitions
XAT 2026 · DM · Medium · Decision Making
Passage / data set
Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Business schools' (B schools) curriculums are filled with group assignments and case competitions. Even when students have just joined the B schools, corporate houses try to catch good talent early by promising them internships based on case competitions. These competitions involve comprehending the problems presented by the organizations, analyzing the challenges they currently face, and presenting solutions in a manner that convinces the organizations' representatives who visit the B schools to evaluate various teams that present their solutions on such problems.
For students who are just joining a B school, the capability to actually solve such problems is quite limited. Because of that, the corporate houses generally are more focused on the presentations made by groups. Hence, the groups that communicate better, most often, win these competitions.
Abirami joins MBS, a B school. As a fresher, she believes she needs to learn a lot about how organizations work and wants to work with others who have joined MBS and have work experience.
Question 1 of 3
The first step that Abirami wants to take is to join a group, having members with extensive work experience. Meanwhile, students with prior work experience have come together and formed groups. She reaches out to one such group. However, the group members are not interested since she is a fresher. They are unsure whether she can bring any value to case competitions that involve understanding, recommending and presenting solutions to organizational problems.
Which of the following reasons, IF TRUE, will BEST convince the group members that Abirami will be a valuable member of the group for case competitions?
- A.
She has closely observed her mother working and hence understands the way organizations work.
- B.
The MNC, where her father is employed, floats the most popular case competition for MBS students.
- C.
She is a good debater who can logically think and argue on the go.
- D.
She is a good listener, and can grasp key aspects of the problem at hand very quickly.
- E.
She has interned with her fathers' firm for two weeks, during her graduation.
Question 2 of 3
Abirami cannot join groups having members with work experience; they reject her for being a fresher. Meanwhile, three of her batchmates, all freshers, are interested in forming a group with her. Abirami likes being with them as two of them are from her undergraduate college; however, Abirami fears that they may all come up with similar ideas during case discussions.
Which of the following reasons, IF TRUE, will BEST persuade Abirami to join them?
- A.
These three batchmates are Abirami's closest friend at MBS.
- B.
These three batchmates were toppers in their respective streams during graduation.
- C.
MBS's professors generally appreciate these three batchmates' inputs during case discussions.
- D.
Students with work experience have formed their own groups, rejecting freshers.
- E.
Some organizations prefer to offer internship opportunities to freshers over those with work experience.
Question 3 of 3
Abirami eventually joins a group, largely comprised of students with work experience. Whenever competition calls are announced, the group meets to discuss the competition. As competitions go by, Abirami observes that her views are hardly heard in meetings, though the other group members make it a point to invite her to every meeting. Since Abirami doesn't get acknowledged for her ideas in group discussions, she starts reflecting on what she has gained so far by being a part of the group.
Which of the following pieces of information will BEST convince Abirami that being in the group is beneficial to her?
- A.
Members of other groups shared with her that, while her group worked together, their groups rarely met, and worked in silos.
- B.
She can focus on her academics and still reap benefits from the group's success, if any.
- C.
Her only responsibility is to submit the final presentation to the company concerned after reviewing for language errors.
- D.
Her group has already been shortlisted for the final rounds of three of the four competitions they have participated in, so far.
- E.
The group meetings that she has attended so far have taught her a lot about how organizations work.
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