One aspect of PES University’s management quota process that surprises many families is the Group Discussion (GD) and Interview round. While many private colleges treat management quota as a straightforward financial transaction, PESU has integrated an assessment component that candidates need to actually prepare for.
The GD and Interview are not intensely academic — you won’t be tested on calculus or digital circuits.
What the university is assessing is whether your child can communicate, think on their feet, and present themselves with basic confidence. This is consistent with PESU’s emphasis on producing industry-ready graduates rather than purely examination-focused students.
For the Group Discussion:
topics are typically either current affairs-based (technology, education, social issues) or general opinion-based (“Is social media harmful?” “What is the role of engineering in India’s development?”). The key is participation — speaking confidently, listening to others, and making coherent points without dominating or being entirely passive. Practice at home with family members playing the role of other participants.
For the Interview: your child should be able to clearly answer why they want to study engineering
why they’ve chosen PES University, and what branch interests them and why. Having some familiarity with what PESU is known for — its industry connections, its placement record, its innovation centres — adds credibility. Basic questions about the candidate’s academic background and interests are standard.
Common mistakes to avoid:
speaking over other GD participants aggressively, being completely silent (equally bad), giving vague or rehearsed-sounding answers in the interview, or clearly not knowing anything about the university or the program they’ve applied for.
This round is genuinely important. Students who are dismissive of it and don’t prepare sometimes get surprised by the result. One or two practice sessions with a parent or teacher asking mock interview questions is all it takes to be ready.