Understanding Assessment Centre: by Dr. Bhagawan Chandra Sinha Associate Professor Sarala Birla University - Ranchi

Understanding Assessment Centre
By
Dr. Bhagawan Chandra Sinha

Associate Professor
Sarala Birla University - Ranchi
What is an Assessment Centre
• A method for assessing aptitude and performance;
applied to a group of participants by trained
assessors using various aptitude diagnostic processes
in order to obtain information about applicants
abilities or development potential
• The technique consists of a group of people
undergoing a series of work related exercises and
simulations along with some standard psychometric
instruments.
• This technique can be used for selection, career
development, management development
performance and potential appraisal
What might employers look for?
• Communication skills - oral, written
• Interpersonal skills - teamwork, leadership
• Self management skills - time management, self-
confidence, working under pressure, pro-active
approach
• Problem solving – analytical thinking, creativity
Typically an Assessment Centre run over 1-3 days at
either the company’s offices or at an external
location:
Activities might include:
• Management Games
• Background Interview
• Group Discussion
• Individual fact finding and decision making task
• Practical task
• In-basket Exercise
• Group task
• Role play
• Presentation
Assessment center For Management Graduates
DAY-1
•Management Game- ‘Conglomerate’.
• Background interview
•Individual Fact-Finding and Discussion-Making Exercise- ‘The Research Budget’.
DAY-2
• In-Basket Exercise- ‘Section Manager’s - In-Tray’
•Assigned Role Leaderless Group Discussion- ‘Compensation Committee’
•Analytical Skill and Decision Making- ‘Diksha industries’
DAY-3
• Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory –MMPI-2
•Final Announcement
Management Game- ‘Conglomerate’
• Forming different types of conglomerates is the
goal with total five teams of each team four
member participants bartering companies to
achieve their planned result.
• Teams set their own acquisition objectives and
must plan and organize to meet prerequisite
result.
• Background interview: A ½ hour interview is

conducted by an assessor.
Individual Fact-Finding and Discussion-Making Exercise-
‘The Research Budget’
• The participant is told that he has just taken over
as division manager.
• He is given a brief description of an incident in
which his predecessor has recently turned down a
request for funds to continue a research project.
• The participants are given 15 minutes to ask
questions to dig out the facts in case from their
subordinates.
• Following this fact-finding period, incumbent
must present his discussion orally with
supporting reasoning and it under challenge.
In-Basket Exercise- ‘Section Manager’s In-Tray’
The contents of a section manager’s In-Tray are simulated.

• The participant is instructed to go to go through the contents
solving problems, answering questions, delegating, scheduling,
organizing and planning, just as he might do if he were promote
suddenly to the position. These can include:
•Prioritising and justifying typical daily activities
•Writing an email or managing In-Box and responding to a queries.
•Checking a document for errors
•Evaluating a document and summarising its
contents/recommending actions
An assessor reviews the contents of the completed In-Basket and

conducts a one-hour interview with the participants to gain further
information.
Assigned Role, Leaderless Group Discussion-
‘Compensation Committee’
The Compensation Committee is meeting to allocate
₹8,00,000 in discretionary salary increases among
six supervisory and managerial employees.
Each member of the committee represents a
department of a company and is instructed to “to
the best he can” for the employee from his
department.
Analytical Skill and Decision Making- ‘Diksha industries’
’
The participants have to play a role of a consultant and
suppose to advise Mr. A. C. Singh of the Diksha
Industries on a problems.
What to with a division of the company that is
continually losing money.
The participants are given data on the company and are
asked to recommend the appropriate courses of actions.
Participants are supposed to prepare a report and make
their recommendation on a seven-minute presentation .
Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory –
MMPI-2
• MMPI-2 has 567 true/ false questions.
• Usually 40 to 50 minutes are given to answer the
questions.
• Protected psychological test i.e. administered and
assessed by trained psychologist with the help of
computer
• After psychological test clinical interview is conducted by a
psychologist
• The Psychologist writes report interpreting the test result
in the context of person’s history and current
psychological concerns.
Final Announcement
Assessors meet to share their observations on
each participant and to arrive at summary
evaluations relative to each dimension sought
and overall potential.

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Understanding Assessment Centre

Dr. Bhagawan Chandra Sinha

• Background interview: A ½ hour interview is

The contents of a section manager’s In-Tray are simulated.

An assessor reviews the contents of the completed In-Basket and

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