Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore organized a National Seminar on “Demystifying the Union Budget” on the 13th of March, 2015. The Budget is a much discussed topic, and it has assumed great significance this year given that it came from the new government that has promised to implement important economic reforms. Moreover, it came at a time when the world is taking notice of India’s growing economy. But as is well known, the youth of the Nation plays a major role in building its economy. The seminar tried to involve them in the discussion, while offering offered valuable insights about the budget.

The focus of the Youth-oriented seminar was an analysis of matters of significant importance to the nation, economy and society at large. In keeping with the theme of the event, it was coordinated by students under the guidance of Dr. Bakhshi and Prof. Kalyani Parmal, faculty of Jaipuria Indore. Thus, not only did the seminar offered students the experience of hosting an event of such magnitude, it also created a dynamic and democratic platform for them to introduce fresh perspectives and present their views on the Union Budget.

The seminar was divided into two segments: the Analysis by Experts in the Technical Session followed by the Presentation Competition for the Students. Dr. Nitin Merh, Assistant Dean offered the keynote address, which was followed by a compelling talk by Dr. Priti Bakhshi. According to her, “discussing [the] Budget is not just an intellectual exercise – it is also about balancing the books and a practical accounting effort. It is a highly delicate balancing act and gives some directions or a road map to achieve a particular growth.”

Mr. Shravan Garg, Ex Chief Editor, Naidunia, was the Guest of Honour. He covered the important area of the Budget’s impact on FDI, Retail, FMCG, Real Estate and Infrastructure. He also discussed how it had would affect average citizens and corporations alike. The panel discussion that followed had eminent personalities like Dr. Ganesh Kawadia, Head, School of Economics, CA Manoj Gupta, Tax Practitioner, Mr. Ashok Badjatiya, President, GIST and CA Anurag Joshi. Each panelist made crucial points that connected with the Youth.

Discussing everything, from the expectations of the budget to the impact it has had on various industries, the panelists drove home their points through relatable examples. The experts spoke about how the budget had affected Direct Taxation and shed light on matters like Make in India, Social Security, Capital Market, Corporate Finance, Real Estate, Manufacturing and more. The Open House session that followed allowed the students to raise questions, share their doubts and express their perspectives on a wide range of matters, which impressed the esteemed panelists.

The “Post-Budget Analysis” inter-institute Presentation competition was in keeping with the seminar’s theme of involving youngsters in the larger discussion about economic matters. Students were up to the task as they came up with well-researched presentations on different aspects of the economy. A highly-engaging question and answer session with the panel of judges followed. Thus, the event that brought together industry experts, academics, media professionals and students from leading management institutes came to an end.

The winners of the competition walked away with handsome cash prizes. But everyone was going home richer in experience, notably the knowledge that the Youth of the country is a crucial stakeholder in its economy.

Writeup Courtesy: Madyantika Mehra
Pankaj Prabhat, PGDM 2014-2016