SCMHRD's Nitishastra: Exploring Expectations and Economic Priorities in India's Budget Trajectory

Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD) convened Nitishastra, a critical pre-Budget discussion in Pune, India, focusing on the expected priorities shaping the Union Budget. Faculty members, including CA Sunit Joshi, Dr. Pankaj Sharma, and Dr. Shagun Thukral, shared academic and practical insights on the policies likely to influence household finances and business environments.

Key pre-Budget expectations center on potential changes in personal tax structures, including slab revisions and the role of standard deductions, as well as taxpayer strategies for reallocating portfolios amidst fluctuating interest rates. The panel emphasized the importance of fiscal policies supporting growth while addressing macroeconomic challenges such as inflation, global uncertainties, and supply-chain issues.

According to SCMHRD's analysis post-Budget announcement, the proposed Finance Bill, 2026, signals stability over radical restructuring, with personal tax exemption thresholds remaining consistent. This approach, viewed across the transition from the Income-tax Act, 1961, to the Income-tax Act, 2025, underscores predictability during structural changes. While expectations for sweeping tax reforms were high, the framework highlights continuity.