Student Tax Conference

The Student Tax Conference was organised by the School of Business & Management – BBA, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus, as a research-integrated and outcome-based experiential learning initiative under the course Taxation Laws and Practice (BBA301-5). This event was conducted on 2nd and 3rd December 2025 from 12:30 PM to 04:30 PM, the event took place at the Seminar Hall and Amphitheatre, Management Block, and witnessed active participation from over 230 third-year BBA students.

The conference was conceptualised as part of CIA-3 with the objective of moving beyond traditional taxation assessment methods that largely emphasise numerical problem-solving and statutory recall. Recognising the need to equip students with analytical, interpretative, and policy-oriented skills, a research-integrated assessment model was introduced in alignment with Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels (RBTL).

As part of this initiative, students undertook individual research projects on contemporary taxation themes such as tax compliance, tax incentives, inequality, digital economy taxation, tax reforms, and crisis-time tax policy. These themes were deliberately chosen to bridge statutory tax provisions with real-world economic and governance contexts. Each student conducted a systematic literature review, with or without sentiment analysis, drawing from scholarly articles, policy documents, and institutional reports. The assignment required students to synthesise literature, identify research gaps and contradictions, and critically evaluate implications for taxpayers, administrators, and policymakers.

The assessment was explicitly aligned with course learning outcomes. Through research-based analysis of deductions, exemptions, and tax structures, students strengthened their ability to apply taxation concepts (CLO 3). Policy evaluation and comparative perspectives enhanced tax planning and optimisation skills (CLO 4). Evaluation rubrics emphasised not only content accuracy but also analytical reasoning, integration of sources, originality of insights, and clarity of academic communication.

The Student Tax Conference served as the research dissemination platform for this assessment. Students presented their work either through oral paper presentations in the Seminar Hall or physical poster presentations in the Amphitheatre. A panel of approximately six faculty members acted as judges and session chairs, providing structured academic feedback. Mandatory attendance for both presenters and audience members ensured peer learning, exposure to diverse research perspectives, and sustained academic engagement throughout the sessions.

This experiential learning approach enabled students to engage in academic simulation, fostering peer critique, professional presentation standards, and the ability to defend research ideas before an informed audience. Additionally, the requirement to prepare digital research summaries supported academic communication skills and employability readiness.

Observed outcomes included improved conceptual clarity of tax laws beyond computation, enhanced confidence in discussing tax policy and reforms, and a stronger ability to link taxation with economic inequality, compliance behaviour, and governance. Students demonstrated higher engagement, ownership of learning, and maturity in academic expression, with several expressing interest in taxation-related research, professional certifications, and higher studies.

The Student Tax Conference represents a meaningful shift toward learning-centric, quality-driven assessment in taxation education. By embedding research, presentation, and reflection into evaluation, the initiative contributed significantly to strengthening teaching-learning processes and achieving sustained academic improvement.