JD Birla Institute’s School of Commerce Launches Kolkata’s First Gen Z Budget Debate
Kolkata, 11th February 2026:
Kolkata’s academic calendar marked a significant milestone on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, as JD Birla Institute’s School of Commerce hosted “Reality Check – Reimagining India’s Budget 2026–27 through the Lens of Gen Z” at the Vidya Mandir Society Auditorium. This event – the first of its kind in the city, created a pioneering platform where young voices from different colleges across the city analysed the Union Budget as stakeholders in India’s future.
The central highlight of the event was a high-energy team-based debate competition on the motion: “It is the opinion of the House that the Union Budget of India 2026 maximally serves the interests of Generation Z.” Leading institutions from Kolkata, including St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration, Jadavpur University, EICASA, Sister Nivedita University, Institute of Business Management and JD Birla Institute, participated in a rigorous intellectual exchange.
The debate moved beyond textbook analysis. Teams argued passionately about employment generation, start-up incentives, digital infrastructure, skill development, taxation, cost of living, and the long-term economic roadmap for young India. Sharp rebuttals, data-backed arguments, and confident articulation reflected both preparation and perspective.
In his address, the Director of JD Birla Institute emphasised that the objective was not merely to analyse numbers but to question what the Budget should look like for Gen Z. The session was moderated by Mr. Nilanjan Dey, Managing Partner at Wishlist Capital, and evaluated by an eminent jury comprising FCA Ishan Tulsian, CA Gagan Kedia, and Dr. Samip Barua.
A novel highlight was the integration of AI in the debate. An AI portal, skilfully customised by a JDBI student for this purpose, acted as an additional judge and an expert commentator delivering valuable insights, thereby showcasing innovation, academic rigour, and future-ready learning at JDBI.
With a winning prize of ₹20,000 awarded to the team speaking for the motion, the event also recognised individual achievers. MD Shahid Dayer received the Best Speaker award, and Harsh Kumar Aggarwal was declared the runner-up in the Best Speaker category.
Reality Check concluded as more than a debate. It emerged as a defining moment in Kolkata’s academic landscape. Through this flagship event, JD Birla Institute’s School of Commerce has emerged as a forerunner in empowering Gen Z to actively engage with national policy and future-focused conversations in Kolkata.
