Greater Noida, Mar 30: Shiv Nadar University, Delhi–NCR‘s School of Management and Entrepreneurship hosted a seminar titled “Governance and Regulation in a VUCA World: Understanding the Business of Government,” bringing together senior policymakers, economists, industry experts, and students for a day of discussion and reflection on the future of governance.
The seminar featured a deep-dive workshop on “Measuring Good Governance: Towards Generally Accepted Performance Principles,” led by Dr. Prajapati Trivedi, former Special Envoy for SDG Implementation at the Commonwealth Secretariat, former Secretary to the Government of India, and former Senior Economist at the World Bank. The session focused on the importance of measurable outcomes, robust systems, and clarity in defining policy objectives.
Dr. Trivedi said, “In public policy, while goals may differ, the logic of causality remains the same, and the quality of outcomes ultimately depends on the quality of assumptions, robust systems, and clear priorities set in advance, because while designing policy is straightforward, effective implementation is the real challenge.”
This was followed by a roundtable discussion on regulation, business, and citizen engagement featuring Mr. Shailesh Pathak, Senior Advisor, Policy, National Stock Exchange (NSE) and former Secretary General, FICCI; Dr. Laveesh Bhandari, President, Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) and Founder, Indicus Analytics; and Ms. Aparajita Bharti, Co-founder, Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) and Founding Partner, TQH Consulting. The session was moderated by Professor Rajat Kathuria, Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS), Shiv Nadar University, Delhi–NCR.
The panellists engaged in a wide-ranging exchange on regulatory reform, ease of doing business for MSMEs, and the evolving interface between citizens and the state in a digital age. Discussions highlighted how technology is reshaping governance while also cautioning that digital tools must not mask deeper systemic challenges.
Ms. Bharti noted, “A lot of things that were taken for granted have been challenged in the past few years,” adding that “samaaj (society), sarkar (government) and bazaar (market) need to get together.” She highlighted the transformative yet complex role of technology, observing that “technology gives an illusion in giving solutions, but it is a layer on a broken system,” and stressed that “each technology stack must be seen from an angle of digital sovereignty.”
Dr. Bhandari underscored the need for regulatory clarity and flexibility, stating, “Regulate hard if you want to regulate right,” while also pointing out that “government is structured to be structured; it is not structured to be flexible.” He added that market dynamics often address skill gaps, noting that “if we have skill problems, then demand for that has not been created.”
Mr. Pathak emphasised the importance of institutional quality and data-driven governance, stating that “by having better quality cohorts, we get better quality legislators,” and highlighted the need to examine India’s governance frameworks alongside improved data-tracking mechanisms.
Professor Kathuria, in his remarks, said, “Policy is not worth the paper it is written on unless it is implemented, monitored, and constantly corrected, and in a VUCA world shaped by AI and shifting global narratives, the real challenge is building robust institutions and leadership that can keep pace with change, because regulation will always struggle to stay ahead of the regulated.” He further added that institutions are critical not only for policy formation but also for effective implementation.
The seminar underscored Shiv Nadar University, Delhi–NCR‘s commitment to fostering thought leadership at the intersection of academic research, public policy, and business strategy. By convening voices from government, industry, and civil society, the University continues to enable meaningful dialogue to address complex governance challenges in an increasingly uncertain world.
