Case Quest 5.0 - A Case Study Competition

ECONOX, The Economics Society of College of Vocational Studies, University of Delhi, presents a three-round case study competition that brings together economics, finance, business strategy and real-world decision-making. The Competition Businesses today operate in an environment where a seemingly small change in regulation, technology or consumer behaviour can have a much larger impact on the way companies make money. A change in the economics of a payment method can affect much more than the payment itself. It can influence pricing decisions, customer behaviour, margins, loyalty, transaction values and competitive strategy, forcing businesses to rethink how they operate. This competition puts you in the position of decision-makers facing exactly such a challenge. You will be required to move beyond textbook concepts, understand the underlying business problem, work with the information available to you and develop a strategy that is financially sound, commercially viable and capable of surviving real-world competition. The case will revolve around a leading Indian company and a contemporary development in India's business and digital-payments ecosystem. What awaits you? Round 1 — The Economic Pulse (7 October 2026, Wednesday) The journey begins with an online quiz designed to test your understanding of economics, finance, business, markets and contemporary economic developments. 20 questions 15 minutes Eliminatory in nature Only the teams that demonstrate the required level of economic and business acumen will advance to the next stage. Round 2 — The Catalyst (8 October 2026, Thursday) The shortlisted teams will receive a real-world business case based on a leading Indian company. A recent change in India's UPI payment ecosystem has created a new strategic challenge for the company. The introduction of a 0.4% MDR on eligible UPI merchant transactions above ₹2,000 may appear to be a payment-cost issue at first glance. However, its implications can extend into margins, customer behaviour, payment preferences, pricing and the broader customer ecosystem. Your task is to analyse the case, identify the core problem and develop a strategic response. There will be no single framework or prescribed route to the solution. Teams will have to decide for themselves what matters, what trade-offs exist and which strategy is most viable. The shortlisted teams will submit their solution in the form of a PDF within the stipulated deadline. Round 3 — Beyond the Transaction (13 October, Tuesday) The strongest teams from Round 2 will advance to the final presentation round. This will be more than simply presenting your slides. You will have to defend your assumptions, justify your financial logic, explain your strategic choices and respond to questions from the judges. The final round will test not only the quality of your solution but also your ability to think on your feet. Guidelines The competition will be conducted entirely online. The competition consists of three rounds, Online Quiz, Case Study & PPT Submission, and Online Presentation. Round 1 will consist of 20 questions with 15 minutes allotted for the quiz. Round 1 will be eliminatory in nature. The case for Round 2 will be provided only to the teams shortlisted from Round 1. Teams will be required to analyse the case and submit their solution in the prescribed PPT format. Only a selected number of teams will advance to Round 3. The final round will consist of an online presentation followed by a Q&A with the judges. Detailed instructions regarding PDF format, submission procedure and presentation guidelines will be communicated to shortlisted teams. Rules Timely submission of all rounds is mandatory. Plagiarism or use of unfair means will result in immediate disqualification. All submissions must be original work of the participating team. The use of AI will be governed by the competition rules communicated by the organising committee. Teams must adhere to the prescribed time limits and submission formats. The decision of the organising committee and judging panel shall be final and binding. The organising committee reserves the right to modify timelines or competition procedures in case of unforeseen circumstances.