Nudging India

Dr. Megha Agarwal is an Assistant Professor at BRCM College of Business Administration in Surat, Gujarat. She holds a PhD in Management from Gujarat University. Her doctoral research examined a central paradox in Indian public finance, where formal oversight often masks systemic opacity. She developed the theories of ‘Managed Obscurity’ and 'Performative Accountability' to explain how governments maintain executive discretion. To resolve these structural flaws, she proposed the establishment of an Independent Fiscal Institution.
Before entering academia, Dr. Agarwal built a career in the technology sector. She worked as a Product Manager, leading projects in robotic process automation and system integration. She actively built and scaled digital platforms for high-volume supply chains. This direct industry experience gives her a practical understanding of digital choice architecture. She knows exactly how apps, algorithms, and business processes influence consumer decisions.
Her research spans multiple disciplines. She explores algorithmic governance, behavioural finance, and public financial management. Her recent academic publications investigate the readability of the Indian Union Budget and the aesthetic biases hidden within generative AI. She applies machine learning and financial technology to strategic decision-making. She was a national finalist in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s Open Data Hackathon.
In the classroom, Dr. Agarwal focuses on translating complex economic data into applied business strategies. She teaches courses on artificial intelligence and behavioural finance to undergraduate cohorts. She believes that future managers must understand both the mathematics of finance and the psychology of the consumer. Nudging India is her initiative to bring applied behavioural science into the Indian educational system.