The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore), through its Centre for Capital Markets and Risk Management (CCMRM), has launched the GIFT Finance Olympiad: National Student Case Challenge 2026. The olympiad is in collaboration with GIFT City. Eligible students can register through the official competition registration form. Further details are available from CCMRM at IIM Bangalore.
The national-level competition is inviting postgraduate students from recognised colleges, universities and business schools across India to develop practical solutions to challenges facing the countryтАЩs international financial markets.
Registrations opened on October 14 and will close on October 31, 2026, at 11:59 pm IST. Participants must form teams of four, with interdisciplinary teams encouraged to bring together expertise in finance, economics, technology and data. Each student can participate in only one team.
The competition will be conducted in three stages, beginning with an online national case challenge, followed by in-person regional finals in Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Mumbai. The four regional winners will advance to a Grand Finale, the date of which will be announced separately.
TWO TRACKS
The online round requires teams to analyse a real-world case relating to GIFT CityтАЩs financial ecosystem and submit a presentation comprising one title slide and up to four content slides. Participants must choose between two analytical tracks: markets and product design, or institutional strategy and governance.
The first track asks students to examine a proposed launch of single-stock futures linked to large Indian companies through depository receipt structures on NSE International Exchange (NSE IX). Teams must assess contract design, investor eligibility, clearing mechanisms, liquidity provision and operational risks.
The second track focuses on how financial market institutions in GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) should evaluate partnerships with global exchanges, custodians and clearing corporations. Key considerations include governance, cybersecurity, data sharing, strategic independence and international competitiveness.
REGIONAL FINALS TO BEGIN IN NOVEMBER
Shortlisted teams will compete in regional finals scheduled for November 21 in Delhi, November 28 in Bengaluru, November 30 in Kolkata and December 5 in Mumbai. These rounds will involve an extended case study, live presentations and questions from a panel of judges.
Evaluation will prioritise the quality and originality of analysis, depth of strategic thinking, feasibility of recommendations, understanding of market trade-offs and presentation quality. Original analysis will carry the highest weight, at 30 per cent.
Organisers said the challenge is designed to encourage evidence-based thinking and solutions that strengthen GIFT IFSCтАЩs credibility and long-term competitiveness as an international financial centre. Participants may use artificial intelligence tools for research and drafting but must disclose their use.
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