Published Paper Details:

Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India was introduced through the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act of 2017 transformed the country's existing indirect tax system. GST 1.0 subsumed multiple central and state taxes and introduced a unified and fragmented tax structure. The aim was to eliminate the cascading effect of taxation and improve the existing tax compliance. Besides having so many advancements, GST 1.0 faced several limitations, including multiple tax slabs, compliance complexities, and high filing burdens, particularly for MSMEs over the passage of time. In response, on September 22, 2025, the Government of India launched GST 2.0 as a major structural reform. It was designed to simplify tax rates, streamline compliance processes through automation, and make the tax system more equitable. The present study offers a comparative analysis of GST 1.0 and GST 2.0. The focus is on sector-wise reforms and their impact on businesses and consumers. It was found that GST 2.0 addresses many of the practical challenges of GST 1.0, including ease of doing business, support to MSMEs, and promotion of a more inclusive and growth-oriented tax environment.