Five years of GST: Mistakes that have made the regime a disappointment

Addressing mistakes made while introducing the tax and getting back to a revenue-neutral rate(s) constitute the agenda that awaits attention

Let’s start with the conclusion: The goods and services tax (GST) in India, now five years old, has not been the success it was intended to be. Nor has it been a failure — as happened in Malaysia, which tried the tax for three years before dumping it. Like much of what the government tries to do, the GST has its plus and minus points, with the prospect that the minus points can be progressively eliminated.

Could it have been handled better? Yes, starting with avoiding the initial tech glitches and the complications of multiple filing. Are all the problems