Mint readers’ poll: Budget 2025 tax changes find favour, but there's hunger for more
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Big relaxations announced by the Centre last year in both direct and indirect taxes appear to have found favour with the population, but expectations for more still run high ahead of the Budget, a Mint readers’ poll suggests. Most respondents to the poll are still seeking a populist approach in the Budget, and are hoping for further tax relief and some exemptions under the new tax regime.
Mint conducted a poll of its digital and print readers between 4 December 2025 and 26 January 2026 to capture public views on the upcoming Budget and to gauge what they want the government to prioritize this time. A total of 1,674 readers answered the poll. The sample is not representative of the population.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to table the Union Budget for 2026-27 on Sunday, 1 February. The poll captured views on last year’s tax slab changes and their impact, expectations from the Budget, whether further populist measures are warranted, the need for targeted schemes for women, farmers and entrepreneurs, and the timeframe the government should think of in its policymaking in pursuit of the goal to make India a developed economy by 2047.
Priorities for Budget 2026 When asked about their preferred top priorities for the Budget, the option “tax rates for the middle class" turned out to be the most popular, with 23% of votes, even though the past year saw income tax slab relaxations and cuts in goods and services tax (GST) slabs. About 22% of respondents want job creation for the youth prioritized in Budget 2026, signalling that employment remains an immediate concern for households.