Shark and Ladders: Redefining Commerce Education Through Experiential Learning

Anish Bhardwaj | VI semester B.Com C section

19-02-2026

Education today demands more than textbook and lectures. We live in a world where the economics change daily and that change affects everyone regardless of their field of work or study, thus it gets important for all, specifically for students from non-commerce study to get in line with basic commerce terminologies or concepts.

With this vision in mind, The Praneethi Forum (BCom), conceptualised and successfully conducted an innovative event “Sharks And Ladders” a human sized game designed to make commerce related concepts a fun activity and a learning experience. The idea behind the event was clear, to fill the gap between the student from non-commerce background to essential financial literacy.

The event experienced an overwhelming participation of 65 teams, and each consisted of two members in each team.

Event Structure

“Shark and Ladders” was inspired by the traditional game of Snakes and Ladders but was uniquely redesigned to incorporate real-world economic elements. The snakes were replaced by “Sharks”—symbolic representations of economic threats such as inflation, recession, stagflation, unemployment, fiscal deficit, public debt crisis, balance of trade, trade deficit etc. On the other hand, ladders represented opportunities—correct knowledge, smart decisions, and strategic thinking, where the player has to answer a specific commerce related question to access the ladder (failing to which, he will be taught about the topic on spot).

The players are supposed to team up in pairs of which one of them rolls the dice (called dice master) and the other moves accordingly on the board. Each of them was given two lives.

The dice mechanics – Forward and backward – Teams had to make calculated decisions where they were given two dices to forward and backward using two different dices. The forward moving dices works as a usual dice whereas the backward moving dice lets the player to move backward in case they want to missed a ladder or to swap the roles if the player inside has lost one life.

A total of 6 teams will compete together and the match time is limited to 10 minutes. Two teams gets qualified from each game played

The teams that cross the final number first qualifies (max two), or if the time exceeds the limit of 10 minutes, the two players at the furthermost number get qualified.

Organizers

The event was planned, organised and executed by the Praneethi Forum post-holders with the assistance of the junior forum member with a goal of knowledge sharing.

The organizing committee retained authority over rule interpretation, ensuring transparency and discipline during gameplay. Their leadership transformed a creative idea into a large-scale, impactful educational event.

Outcomes and Impact –

The success of the event was not just in the promising participation but in the learning outcomes that it generated:

• Increased Financial Awareness - Students from non-commerce backgrounds gained exposure to essential financial terms and economic concepts in a method that interests them and is enjoyed by all.
• Enhanced Teamwork - With two distinct roles in the team, coordination and communication were critical. Participants learned collaboration and trust.
• Risk and Reward Analysis – The teams always had an option to swap roles or use the backward moving dice to move back and access the ladder, which made them learn the concept of risk and reward, and how much risk can be allowed and what is the reward linked to it.
• Improved Strategic Thinking - Managing lives, deciding when to swap roles, and navigating sharks required careful planning and analytical thinking.
• Positive Engagement - Unlike conventional academic sessions, the event fostered enthusiasm and active involvement. Students were engaged physically, mentally, and socially.
• Cross-Stream Inclusivity - The event successfully bridged academic streams, reinforcing that commerce knowledge is universally relevant.

Conclusion

“Sharks And Ladders”, which was conducted by The Praneethi Forum (B.Com) was more than just a game but – It was linked with a cause to protect the non – commerce background students to be aware of various commerce related concepts.

By transforming economic threats into shark tiles and opportunities into ladders, the event symbolized real-world financial journeys. It empowered students with knowledge, encouraged strategic thinking, and promoted inclusive education.

In a world where financial literacy is essential for success, initiatives like this set a benchmark for experiential learning. The Praneethi Forum has not only conducted an event but has also pioneered a model where education becomes interactive, relevant, and unforgettable.

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