An Empirical and Critical Examination of Bloom’s Taxonomy in Indian Higher Education – Evidence from Management Institutes in Pune City

Abstract

Bloom’s Taxonomy has remained one of the most influential frameworks in educational psychology and Outcome-Based Education (OBE). However, its increasing institutionalisation within Indian higher education raises important pedagogical and epistemological concerns. This study critically examines the applicability of Bloom’s Taxonomy within management education in Pune city. Using descriptive and analytical research design, the study evaluates whether hierarchical cognitive classification genuinely reflects contemporary learning processes in higher educational institutions. The findings indicate that learning in management education is integrative, recursive, experiential, and context-driven rather than linear and hierarchical. Bloom’s Taxonomy was found to function primarily as an administrative and accreditation-oriented framework embedded within OBE documentation rather than as an authentic cognitive learning architecture. In response, the study proposes the Integrated Cognitive Learning Model (ICLM), a non-hierarchical and context-sensitive pedagogical framework integrating experience, reflection, application, evaluation, and creation. The paper argues for a shift from compliance-oriented educational structures toward culturally grounded and cognitively authentic pedagogical ecosystems