FINANCIAL LITERACY AND INVESTMENT BEHAVIOUR AMONG COMMERCE STUDENTS

Authors
  • Dhaval Nakum

    Government Commerce College, Gandhinagar

    Author

  • Komal Raval

    Author

Keywords:
Financial Literacy, Investment Behaviour, Commerce Students, Risk Tolerance, Gender Gap, Financial Inclusion
Abstract

Financial literacy is a critical determinant of sound investment decision-making, particularly among young individuals entering financial independence. Despite India's rapid financial inclusion, national data indicates that only 27% of individuals are financially literate, and prior studies suggest this gap persists even among university students with formal exposure to finance-related coursework. This study examines the level of financial literacy among 180 commerce students and investigates its relationship with investment behaviour, along with the influence of gender and family income. Using a structured questionnaire covering financial knowledge, attitude, and investment behaviour, data was analysed through descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The results reveal a moderate-to-low level of financial knowledge, with students showing weak understanding of diversification, inflation, and compound interest despite majority exposure to finance coursework. Only 44.4% of respondents currently invest, with Mutual Funds, Gold, and Fixed Deposits as preferred instruments, and social media emerging as the dominant source of investment knowledge over formal channels. Financial literacy was found to significantly and positively predict investment behaviour and risk tolerance. Gender emerged as a significant determinant of financial literacy, with male students scoring higher than female students, whereas family income showed no significant influence. The findings highlight a persistent gap between financial knowledge and applied investment behaviour, underscoring the need for experiential, gender-sensitive financial education interventions in commerce curricula to strengthen financial inclusion and responsible investing among India's youth.

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Author Biography
  1. Komal Raval

    Assistant Professor

References

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Published
30-09-2026
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dhaval Nakum, Komal Raval (Author)

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How to Cite

Nakum, D., & Komal Raval. (2026). FINANCIAL LITERACY AND INVESTMENT BEHAVIOUR AMONG COMMERCE STUDENTS. Tark Tansaku, 1(3), 13. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23244663

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