For decades, India’s education system has produced some of the world’s most talented engineers, doctors, and professionals. Yet, one critical life skill remains largely absent from our classrooms: financial literacy. Whether it’s managing credit, understanding digital payments, or simply grasping the logic behind interest rates and savings, financial skills are as essential as language or mathematics in today’s economy.
A gap that costs India
The problem isn’t just that young people don’t know how to manage money, but that many don’t even realise what they don’t know. Financial decisions are woven into everyday life: paying bills, choosing insurance, filing taxes, or running a small business.
Without the basics of financial literacy, people often learn through trial and error, sometimes costly ones. For vocational students and entrepreneurs, that learning curve can determine whether an idea becomes a livelihood or a loss.
The shift from learning to earning
India’s youth is entering a workforce where digital payments, instant lending, and compliance requirements are the norm. From gig workers to startup founders, everyone now interacts with financial systems daily.
This makes it crucial for educational institutions, both vocational and higher, to integrate financial awareness into their training. A hospitality student should understand digital tipping systems; a mechanic should know about UPI-linked microloans; a design graduate should grasp how to invoice clients securely online.
Beyond theory: Real-world context
Financial education shouldn’t be limited to textbooks. It should include interactive experiences, simulated transactions, mock tax filings, or small business case studies. Students should learn how digital identity verification, payment gateways, and data privacy impact real financial behaviour.
These practical modules can demystify finance and prepare youth to participate confidently in India’s rapidly digitising economy.
Where technology bridges the gap
In my work building digital financial infrastructure for businesses, I’ve seen firsthand how access and awareness go hand in hand. Many enterprises struggle not because they lack opportunity, but because financial operations remain opaque or overly manual.
When systems automate collections, streamline payouts, or ensure compliant onboarding, they empower people to focus on growth rather than red tape. That’s the power of technology when combined with financial understanding; it transforms participation into progress.
Empowerment begins with education
Embedding financial literacy into the curriculum isn’t just an academic reform; it’s a social investment. As India moves toward a $5 trillion digital economy, every student, regardless of field, must be equipped to understand, manage, and leverage money effectively. Institutions, regulators, and industry players must collaborate to design accessible, modular financial learning programs that evolve with the market.
Ultimately, financial empowerment begins with education; it thrives through inclusion, awareness, and the right digital tools that make finance intuitive, not intimidating.
[Written by S. Anand, Founder & CEO, PaySprint. Views expressed are their own]
