Authors:
Aarti Malunjkar
Shahid  khatif
Yash Bhalerao

Introduction:

Mutual funds are one of the most accessible investment options for individuals, allowing investors to invest small amounts in a professionally managed portfolio. However, many students have limited awareness about mutual funds and their benefits. Lack of financial knowledge often prevents students from understanding how mutual fund investments work. Developing awareness about mutual funds at an early stage can help students build better financial habits and improve financial literacy among young investors.

Objective :

To understand the level of awareness and knowledge about mutual fund investments among students.

Literature Review :

1: Awareness of Mutual Fund Investments:

Studies show that financial literacy strongly influences investment decisions. Many students and young individuals hesitate to invest due to limited knowledge about mutual funds (Pooja Agarwal & Manish Jain, 2020).

2: Role of Financial Education:
Research indicates that increasing financial education and awareness programs can improve investment participation and help individuals make informed financial decisions (Amit Kumar & Sandeep Gupta, 2019).

Data Collection:

A survey questionnaire was designed with questions related to awareness about mutual funds among students. The Likert scale was used

 to gather responses ranging from ‘Strongly Agree’ to ‘Strongly Disagree’. The questions aimed to assess the students’ knowledge regarding mutual fund awareness, benefits, risks, and investment process. A random sample of 100 students was selected to participate in the survey to ensure representation of the student population.

Data Analysis:

After collecting the responses through Google Forms, the data was analysed using statistical tools. Mean, Standard Deviation (SD), and Standard Error (SE) were calculated for each survey question (Q1–Q5). The mean represents the average response on the Likert scale while the standard deviation indicates the variation in responses.

Hypothesis Testing:

H0: Students are not aware of mutual fund investments.
H1: Students are aware of mutual fund investments.

To test the hypothesis, the confidence level is taken at 95% (Z = 1.96).

	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q5
H0	0	0	0	0	0
H1	0	0	0	0	0
N	100	100	100	100	100
Mean	3.32	3.45	3.41	3.64	3.07
Standard Deviation (SD)	1.39	1.14	1.28	1.24	1.42
Standard Error (SE)	0.40	0.33	0.37	0.35	0.41
Z (T-Stat)	0.81	1.38	1.11	1.80	0.17
Result	Accept H0	Accept H0	Accept H0	Accept H0	Accept H0
Positive / Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Positive	Neutral

 

Confidence Level: 95% (Z = 1.96)
Since all calculated Z values are less than 1.96, the null hypothesis is accepted for all questions.

 

 

Conclusion

1. Students show moderate awareness about mutual funds, but most responses remain neutral.
2. Students have basic knowledge about how mutual funds work, though their understanding is not very strong.
3. Students are somewhat aware of the benefits and risks of mutual funds, but the awareness level is moderate.
4. Students show slightly higher agreement about knowing how to start investing in mutual funds compared to other aspects.
5. Overall, awareness exists, but deeper financial knowledge and practical understanding of mutual fund investment among students is still limited.

 

 

References:

Agarwal, P., & Jain, M. (2020). Financial literacy and investment behaviour of investors in mutual funds.
https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3562123

Kumar, A., & Gupta, S. (2019). Investor awareness and perception towards mutual funds. International Journal of Research in Finance and Marketing.
https://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ijrfm

.