SEBI Rolls Out Samajh Se Investing Simple Campaign and Campus Mentorship Initiative MUST — October 6, 2026

Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched a nationwide investor awareness and education campaign titled ‘Samajh Se Investing Simple’ under its broader Project Jagrook framework. Rolled out to coincide with the 10th edition of World Investor Week (WIW) 2026, observed from October 5 to 11 under the aegis of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the campaign is slated to run through March 2027.

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey unveiled the initiative during an event at Panjab University, Chandigarh. Alongside the campaign, the regulator rolled out the Mentoring of University/College Students by Trainers (MUST) initiative, established an official verified WhatsApp channel, and inaugurated SEBI’s new Chandigarh Local Office.

Project Jagrook and MUST Initiative

Project Jagrook, originally launched by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, seeks to deepen financial literacy, promote informed decision-making, and curb fraud across physical and digital channels in multiple regional languages.

Under the newly minted MUST initiative, SEBI aims to institutionalize financial education across higher education campuses. Faculty members, non-teaching staff, and senior students will be nominated, trained, and certified by SEBI, the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), and market infrastructure institutions as “Partner Trainers”.

These trainers will conduct structured workshops on university campuses covering:

• Core financial literacy and personal budgeting principles
• Mechanics and risk profiles of diverse asset classes, including equities, mutual funds, and debt securities
• Safeguards to verify registered intermediaries and authenticate payment requests
• Fraud prevention strategies to identify pump-and-dump tactics and cyber scams

SEBI is collaborating with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) to scale the MUST framework across colleges nationwide. In addition, the regulator plans to introduce a standardized National Securities Market Awareness Curriculum, coupled with a free SEBI Investor Awareness Test.

Addressing Knowledge Gaps and Finfluencer Risks

The campaign comes amid a rapid influx of retail participants into Indian equities and mutual funds, alongside rising concerns over misinformation. According to SEBI’s Investor Survey 2025 findings, only 36% of retail market participants demonstrated high or moderate knowledge of securities markets.

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey emphasized that sustainable wealth creation requires fundamental comprehension rather than chasing social media hype. Cautioning against unregistered financial influencers (“finfluencers”), fraudulent trading apps, and anonymous stock tips, Pandey noted that the campaign’s objective is to deliver education directly to citizens: “Do not invest because someone told you to. Do not invest because everyone else is investing. Invest, because you understand.”

Collaborative Market Outreach

The campaign is supported by SEBI’s Securities Market Partners (SMPs), including stock exchanges BSE and NSE, Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), depositories NSDL and CDSL, and the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI).

To expand digital accessibility, SEBI also launched an official WhatsApp channel equipped with a verified blue tick, enabling investors to access authenticated educational resources, verify regulatory notices, and report suspicious investment solicitations directly from their smartphones.

Tags: SEBI NISM AMFI NSE BSE Capital Markets