The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Monday launched a nationwide investor-awareness campaign that will run through March 2027, with the regulator planning to take financial literacy to rural areas and educational institutions while cautioning investors against anonymous tips, finfluencers and exaggerated return claims.

The campaign, Project Jagrook, will bring Sebi, stock exchanges, depositories, the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) and the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) under a coordinated investor-education framework, propagating investor-awareness messages in several languages.

Speaking at the launch in Chandigarh, Pandey urged investors to use regulated products, channels and entities and not rely on anonymous tips, finfluencers or exaggerated claims on returns. He also advised investors to invest only in products they understand, diversify and not mistake fixed returns for risk-free investments.

“Do not invest because someone told you to. Do not invest because everyone else is investing. Invest, because you understand,” he added.

As part of the initiative, Sebi will take investor education into universities through its MUST (Mentoring of University and College Students through Trainers) programme. Teachers, staff and senior students will be trained as “Partner Trainers” to take financial-awareness programmes to students.

For rural India, Sebi will work with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on financial literacy, awareness of regulated products and fraud-prevention messages. It will also partner with state governments and local citizen-centric channels to expand investor education at the grassroots level.

“A common idea runs through all these initiatives: Do not wait for the investor to come to investor education. Take investor education to the investor… That is Samajh Se Investing Simple,” said Pandey.

The regulator will also introduce a National Securities Market Awareness Curriculum, supported by a free Sebi Investor Awareness Test, to provide a common framework for investor education while allowing it to be adapted for different audiences.

While participation in the securities market has risen, Sebi’s Investor Survey 2025 found that only 36 per cent of investors had high or moderate knowledge of the securities market.