CAN INDIA GO CASHLESS? ASSESSING THE ROLE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR BANKS IN MOBILE BANKING IN INDIA

Purpose: The study looks at the issue of mobile banking in the country with a focus on changing trends during the rule of the NDA government and more specifically after the launch of the 'Digital India' programme. The study assesses the growth during the period 2012 to 2019 in respect of volume and value of mobile banking transactions. The contribution of public and private sector banks in this mode of banking is also explored. Design/methodology/approach: The research applies the semi-log method for arriving at the growth rate. However, for testing the structural break, Chow test is applied. Findings: The analysis shows that though there is an overall rise in the volume of transactions, the average transaction is on the decline. The public and private sectors both experience a huge rise in the extent of mobile banking transactions in the country. An interesting finding is that there has been a spurt in the transactions volume since the launch of the 'Digital India' programme. Originality/value: There is no previous research evidence that looked into the issue and the changing nature in this mode of transaction since the promising programme of the government of India.