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Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
-
Paper ID:
IJSREM66357
Volume:
10 |
7 |
Jul 2026
Pages:
1-5
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.
Commerce
Hislop College
Investor protection is the foundation of an efficient financial system in a country. Keeping this in mind, India established the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) under Section 125 of the Companies Act, 2013. This is a statutory body that delas with investor education, protection and acts as a custodian of unclaimed investor assets. Previously, unclaimed assets in the form of shares, matured debentures, company deposits and dividends have remained unclaimed as the investors forgot their investments or lost track of them. Establishment of IEPF was the first step towards setting up a robust legal and institutional mechanism specially catering to investor protection. This research paper attempts to study the role of IEPF with respect to management of unclaimed dividends, shares, deposits and other such assets. It also examines the influence of IEPF on financial literacy and investor education on the investors. The paper is secondary data based analysing the rules, statutes, reports and academic literature on the subject. It also endeavours to find out the practical difficulties in implementing the IEPF agenda. The paper summarizes that although IEPF has paved the way for improved investor protection in India further efforts are needed for the common investors to actually benefit from the same.
KEYWORDS
The investor education and protection fund (IEPF) is a social security legislation designed to safeguard the investor interests in India. The mechanism is comprehensive and well-structured to ensure that unclaimed wealth of the common investors is not lost or misused. The IEPF serves as a central government backed authority designed to act as a custodian of unclaimed financial assets. At present the claim process is rather lengthy and tedious requiring documentation and multiple compliances. However, efforts are being made for simplification of the process by introducing digitalization and investor education. In conclusion it can be said that IEPF is one of India’s most significant frameworks for investor protection and is likely to give more productive results in the times to come. As India's capital markets continue to expand and retail investor participation increases, the importance of the IEPF is likely to grow further. Strengthening this institution through technological innovation, improved governance, and evidence-based policymaking will contribute not only to investor protection but also to the long-term credibility, transparency, and stability of India's corporate and financial sectors.
Ministry of Corporate Affairs. (2013). The Companies Act, 2013. Government of India. Ministry of Corporate Affairs. (2016). Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules, 2016. Government of India. Ministry of Corporate Affairs. (n.d.). Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority. https://www.iepf.gov.in Securities and Exchange Board of India. (n.d.). Investor education. https://www.sebi.gov.in Bhandari, M. C. (2021). Guide to the Companies Act, 2013. Bharat Law House. Ramaiya, A. (2022). Guide to the Companies Act (20th ed.). LexisNexis. Gower, L., & Davies, P. (2016). Principles of modern company law (10th ed.). Sweet & Maxwell. OECD. (2020). OECD/INFE 2020 international survey of adult financial literacy. OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/financial/education Reserve Bank of India. (2024). Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India. https://www.rbi.org.in World Bank. (2022). Global Findex Database 2021: Financial inclusion, digital payments, and resilience in the age of COVID-19. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org
Publication Date
7/27/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
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Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this research work.
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