INVESTOR PERCEPTION AND INVESTMENT DECISION-MAKING TOWARDS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MUTUAL FUNDS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN JAIPUR DISTRICT

Investors in India highly value the flexibility, choice, and diversification offered by mutual funds. For this reason, they are among the most popular investment products in India. The current analysis focuses on the investment decisions and perceptions of the residents of Jaipur about public and private mutual funds. According to the results, multiple aspects of mutual funds influence the decision of an investor. These include the anticipated reward, risk, and level of trust. Generally, private sector mutual funds are more attractive due to convenience, innovation, and customer service. Conversely, the services of public sector mutual funds are perceived to be safe and reliable, thus, usually, more trusted by investors. Investors should improve their financial literacy and the decisions they make regarding mutual funds. In making these decisions, investors should consider their objectives and financial state as well as the risk they are willing to take. To attract more investors to the industry and deepen market participation, mutual fund companies will need to improve their transparency and customer service as well as educate their clients. In the years to come, understanding the perceptions of customers regarding mutual funds will be especially important for fund managers and other market players as the industry is expected to grow rapidly due to increased financial literacy and the digital distribution of mutual funds. This growth is especially anticipated in Jaipur.

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