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An Empirical Study
Saurav Mukherjee
Kallal Banerjee
Calcutta Institute of Technology
Swami Vivekananda University
DOI: 10.26573/2023.17.1.3 ([email protected])
Volume 17, Number 1 ([email protected])
January 2023, pp. 27-39
1. Introduction
COVID-19 struck as a deadly disease bringing a halt to the entire economic system of
operations worldwide. This infectious and fatal disease resulted in panic worldwide,
and our government imposed several strict measures like declaring a nationwide
lockdown in order to prevent the possibility of transmission of the virus. The health
leaders and experts suggested that a potential solution to prevent the spread of the virus
is by maintaining a social distance from individual contact. Administrations of several
developed and developing countries restricted movement in the country by initiating
total lockdown and requested the citizens to stay at home. Numerous nationalized and
private banks, financial institutions urged their customers to use internet banking and
to select online based shopping platforms for daily usage. Various digital banking
techniques gained popularity right from the time of demonetization. One of the popular
28 AIMS International Journal of Management 17(1)
platforms was UPI (Unified Payment Interface). A Unified Payment Interface (UPI) is
a platform that operates as a smartphone-based application that empowers the users to
make transactions between several accounts. UPI is a unique payment system initiated
by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and it’s regulation is operated
by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) which enables the process of immediate transfer
of funds between several bank accounts with the help of various applications`. UPI
emerged to be one of the most popular digital payment methods during the Covid 19
period with a record number of transactions performed through this platform. The
study aims to conduct a trend analysis on rapid increasing of UPI payments during and
post-covid period, as well as the number of banks directly and indirectly participating
in UPI and its role as an enabler of financial inclusion in India.
Customer Segments
• The system has rounded the clock availability and UPI has a single application for
accessing different bank accounts instantly for future transactions instantly.
• Authentication with the help of virtual ID is more secure, there is no need to share
credentials and the system uses Single click authentication for smooth performing
of financial transactions.
Merchant Segments
• No risk is associated with storing of virtual address of the customers like it is done
in case of other cards or accounts.
Mukherjee, Banerjee 29
• Helps to transact with customers not having credit/debit cards and the system is
suitable for any e-Commerce transaction.
• It resolves the cash on delivery (COD) and In-App Payments (IAP) problems.
6. Literatures Review
Harikumar et.al. (2022) opined that there is a significant impact of Covid on the
adoption of cashless methods among the general public of India. Technological
advancement in banking has enabled world wide access and permitted the users to
make any financial transactions at any time by single click. In this era of globalization,
Indian company, small shops to individual do business and various other transactions
using e-banking as opined by Gopinath et.al. (2022). According to Jawada et.al. (2021)
pointed out that there was rapid increase in UPI payments during Corona Virus
lockdown, people prepared to use UPI instead of cash and UPI payments helped to
ensure social distancing. According to Rastogi et.al (2021) recommend that
digitalization through UPI is necessary to support the goal of financial literacy and
eventually financial inclusion and economic development of the country. Indoria &
Devi (2021) opined that in contrast to all of payment systems it can be say that UPI is
the most advanced payment system in the world. Jain & Sarupria et.al (2020) revealed
that during the COVID-19 outbreak where people were compelled to stay away from
public gatherings, a substantial increase in orders placed on ecommerce websites has
been observed especially in cases of apps that provide various food and entertainment
services. Singh and Malik et.al. (2019) recommended that there is a critical and
potential innovative support for Indian companies to enable active, fastest technology
transfer in digital payment system and connect this innovation in research and
developments to drive the financial presence among different customer segments.
Interpretation of the data in Table 1 shows that there has been the highest increase
of 49% growth between 2020 and 2021 in the month of September. Between 2021 and
32 AIMS International Journal of Management 17(1)
2022, there has been a highest growth of 45% in the month of March and May
respectively.
The total value of UPI Transaction over three consecutive years, namely 2020, 2021
and 2022, have been analysed and simultaneously depicted trends over two
consecutive years have been pointed out in the Table 2.
Interpretation of the data in Table 2 shows that there has been the highest amount of
69% growth between 2020 and 2021 in the month of April, and between 2021 and
2022, there has been a highest growth of 62% in the month of October.
The total value of UPI Transaction to digital payment system has been analysed in
the month of March among three consecutive years, namely 2020, 2021 and 2022 and
simultaneously depicted growth and contribution over two successive years have been
pointed out on Table 3.
Table 2 Trend Analysis of Transaction Value (in Crores) among Successive Years
0.3 Trend Analysis
Value in 2020 Value in 2021 Value in 2022 Trend Analysis 2021-2022
2020-2021
Mar 206462.31 5,04,886.44 9,60,581.66 144% 90%
April 151140.66 4,93,663.68 9,83,302.27 226% 99%
May 218391.60 4,90,638.65 10,41,520.07 124% 112%
Sep 329027.07 6,54,351.81 1,116,438.09 98% 70%
Oct 386106.07 7,71,444.98 1,211,587.50 99% 57%
Source: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
The above Table depicts the rise of UPI transactions by 119% from 1.2 billion in the
month of March 2020 to 2.7 billion in 2021 and 98% from the month of March 2021
to 2022respectively.
Strengths
• UPI allows all small business merchants to accustom and accepting digital
payments without the need for a point of sale (POS) particularly in India, where
payment infrastructure is very poor initially for accepting digital payments, now
is increasing at a rapid space with help of modern technology.
• UPI operates on a safe, stable, and robust platform that includes numerous security
features that make it more secure than that of any other payment system which is
currently in operational stage. Biometric authentication in UPI will not only make
the payments more reliable but also mark a significant step forward in the
integration of next-generation technology with current payment systems with
artificial intelligence mechanism.
• In developing countries, digital financial transactions contribute significantly to
reduce corruption and reduction in the contagion of the parallel economy.
• Multiple identifiers, such as customised Virtual Payment Address (VPA), 12-digit
AADHAR Number allotted by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
or unique account number of financial institutions, and Indian Financial System
Code (IFSC) can be used to smooth performing payment system across different
segments of customer.
Weaknesses
• Payment settlement may be delayed due to bottleneck of technological
disturbances, leaving a transaction to be interrupted due to rapid customization.
• Two-factor authentication like mobile and PIN verification may irritate the users
in some cases and leads to make payment not successfully.
• Payments done through means other than Virtual Payment Address (VPA), such
as account number and IFSC, are subject to the same cooling period as
NEFT/RTGS transactions generally used in standard financial system.
• The greatest disturbing area using UPI is that the banks are not assisting customers
properly regarding security issues and helps regarding this. The majority of
fraudsters nowadays ask for money to be transferred via UPI transactions.
Opportunities
• A strong Banking network, and the simultaneously launching of digital India
especially after demonetization, propelled and boost the country’s economy
toward a cashless zone.
• During year 2020-21, the retail payment segment has seen growing rapidly with
the help of digital payment services, leads to doubling transaction volume and
value from 12.5 billion to 22.3 billion among 2020 to 2021 and from Rs 21.3
trillion to Rs. 41 trillion respectively.
• A large portion of the country's population lives in semi-urban and rural areas. So
possible prospective consumer base in these geographical regions will rise as they
gradually accustomed with internet and mobile phones which directly increase
growth of UPI usage.
• As per the vision of RBI, 2021 is to build a strong digital payment ecosystem for
indirectly generating a cashless economy. The government wants to reduce the
34 AIMS International Journal of Management 17(1)
Threats
• Awareness regarding UPI usage among the rural and semi urban people are very
less and accustomed these citizens with different tools of cashless economy are
really challenging to policy makers.
• Even though many e-commerce sites have adopted digital payment methods but
in reality, majority of rural consumers still prefer to pay with cash. This trend is
linked to concerns about cyber security in digital transactions across these regions.
• Strengthening the traditional banking system with latest technology-based
customization to compete with tech generation companies i.e., FinTech Players
are more challenging now a days to all UPI based applications.
As per RBI report, there has been a significant increase in the value of Financial
Index that has increased to 56.4 in March 2022 from 53.9 in March 2021 with growth
witnessed across all related sub-indices. It has been observed that the annual FI-Index
over the years has shown a constant increase with its value at 53.9 for the period ending
March 2021 as compared to 43.4 for the period ending March 2017. (from reference
Table 4).
Mukherjee, Banerjee 35
Table 6 Top Five Countries with Real Time Payment Transaction (In Million)
Payment Transactions Payment Transactions Growth Among
Country
in 2020 in 2021 Consecutive Years
India 25.5 48.6 90.59
36 AIMS International Journal of Management 17(1)
This research is conducted a Cluster Analysis of popular UPI on the basis of their
UPI transaction volume in terms of million and its value in terms of cores. The analysis
has been conducted and constructed on the k means clustering methods and three
distinct clustered are formed.
Cluster A comprises of different Apps whose total volume of UPI transaction is
6944.63 million and value of transactions are more than 12 lack cores. The Apps which
are belongs to these cluster are namely PhonePe, GooglePay and Paytm that is most
of citizen are frequently used these Apps. So, they are very much popular as user-
friendliness’ and very high popularity among citizen level.
Cluster B comprises of the Apps whose total volume of UPI transaction is 104.63
million and value of transactions are more than 24 hundred cores. The Apps which are
belongs to these cluster are namely CRED, BHIM and Amazon Pay that is median no
of citizen are using these Apps. So, they are moderately popular as its moderate user-
friendliness’ and popularities etc.
Cluster C comprises of the Apps whose total volume of UPI transaction is only 19
million and value of transactions are more than 35 thousand cores. The Apps which
are belongs to these cluster are namely Mobikwik, Whatsapp Money, Samsung Pay
and Jupiter etc. that is less no of citizen are using these Apps. So, they are least popular
among citizens as its least user-friendliness’ and less popularity.
Mukherjee, Banerjee 37
11. Conclusion
It can be observed that UPI transaction growth has increased substantially from March
2020 to March 2022. It has been observed that:
1. Volume of UPI transactions has significantly increased from March 2020 to
March 2022.
2. The number of banks living on UPI has increased substantially from March 2020
to March 2022.
3. UPI plays a crucial role in financial inclusion and is a major component of digital
payments in India. UPI has made a substantial contribution to the process of
achieving the goal of making India a cashless economy.
4. India has proven to be the future hub of digital payments as a leader all across the
globe, and the UPI system is giving India an edge to be a world leader in the arena
of financial development.
12. References
1. Pallathadka, Harikumar, and Laxmi Kirana Pallathadka. (2022). "IMPACT OF
COVID ADOPTION OF CASHLESS METHODS AMONG GENERAL
PUBLIC IN INDIA." Journal of Applied Science And Research 10.2 56-64.
2. Gopinath, R., S. Vevek, and S. Sivaprakkash. (2022): "A Paradigm Shifts In
Digital Payment Transactions: UPI, IMPS & NFS Before And After Covid-19 To
Seize Opportunity Of Cashless Economy In India." Central European
Management Journal 30.4 915-923.
3. Jawade, Prachi, and Praveen Suryavanshi. (2021). "Trend Analysis of UPI
Payments during Covid 19." Sambodhi (UGC Care Journal) 44.1 45-50.
4. Rastogi, Shailesh, et al. (2021). "Unified Payment Interface (UPI): A digital
innovation and its impact on financial inclusion and economic
development." Universal Journal of Accounting and Finance 9.3 518-530.
38 AIMS International Journal of Management 17(1)
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Kallal Banerjee has completed PhD from University of Calcutta in the Dept of
Management and MBA from IIFT, M. Com from CU, MCA from DOEACC
SOCIETY. He has more than 20 years of experience in academic and research arena
in the allied field of Management. Presently he is associated with Swami Vivekananda
University in School of Management as a Professor and Director. Presently total eight
registered research scholars pursuing their PhD under his supervision
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