August 19, 2025

Get ready for an exciting revolution in small-town India! The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) has cooked up a spicy plan to spice up mutual fund (MF) awareness and distributor numbers. How? By partnering with the Department of Post to turn 2.5 lakh postmen into MF distributors with special training sessions. These postmen, who are already close to people in smaller towns, will get expert coaching and help to pass the National Institute of Securities Market (NISM) exam. Passing this test means they can officially sell mutual funds. This plan will open new doors for thousands eager to become MF entrepreneurs. AMFI isn’t stopping there. They have embraced four states—Meghalaya, Bihar, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh—as their special projects to spread the wealth of knowledge. Partner institutes will train school teachers who will then teach students about mutual funds in two steps: first, grasping the basics, and second, cracking the NISM exam to become distributors themselves. Venkat Chalasani, CEO of AMFI, said, "The postmen are in close touch with the common man in smaller towns and have the pulse on ground to tap the potential investors." He added that AMFI wants at least 10,000 people in the adopted states to become financially literate. From that batch, at least 1,000 will become mutual fund distributors. The goal? To have 10 to 20 distributors in every district of these states, creating a strong network of investment helpers right where people need them the most. The timing is perfect! Last fiscal year, the industry saw a boom with 29,555 new individual MF distributors—up 24% from the previous year, hitting a five-year record. Over five years, AMFI added 1.04 lakh individual MFDs and 2.25 lakh distributors overall, including firms and bank employees with distributor IDs. Now, India boasts 1.78 lakh distributors, with 1.62 lakh being individuals. With AMFI's smart moves and the trusty postmen stepping up, smaller towns may soon shine brighter with financial knowledge and booming mutual fund investments. Who knew your friendly postman could soon be your investment guide?

Read More at Thehindubusinessline →

Tags: Mutual funds, Amfi, Financial literacy, Postmen, Nism exam, Distributors,