Micro-Entrepreneurs' Demographic Profile and UPI Adoption: An Empirical Study Awareness and Usage of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in Sikkim

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53983/ijmds.v14n11.006

Keywords:

Financial Inclusion, UPI Adoption, Digital Payment System

Abstract

Background: Unified Payment Interface (UPI) UPI in today’s business has transformed and reshaped the way business transaction works. It provides a simplest and seamless way of transferring the funds from one account to another. Its penetration in the Indian market has enhanced and increased the revenue and efficiency in the business. However, its presence in informal sector especially the micro entrepreneurs is very limited due to many factors like digital illiteracy, network problem and many other things, especially in the entire hilly regions of Sikkim compared to the other regions of India. Objectives: Aims to measure and explore their inequality of UPI awareness, acceptance and adoption among the micro entrepreneurs’ according their demographic profile. Methods: The structured sample survey instrument was prepared to collect primary data from 100 micro entrepreneurs based on convenience sampling method and after the data purification deployed the statistical test to prove the significant mean difference. Results: Gender and residential status do not affect UPI awareness, acceptance, or adoption. Age and education significantly influence awareness but not acceptance or adoption. UPI adoption is equitable across demographic groups once awareness is achieved. Conclusion: No demographic factor (gender, age, education, residential status) significantly influences acceptance or adoption. Once awareness is present, entrepreneurs across all groups show similar acceptance and adoption patterns. Awareness campaigns should focus on older and less-educated entrepreneurs, while adoption strategies can remain uniform across demographics.

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Author Biographies

Ms. Ansha Tamang, Post – Graduate Student (Batch 2023-25), Department of Commerce, School of Professional Studies, Sikkim (Central) University, Gangtok-737102 Sikkim (East)

Ansha Tamang is a Post Graduate Commerce (Batch 2023 – 25), Department of Commerce, School of Professional Studies, Sikkim University, (A Central University) Gangtok — 737102 Sikkim (East). She has cleared a “Category-2 (eligible for Assistant Professor and PhD admission)” in June 2025. She also earned NCC B & C certificate with ‘A’ Grade. She earned an undergraduate B. Com degree from Nar Bahadur Bhandari Degree College affiliated to Sikkim (Central) University.

Dr. B. Muthu Pandian, Assistant Professor in Commerce, School of Professional Studies, Sikkim (Central) University, Gangtok-737102 Sikkim (East)

Muthu Pandian. B is an Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, School of Professional Studies, Sikkim University, (A Central University) Gangtok — 737102 Sikkim (East). His core areas of research focus on Banking and Financial Markets. He holds his Ph.D. (Commerce) with the specialization of finance on "Infusing Efficiency in Real Estate Capital Market (A Conceptual Model for Online Property Spot & Index Based Derivatives Exchange)" at Pondicherry University. His two patent applications are pending based on his doctoral research outcomes. Recently, one German patent award on "A System for Generating a Composite Risk Index (CRI) for Financial Markets" Which is founded on the work done with his doctoral research fellow. He is credited with a book entitled “Statistical Methods for Practice and Research: A Guide to Data Analysis Using JAMOVI” (ISBN: 978 – 81989982 – 2 – 4) coauthored with his colleague published under the reputed national publisher.

Dr. Ravi Shekhar Vishal, Assistant Professor in Commerce, School of Professional Studies, Sikkim (Central) University, Gangtok-737102 Sikkim (East)

Ravi Shekhar Vishal is an Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, School of Professional Studies, Sikkim University, (A Central University) Gangtok — 737102 Sikkim (East). His core areas of research focus on Human Resource, Skill Development, Infrastructure Finance, Organizational Behaviour, Strategic Management & Law. He holds LLB Degree and Ph.D. (Commerce) with the specialization of Human Resource Management on "Human Resource Management Practices in Central Public Sector Undertakings — A Case Study of D.L.W. Varanasi" from VBS Purvanchal University. He is credited with one German patent along with his colleague and doctoral research fellow of the department. He is credited with a book entitled “Statistical Methods for Practice and Research: A Guide to Data Analysis Using JAMOVI” (ISBN: 978 – 81989982 – 2 – 4) coauthored with his colleague published under the reputed national publisher.

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Published

16-11-2025

How to Cite

Tamang, A., B. M. Pandian, and S. V. Ravi. “Micro-Entrepreneurs’ Demographic Profile and UPI Adoption: An Empirical Study Awareness and Usage of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in Sikkim”. International Journal of Management and Development Studies, vol. 14, no. 11, Nov. 2025, pp. 54-63, doi:10.53983/ijmds.v14n11.006.

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 11 (2025): International Journal of Management and Development Studies

Section

Articles