Govt Survey Reveals Surge in Online Banking Among Rural Indians, Led by Young Women

By: WE Staff | Monday, 2 June 2025

• According to a recent government survey, online banking is becoming more and more popular among rural women
• Online banking was accessible to 30.0 percent of rural women in Q1 2025
• This is a significant increase from 17.1 percent in 2022–2023

More women in rural India are now able to use online banking, according to a recent survey by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation. The data indicates a notable increase in digital financial inclusion. Compared to 17.1 percent in 2022–2023, 30.0 percent of rural women reported being able to do online banking in the first quarter of 2025.

The Ministry's Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom, 2025, which was published on Friday, includes the findings. According to the survey, online banking has significantly increased among Indians living in rural areas, particularly among young women. According to the previous Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey, which was published in October 2024, 51.4 percent of rural females aged 15–24 reported being able to conduct online banking transactions, more than doubling from 19.6 percent in 2022–2023 years prior.

In the 15–24 age group, 73.3 percent of rural men said they could use online banking, up from 40.2 percent in 2022–2023. It is noteworthy that the self-reported digital banking skills of the respondents were not independently verified by the ministry.

As part of the 80th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS), the survey was carried out in the first quarter of 2025. With the exception of a few villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it encompassed almost the whole nation. Data from 1.42 lakh people (82,573 rural and 59,492 urban) was gathered from 34,950 households, 19,071 of which were in rural areas and 15,879 of which were in urban areas.

For the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which have both supported financial inclusion initiatives over the past 20 years, the increase in online banking usage, especially in rural areas, is encouraging. The RBI said in its 2024–2025 annual report, which was made public on Thursday, that it would survey the country's use of digital payments during the current fiscal year. It is anticipated that the results will improve the effectiveness of payment systems and support financial inclusion.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) remains the industry standard for digital banking channels. 86.7 percent of people in rural areas and 74.4 percent of people in urban areas who used online banking exclusively used UPI. Just 18.0 percent of Indians who were 15 years of age or older used UPI in addition to internet banking and other platforms.