Sebi to empanel securities mkt trainers for investor education initiative

Sebi invited applications from individuals and entities to be empanelled as SMARTs to shore up the regulator's investor education initiative amid growing retail participation in the capital markets

Sebi on Friday invited applications from individuals and entities to be empanelled as Securities Market Trainers (SMARTs) to shore up the regulator's investor education initiative amid growing retail participation in the capital markets.

Noting that an educated investor is a "protected investor", Sebi said there is a need to increase the outreach of investor education programmes so that investors understand the securities market better and make informed investment decisions.

SMARTs are expected to conduct Investor Awareness Programs (IAP) for existing and prospective investors in the securities markets, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said in a statement.

In these programs, topics related to basics of securities markets, rights and responsibilities of investors, understanding the risks and rewards involved while investing in the market, grievance redressal mechanism, among others, are expected to be covered.

These programs would be conducted in various regional languages, in addition to English and Hindi.

According to Sebi, individual SMARTs are expected to conduct programmes in their respective districts so that investors in tier-II and tier-III cities are also benefitted.

The capital markets watchdog has been undertaking various investor awareness activities, including seminars or webinars with stock exchanges, depositories, multimedia campaign, among others.

According to the regulator, applicants may be either an individual or organisation working in the field related to law, commerce, management, economics and financial markets education.

The organisation could be trust or society company or partnership registered under the relevant Acts.

In case of an individual applicant, Sebi said the applicant must have a graduate degree from a recognised university with50 per cent marks and at least five years of experience of either working or teaching in the areas of law, commerce, management, economics or financial markets education.

If an applicant is an organisation, the regulator said, at least one member of the governing body must have a graduate degree from a recognised university with 50 per cent marks and at least five years of experience of either working or teaching in areas of law, commerce, management, economics or financial markets education.

The SMARTs would be provided reimbursement for the expenses incurred by them, subject to prescribed limits for conducting investor awareness programs on securities markets throughout the country.

The last date for sending the application is October 16, the statement said.