<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<article article-type="Research Article">
  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">journal-of-statistics-and-management-systems</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title> Journal of Statistics and Management Systems</journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn publication-format="electronic">2169-0014</issn>
      <issn publication-format="print">0972-0510</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Taru Publications</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.47974/JSMS-1594</article-id>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Digital divide and its impact on financial inclusion in tribal Kerala</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes">
          <name>
            <surname>Joseph</surname>
            <given-names>Jibu P.</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Management Studies, Santhigiri Institute of Management Vazhithala, Thodupuzha, Kerala, 685583, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Sunny</surname>
            <given-names>Rosmin</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Management Studies, Santhigiri Institute of Management Vazhithala, Thodupuzha, Kerala, 685583, India</aff>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <volume>29</volume>
      <issue>6</issue>
      <fpage>619</fpage>
      <lpage>628</lpage>
      <pub-date date-type="pub">
        <day>15</day>
        <month>05</month>
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <abstract>
        <p>The financial Internet is making our country’s digital divide, especially with no infrastructural developments. Digitalization could connect to deliver worldwide and combined access to high-quality financial services. Customers are looking for less fraudulent activity to make transfers less costly, faster, instantaneous, and secure and make the system more efficient. The digital divide touches every area of life, including literacy, wellness, security, access to financial services, etc. Therefore, a developing country, India, must focus on inclusive and equitable growth. The researcher could identify through the research where the weightage is to be given, that is, timely intervention in technological access and proficiency within the sample population. The study found no significant association between education levels and digital literacy on the digital divide in the country. The expansion of financial inclusion has also been severely hindered by a lack of financial knowledge, resulting in a lower acceptance rate. The best way to close the digital gap in financial inclusion are limited to appropriate practices and education. </p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <kwd>Digitalization</kwd>
        <kwd>FINTERNET</kwd>
        <kwd>Technological innovation</kwd>
        <kwd>Financial inclusion</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
      <custom-meta-group>
        <custom-meta>
          <meta-name>access</meta-name>
          <meta-value>open</meta-value>
        </custom-meta>
        <custom-meta>
          <meta-name>retracted</meta-name>
          <meta-value>no</meta-value>
        </custom-meta>
      </custom-meta-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
</article>
