An Alternative Index for Measuring Financial Inclusion: A Study of Scheduled Tribes in Kerala

The degree of financial inclusion within the tribes in Kerala is being assessed here through a newly developed metric called the Individual Financial Inclusion Index (IFII). Apart from examining the regressors of financial inclusion, the study underscores the profoundly inadequate levels of financial inclusion observed among the tribes. The article advocates for a fundamental re-evaluation in the determination of financial inclusion strategies, emphasising the need for diligent intervention by governing bodies to facilitate sustained and comprehensive access to enable informed financial services decisions among tribes.