SEBI Launches "Samajh Se Investing Simple" Campaign, MUST Initiative and Official WhatsApp Channel (October 2026)

SEBI has announced an official WhatsApp channel, which will carry a verified blue tick to help users identify the authentic account. The channel was announced on 5 October 2026 along with the "Samajh Se Investing Simple" campaign and the MUST programme for students, all under Project Jagrook. The press release imposes no duty on any regulated entity. Its value is practical: it tells investors, advisers and compliance teams which SEBI channel it describes as official and what the campaign covers.

At a Glance

What Is the "Samajh Se Investing Simple" Campaign?

"Samajh Se Investing Simple" is an integrated investor awareness and education campaign run by SEBI and its Securities Market Partners (SMPs): the Stock Exchanges, Depositories, AMFI and NISM. It is also the theme of World Investor Week 2026 in India. The campaign encourages investors to:

• understand different investment products, their risks and features;
• verify the authenticity of investment platforms and payment requests; and
• make informed investment decisions.

The press release describes Project Jagrook as a nationwide campaign launched by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, combining physical and digital pathways in a multi-linguistic and multi-channel approach. Its stated goals are financial literacy, informed investment practices and prevention of financial fraud. SEBI drives it with NISM, BSE, NSE, MCX, CDSL, NSDL and AMFI.

What Is the MUST Initiative?

MUST stands for Mentoring of University/College Students by Trainers. Under it, nominated faculty, staff or senior students are trained and certified by SEBI, SMPs and NISM as Partner Trainers (PTs). The Partner Trainers then impart financial literacy and securities-market awareness within university or college premises. The programme focuses on:

• basic financial literacy;
• informed investing; and
• prevention of financial frauds.

SEBI is also collaborating with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) to encourage wider adoption of Project Jagrook and MUST across universities and educational institutions. A student-focused interactive leaflet has been introduced, comparing investing to a trek and featuring a "Spot the Differences" game. It stresses that both journeys have ups and downs and that preparation is the key to navigating them.

The press release does not give enrolment steps, eligibility rules or a timeline for certification. Institutions interested in MUST should look to the MUST link referred to in the release.

How Can Investors Identify SEBI's Official WhatsApp Channel?

The press release says the channel will "carry a verified blue tick to help users identify the authentic account" and gives 1800 22 7575 as the way to access it. It also links to the channel at the end of the document. In our suggestion (not stated in the release), users should confirm the channel against SEBI's own website before following it.

Language count. The text of the press release does not state how many languages the WhatsApp channel supports. A slide visible in the event photographs says "We are now on WhatsApp in English and 12 Indian languages", and the languages shown on it are Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Odia, Telugu and Assamese. The Chairman's speech of the same day spoke of English, Hindi and 11 regional languages for the media campaign, which is the same set. The language count therefore rests on an event slide and not on the text of the press release, so check the channel itself before quoting it.

What Else Happened at the Event?

• Exhibition: an investor awareness art exhibition on campus with paintings on aspects of the securities market and investment avenues, and SMP stalls with interactive games, quizzes and information on investor-centric initiatives.
• Chandigarh Local Office: the event coincided with the inauguration of the SEBI Chandigarh Local Office.
• Attendance: senior officials of SEBI, Panjab University, AIU and the SMPs.
• Ongoing work: SEBI and SMPs continue Project Jagrook initiatives in collaboration with State/UT Governments and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

When Does It Apply?

What the Press Release Does Not Say

• No obligation. It places no duty on brokers, Exchanges, Depositories or any other entity. The binding display requirement for brokers sits in SEBI's separate circular dated October 01, 2026, covered in our article on the broker display circular.
• No MUST operating detail. No eligibility, enrolment process, fees or timeline.
• No campaign end date. The press release gives none. The Chairman's speech mentioned sustained communication till March 2027.
• No WhatsApp language list in the text. See the discrepancy note above.

What Should Practitioners Watch?

A press release is not a compliance trigger, so there is no checklist. These are editorial suggestions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Samajh Se Investing Simple"?

It is an integrated investor awareness and education campaign under Project Jagrook, run by SEBI with Stock Exchanges, Depositories, AMFI and NISM, and also the theme of World Investor Week 2026 in India.

When is World Investor Week 2026 in India?

It is observed from October 5 to 11, 2026. It is the 10th edition, organised annually under the aegis of IOSCO.

What is the MUST initiative?

MUST is Mentoring of University/College Students by Trainers. Nominated faculty, staff or senior students are trained and certified by SEBI, SMPs and NISM as Partner Trainers to teach financial literacy, informed investing and fraud prevention on campus.

How do I reach SEBI's official WhatsApp channel?

The official channel can be accessed through 1800 22 7575 and, according to the press release, will carry a verified blue tick to help users identify the authentic account.

Does the press release create any obligation for stock brokers?

No. It is an announcement of initiatives. Broker display duties arise from SEBI's separate circular dated October 01, 2026 on investor awareness messages.

Who is collaborating with SEBI on Project Jagrook?

NISM, the Stock Exchanges (BSE, NSE, MCX), the Depositories (CDSL and NSDL) and AMFI. For outreach, SEBI also works with State/UT Governments, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and, for MUST, the Association of Indian Universities.

Where was the campaign released?

At Panjab University, Chandigarh, on October 5, 2026. The event also coincided with the inauguration of the SEBI Chandigarh Local Office.

CorpLawUpdates Analysis

This press release, SEBI's 1 October 2026 circular on investor awareness messages by stock brokers (see our article SEBI Project Jagrook: Stock Brokers Must Display Investor Awareness Messages from 5 October 2026) and the Chairman's Chandigarh speech of the same day all fall under Project Jagrook. They are separate documents with different effects: the circular binds stock brokers, Exchanges and Depositories, while the speech and this press release impose no duty. For practitioners, the most actionable item is the WhatsApp channel. Advisers and brokers who want to point clients to an official SEBI channel now have one, though the press release does not require anyone to promote it.

The discrepancy over the number of WhatsApp languages is minor, but it shows why quoting from one source alone is risky. The source does not indicate whether MUST will have an application process for institutions or when the first Partner Trainer batches will be certified.