Financial literacy is an important but oft ignored skill that is vital for young people. This study measured financial literacy levels among high school students (N = 608) in India and found low levels of performance on standard measures of financial literacy. The percentage correct score on the basic financial literacy questions was 45% and on the sophisticated financial literacy questions the score was 44%. Financial literacy levels in India were found to be lower than those in developed countries. Gender differences were found, with females outperforming males, contrary to findings in developed countries. Students who pursued the commerce/economics stream of education were found to have higher levels of financial literacy than students pursuing the science stream. Results showed that students, despite having high levels of numeracy, were unable to transfer that knowledge to do financial computations. Parental involvement was also found to have a significant influence on financial literacy. Interviews with students highlighted the fact that understanding of societal and macroeconomic impacts of financial literacy was low. These findings lend support for high school financial education which involves parents and stresses practical hands-on application, societal and macroeconomic impact, as a means of improving financial literacy.

Making financial decisions involves mathematical calculations, both simple and complex. It is a welldocumented fact that financial literacy levels among young people all over the world are quite low and that these low levels contribute to various undesirable outcomes with respect to personal financial well-being and the economy as a whole. This study explores the relationship between financial literacy and numeracy by measuring and modeling the relationship between financial literacy and numeracy levels among high school students (N = 586) in India. The results show a strong relationship between numeracy and financial literacy skills. Low numeracy is associated with a 4.8% reduction in financial literacy, while a high level of numeracy is associated with a 5.6% increase. This relationship is robust and held even when controlling for factors including gender, grade, education stream, level of financial education, language of instruction, parental involvement, parental education, family income, and future education plans. Because there is a strong relationship between numeracy and financial literacy, educational policy should consider increasing numeracy skills as one of the means of improving financial literacy. In particular numeracy as it relates to financial literacy (e.g., interest calculations, chart/data comparisons, and interpretations) should be promoted as part of the curriculum.

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