Pune: The MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics at MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU), Pune, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FPSB India, the Indian subsidiary of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), to enable eligible students to pursue the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) certification alongside their academic programmes.
The collaboration between the MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics and FPSB India will provide students with globally recognised education and professional capabilities in financial planning and wealth management.
The initiative aims to prepare students for careers across the evolving financial services sector while aligning their learning with global professional standards.
The partnership comes as India’s financial ecosystem continues to expand, with increasing access to formal financial services, growing household participation in investment products and a rising need for professional financial advice.
According to the Reserve Bank of India’s Financial Inclusion Index, India’s financial inclusion score rose to 70.0 in March 2026, reflecting continued progress across access, usage and quality of financial services.
For the MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics, the partnership provides eligible students with an opportunity to pursue a globally recognised professional certification while continuing their academic programmes.
MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics: CFP Certification to Strengthen Financial Planning Skills
The CFP certification, globally recognised as a benchmark for professional financial planning, represents a high standard of knowledge, competence and ethical practice in financial planning.
The certification covers critical areas including investment planning, retirement planning, taxation, risk management and estate planning. These areas enable financial professionals to provide comprehensive and client-centric financial planning solutions.
With more than 236,300 CFP professionals across 29 territories as of September 2026, the certification has a strong global presence and continues to gain recognition as a mark of excellence in professional financial planning.
In India, the number of CFP® professionals has grown to approximately 3,534 in 2026, marking significant growth over the past few years.
The expansion reflects the increasing demand for qualified financial planning professionals and growing recognition of professional, holistic and goal-based financial planning in India.
The MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics said the collaboration will allow students to complement their academic learning with professional capabilities relevant to the financial services industry.
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MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics: Growing Demand for Financial Planning Professionals
The expansion of professional financial planning education coincides with India’s rapidly evolving wealth management landscape.
India’s mutual fund industry recorded assets under management of ₹82.22 lakh crore in June 2026, while monthly Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) contributions stood at ₹31,781 crore, according to industry data.
India’s financial inclusion journey has also expanded the formal financial ecosystem. Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), more than 58 crore accounts have been opened, with deposits exceeding ₹3 lakh crore as of July 2026.
As access to banking, insurance, pensions and investment products broadens, the need for qualified professionals who can help individuals make informed financial decisions is also gaining importance.
Against this backdrop, the MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics and FPSB India partnership is intended to provide students with specialised financial planning knowledge and career-ready skills.
MIT-WPU Students to Access CFP Certification Pathway
The MoU will enable eligible MIT-WPU students to access the CFP certification pathway alongside their academic programmes.
Through the industry-academia collaboration, students will have the opportunity to develop practical capabilities that complement their academic learning.
The programme is designed to prepare students for roles across banking, insurance, investment advisory, wealth management, fintech and other segments of the financial services industry.
Commenting on the collaboration, Ramesh Vishwanathan, CEO, FPSB India, said, “India’s expanding financial ecosystem and its nuances make financial education increasingly important for individuals aspiring a career in financial services.
As financial choices become more complex, students entering the financial services sector need the ability to understand individual circumstances, evaluate priorities and apply their knowledge with sound professional judgement to help their customers make informed financial decisions. Our partnership with MIT-WPU is an important step towards connecting classroom learning with globally benchmarked professional standards.
Through the CFP certification pathway, we aim to equip students with practical capabilities, ethical grounding and a broader understanding of the responsibilities involved in serving individuals and families, while strengthening the pipeline of future-ready talent for India’s evolving financial services ecosystem.”
Dr. Anjali Sane, Professor & Dean, School of Economics and Commerce, MIT-WPU, said, “This MoU reflects our vision to integrate global professional standards into academic programmes and provide students with opportunities that extend beyond the classroom.
By creating a pathway towards CFP certification, we aim to equip our students with relevant knowledge and practical capabilities while preparing them to contribute meaningfully to India’s financial inclusion and wealth creation journey.”
MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics: Industry-Academia Collaboration in Financial Education
The collaboration between the MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics and FPSB India is also expected to strengthen the interface between academic learning and industry requirements.
Students pursuing the certification will gain exposure to practical aspects of financial planning, including cash-flow management, investment planning, taxation, retirement planning, risk management and estate planning.
The global nature of the CFP certification can further support students seeking professional opportunities across markets where the certification is recognised.
As India moves from expanding access to financial services towards deeper participation in formal savings and investment products, professional financial planning is emerging as an important component of the financial services ecosystem.
The partnership between MIT-WPU and FPSB India seeks to contribute to this transition by preparing the next generation of commerce and economics graduates with internationally benchmarked financial planning capabilities.
For the MIT WPU School of Commerce and Economics, the MoU represents an industry-academia collaboration focused on integrating professional financial planning education with academic programmes and developing students’ capabilities for the financial services sector.
