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Best Free Stock Market Learning Resources in India 2026

4 days ago
11 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Disclosure: Education only. Not investment advice. No paid placements.

Last updated: 23 October 2026

By MonuKeer News Desk

You do not need to pay to learn the basics of the stock market. SEBI, NISM, the stock exchanges, the RBI and a few other bodies publish free study material, apps, videos, awareness sessions and even a free test with a certificate. This page lists nine free resources we could open and check ourselves on 23 October 2026, and compares them on the same published criteria.

No paid course is ranked here, and no one paid to be included. A high score means a resource is free, official and easy to use for a beginner. It does not mean that learning from it will make you money. No course, app or test can promise that.

How we compared them (criteria, published before the list)

We scored each resource from 0 to 2 on seven criteria, for a maximum of 14. Anything we could not confirm on an official page on the check date scores 0 or 1, as shown below. A resource may offer more than we could confirm. If something matters to you (for example, a Hindi version), check the official page yourself.

  • Official source – 2 points: Run by a regulator (SEBI, RBI), or a body set up or promoted by regulators (NISM, NCFE); 1 point: Run by a stock exchange or an exchange's investor protection fund (NSE, BSE IPF); 0 points: Run by a private company, including a broker.

  • Cost – 2 points: Fully free; 1 point: Free learning material, but a related test, certificate or exam is paid; 0 points: Mostly paid.

  • Stock market depth – 2 points: Several levels or a full multi-module course on markets; 1 point: Basics and investor awareness; 0 points: Mostly banking or general money topics, little on the stock market.

  • Hindi availability – 2 points: Hindi available for the main content (confirmed on an official page); 1 point: Some content in Hindi only, or Hindi stated but not confirmed on the current version; 0 points: No Hindi version found.

  • Certificate – 2 points: Free certificate; 1 point: Certificate available, but paid; 0 points: No certificate stated.

  • Beginner-friendliness – 2 points: Starts from zero and can be used on your own, at your own pace; 1 point: Needs some background, or available mainly through scheduled or on-request sessions; 0 points: Not suitable for beginners.

  • Last updated – 2 points: Evidence of an update in 2026 on the official page or store listing; 1 point: Evidence of an update in 2024 or 2025 only, or no date shown; 0 points: No sign of updates since 2023 or earlier.

How the list is ordered: by total score, highest first. Ties are broken by stock market depth, then Hindi, then official source.

Score table

Rank

Resource

Score (out of 14)

1

SEBI Investor Awareness Test (SIAT) – Level 1

13

2

SEBI Investor website and reading material

11

3

NSE Investor Awareness Programs and study PDFs

10

4

Saa₹thi app

10

5

RBI Financial Education

10

6

Zerodha Varsity

9

7

NISM free workbooks, webinars and Investor Awareness Program

9

8

NCFE e-LMS basic financial education course

9

9

BSE IPF investor education videos and programs

8

All facts checked on 23 October 2026.

The resources

1. SEBI Investor Awareness Test (SIAT) – Level 1 — 13/14

Score: Official source 2/2 · Cost 2/2 · Stock market depth 1/2 · Hindi availability 2/2 · Certificate 2/2 · Beginner-friendliness 2/2 · Last updated 2/2 · Total 13/14 · Run by: SEBI with NISM

  • Official URL: https://www.nism.ac.in/sebi-investor-awareness-test (registration portal: https://siat.nism.ac.in/)

  • What it offers: A free online test on investor awareness, offered by SEBI with NISM. Study material is available on the portal after you register.

  • Cost: Free of cost.

  • Format: 25 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. No negative marking. You pass with 10 out of 25 (40%).

  • Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia and Kannada.

  • Certificate: Yes. After you pass, the certificate can be downloaded straight away from the "Download Certificate" section.

  • Good to know: Registration needs Aadhaar and email verification. You get 3 attempts; after that there is a 3-month cooling-off period.

  • Gaps: It is a short awareness test, not a full course. It does not replace the paid NISM certification exams needed for some market jobs.

  • Who it may suit: Beginners who want a clear first goal and a free certificate in Hindi or English.

2. SEBI Investor website and reading material — 11/14

Score: Official source 2/2 · Cost 2/2 · Stock market depth 2/2 · Hindi availability 2/2 · Certificate 0/2 · Beginner-friendliness 2/2 · Last updated 1/2 · Total 11/14 · Run by: SEBI

  • Official URL: https://investor.sebi.gov.in/ (reading material: https://investor.sebi.gov.in/iematerial.html)

  • What it offers: SEBI's investor education website, with sections on Money Matters, Investment and Securities Market, podcasts, video learning, awareness programs and a link to SIAT. The reading-material page has free booklets such as Securities Market and Safe Investing, a Financial Education Booklet and a Financial Planning Guide, presentations (IPO, KYC, mutual funds, REITs, ETFs, online dispute resolution, frauds, derivatives), mutual fund material at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, and practice MCQs.

  • Cost: Free.

  • Languages: The website has a Hindi/English switch. Several booklets are offered in Hindi, and some also in Marathi, Gujarati or Bengali.

  • Certificate: None on the website itself (SIAT, above, gives one).

  • Help line: SEBI's toll-free investor helpline numbers are shown on the site: 1800 266 7575 / 1800 22 7575.

  • Gaps: It is a library, not a guided course, so you choose your own order. We did not find a "last updated" date on the pages we checked.

  • Who it may suit: Anyone who wants regulator-written material in Hindi to read at their own pace.

3. NSE Investor Awareness Programs and study PDFs — 10/14

Score: Official source 1/2 · Cost 2/2 · Stock market depth 1/2 · Hindi availability 2/2 · Certificate 0/2 · Beginner-friendliness 2/2 · Last updated 2/2 · Total 10/14 · Run by: NSE

  • Official URL: https://www.nseindia.com/static/invest/investors-awareness-programs

  • What it offers: Free Investor Awareness Programs (IAPs) held across India, and downloadable study PDFs at three levels: Level 1 Pratham (Introduction to Financial Planning, Hindi), Level 2 Pragati (Basics of Capital Markets, English and Hindi) and Level 3 Samriddhi (Important Aspects of Active Investing, English).

  • Cost: Free. Groups such as staff, societies or students can ask for a free program by emailing inv_awareness@nse.co.in.

  • Schedule: The page lists upcoming programs with dates, venues and topics. On the check date it showed programs dated 12–27 October 2026. Some are marked "Open for General Public", many "Only for Specific Audience".

  • Languages: Hindi PDFs for Level 1 and Level 2.

  • Certificate: Not stated.

  • Gaps: Most listed sessions are for specific groups, and none were listed in Rajasthan on the check date. The Level 3 PDF is in English only.

  • Who it may suit: Students, colleges and workplaces that want a free session, and self-learners who want a short Hindi PDF on capital market basics.

4. Saa₹thi app (SEBI) — 10/14

Score: Official source 2/2 · Cost 2/2 · Stock market depth 1/2 · Hindi availability 1/2 · Certificate 0/2 · Beginner-friendliness 2/2 · Last updated 2/2 · Total 10/14 · Run by: SEBI

5. RBI Financial Education — 10/14

Score: Official source 2/2 · Cost 2/2 · Stock market depth 0/2 · Hindi availability 2/2 · Certificate 0/2 · Beginner-friendliness 2/2 · Last updated 2/2 · Total 10/14 · Run by: RBI

  • Official URL: https://rbi.org.in/FinancialEducation/Home.aspx

  • What it offers: RBI's financial education pages, with literature, films, games and downloads, Financial Literacy Week material (2026 edition: 9–13 February 2026, theme "KYC – Your First Step to Safe Banking") and FAME messages.

  • Cost: Free.

  • Languages: Literature is offered in 13 languages, including Hindi.

  • Certificate: None stated.

  • Gaps: The focus is banking, safe money habits and personal finance. There is very little here on how the stock market itself works, so it scores 0 on stock market depth.

  • Who it may suit: Complete beginners, and families who want to get the basics of banking, KYC and fraud safety right before they invest.

6. Zerodha Varsity — 9/14

Score: Official source 0/2 · Cost 1/2 · Stock market depth 2/2 · Hindi availability 2/2 · Certificate 1/2 · Beginner-friendliness 2/2 · Last updated 1/2 · Total 9/14 · Run by: Zerodha (a stockbroker)

  • Official URL: https://zerodha.com/varsity/ (modules: https://zerodha.com/varsity/modules/)

  • What it offers: 17 free text and video modules, from an introduction to the stock market through technical and fundamental analysis, futures, options, option strategies, markets and taxation, currency, commodity and government securities, risk management and trading psychology, trading systems and personal finance. There is also a Varsity app for Android and iOS.

  • Cost: The learning material is free. Zerodha's page says it is "free and openly accessible", with "no signup, no pay-wall, no ads". The optional Varsity Certified test is paid: ₹250 + 18% GST.

  • Languages: Modules 1 to 11 have a Hindi (हिंदी) version.

  • Certificate: Only through the paid Varsity Certified test: 100 MCQs in 100 minutes, proctored, with a certificate if you score 65% or more.

  • Commercial context: Varsity is run by Zerodha, a stockbroker, and its pages carry an "Open account" button. You do not need an account to read Varsity. We include it because the content itself is free, but it is not an official or regulator source, so it scores 0 on official source.

  • Gaps: Not an official source. We did not find a clear "last updated" date for each module.

  • Who it may suit: Learners who have done the basics and want depth on analysis, derivatives and risk, free of charge.

7. NISM free workbooks, webinars and Investor Awareness Program — 9/14

Score: Official source 2/2 · Cost 1/2 · Stock market depth 2/2 · Hindi availability 1/2 · Certificate 1/2 · Beginner-friendliness 1/2 · Last updated 1/2 · Total 9/14 · Run by: NISM

  • Official URL: Free workbooks: https://api.nism.ac.in/cmp/ · Investor education: https://www.nism.ac.in/investor-education-content/ · Webinars: https://www.nism.ac.in/investor-education-webinars · Investor Awareness Program: https://www.nism.ac.in/investor-education/investor-awareness-program

  • What it offers: NISM (National Institute of Securities Markets) lets you view and download its certification-course workbooks "free of cost" after entering your name, email, mobile number, city and state. It also publishes investor education content, videos and recorded webinars. Its Investor Awareness Program is held at the requesting institution's premises by NISM-empanelled trainers, at "absolutely zero cost", and is described as "strictly non-commercial, no sales, no pitching".

  • Cost: Workbooks, webinars and awareness programs are free. The NISM certification exams themselves are paid; for example, the Series VIII Equity Derivatives exam fee is listed as ₹1,500+.

  • Languages: Some recorded webinars are in Hindi. We did not confirm Hindi versions of the workbooks.

  • Certificate: Only through the paid certification exams (SIAT, at rank 1, is the free option).

  • Gaps: The workbooks are written for professional exams and can be heavy for a complete beginner. The awareness program is on request for institutions, not for walk-in individuals.

  • Who it may suit: Serious learners and students who want exam-level depth for free, and colleges that want a free, no-pitch session.

8. NCFE e-LMS basic financial education course — 9/14

Score: Official source 2/2 · Cost 2/2 · Stock market depth 1/2 · Hindi availability 1/2 · Certificate 0/2 · Beginner-friendliness 2/2 · Last updated 1/2 · Total 9/14 · Run by: NCFE

  • Official URL: https://ncfe.org.in/e-lms (registration: https://ncfearthashiksha.in)

  • What it offers: A free e-learning course on basic financial education covering banking, securities markets, insurance and pensions. It has 20 modules of 15–20 minutes each, about 5 hours in total.

  • Run by: The National Centre for Financial Education (NCFE), whose website shows RBI, SEBI, IRDAI and PFRDA as its promoters.

  • Cost: Free. Registration needs a verified email and mobile number.

  • Languages: The NCFE website has a Hindi option. The course page does not say whether the course itself is in Hindi, so we score 1.

  • Certificate: Not stated on the course page.

  • Gaps: It covers the stock market as one part of a broad course, so depth is basic.

  • Who it may suit: Beginners who want a short, structured course across all the main money topics.

9. BSE IPF investor education videos and programs — 8/14

Score: Official source 1/2 · Cost 2/2 · Stock market depth 1/2 · Hindi availability 1/2 · Certificate 0/2 · Beginner-friendliness 2/2 · Last updated 1/2 · Total 8/14 · Run by: BSE Investors' Protection Fund

  • Official URL: https://www.bseipf.com/ (videos: https://www.bseipf.com/investors_education.html · awareness programs: https://www.bseipf.com/iap.html)

  • What it offers: The BSE Investors' Protection Fund publishes a free video series on the stock market (31 episodes, from "What is the Stock Market?" to "Common mistakes to stay away from"), and conducts Investor Awareness Programs on its own and with SEBI, investor associations and educational institutions. The fund also compensates clients of defaulting BSE trading members, up to ₹15 lakh per client, under its rules.

  • Cost: The videos are free to watch.

  • Languages: The homepage says the investor education videos are in English, Hindi, Gujarati and Bengali. We did not check each episode's language.

  • Certificate: None stated.

  • Gaps: The site looks less current than the others. The latest program numbers shown are for 2022–23, and the newest event page linked is World Investor Week 2025.

  • Who it may suit: Beginners who prefer short videos on stock market basics.

What we left out, and why

  • NSE Academy (now NAL Academy): Its courses are paid, and we could not verify a free module open to everyone on the check date.

  • BSE Institute (now FinX Institute): A commercial training institute with paid programs, so it is outside the scope of this free list.

  • Any paid course or private academy: This list covers free resources only, so no paid course is ranked.

  • IEPFA (Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority): Not ranked because it is mainly a refund service, not a learning resource. If you have unclaimed shares or dividends, its official site says the refund process is "simple, easy, and free of cost" and that you should apply only through www.iepf.gov.in, without middlemen.

How to use these resources safely

  1. Start with the basics. Read the SEBI booklets or an NSE Level 1–2 PDF, then take SIAT as a free check of what you have learned.

  2. Use only official links. Open the URLs on this page or type the official domain yourself, and check the domain before you register or share personal details.

  3. Never pay for something that is free. SIAT, the SEBI booklets, Saa₹thi, the NISM workbooks and the NSE and NISM awareness programs cost nothing.

  4. Learning is not a tip service. None of these resources tells you what to buy or sell. Be careful with anyone who promises fixed or guaranteed returns.

  5. Keep a note of the helplines. SEBI's investor helpline is 1800 266 7575 / 1800 22 7575.

FAQs

1. Which free resource should a complete beginner start with?

Start with the SEBI investor website or the NSE Level 1 and Level 2 PDFs, which are available in Hindi. Then take the free SEBI Investor Awareness Test (SIAT) to check what you have learned.

2. Can I get a free certificate in stock market basics?

Yes. The SEBI Investor Awareness Test (Level 1), offered with NISM, is free, and you can download a certificate as soon as you pass. Zerodha Varsity's certificate and NISM's certification exams are paid.

3. Are these resources available in Hindi?

Most are. SIAT can be taken in Hindi, the SEBI investor website has a Hindi version, NSE offers Hindi study PDFs, RBI literature is available in Hindi, and Zerodha Varsity modules 1 to 11 have Hindi versions. Check each official page for the current language list.

4. Is a SIAT or NISM certificate the same as SEBI registration?

No. SIAT is an awareness test, and NISM certifications are exams. SEBI registration (for example, as a Research Analyst or Investment Adviser) is a separate regulatory status with its own registration number.

5. Will learning from these resources help me earn from the market?

No resource can promise returns. These resources teach concepts, rights and risks. Results depend on your own decisions and the market, and losses are possible.

Sources (all checked 23 October 2026)

Reported by the MonuKeer News Desk. Edited by Monu Keer, Founder & Editor.

Education only. Not investment advice.

What changed this month

First edition.

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