Management Journal for Advanced Research Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal ISSN (Online): 2583-1747 Volume-3 Issue-3 || June 2023 || PP. 28-38 DOI:10.54741/mjar.3.3.5 http://mjar.singhpublication.com 28 | Page Understanding the Acceptance Pattern of UPI in New Normal: A Study in Rural Districts of West Bengal Dipankar Mondal 1 and Suraj Sharma 2 1 Faculty, Maharani Kasiswari College, and Ph. D. Research Scholar, Department of Commerce, Vidyasagar University, India 2 Faculty, Department of Management Studies, Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Development, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 1 Corresponding Author: dipankar11oct@gmail.com ABSTRACT The UPI is an entirely new concept which has changed the entire banking systems. It provides on-the-go services regarding funds transfer with added security, which is adopted throughout the country. Recently, COVID-19 pandemic shook the entire world, which rose due to contamination. Therefore, physical payment systems ceased slowly and digital payment systems such as IMPS, NEFT etc. among these payment systems, UPI (unified payment systems) emerged as an entirely revolutionary payment method. However, despite of the added features, previous studies have shown that the UPI adoption is very slow in the rural parts of India. Literatures show that there has been very few research on the acceptance pattern of UPI in the rural districts of West Bengal. Hence, the present study is an attempt to understand the factors which affect the acceptance/non-acceptance of UPI payment systems. The present study is conducted in two stages. In the first stage, the factors are identified, and in the second stage, these factors were tested for biasness in various demographic factors. Findings suggest that rewards, convenience, and technological factors are biased among occupation, education and location demographics respectively. Keywords: acceptance pattern, covid-19, inter-bank transactions, sustainable solutions, unified payment interface I. INTRODUCTION In recent times, the notion of online platforms has become ubiquitous across both urban and rural areas; however, this was not always the case in the absence of technology and accessible telecommunication devices. At present day the life style, expectations, situational needs, social status, fast track competition, work life and globalisation have transformed the masses to approach Online platforms. Right from the purchase of daily necessities like groceries, medicines, transport, payment of utility bills, fees of educational institutions, transfer of funds at a distant location, payment to business clients to every need, the online platform for transactions has retained a place successfully as a reliable alternative to cash. There is a huge upsurge in the number of online vendors at length and breadth. Peoples’ high propensity of online shopping reflects in their consumption behaviour which is strongly empowered by enormous expansion network-driven shopping applications gradually. Despite these contemporary circumstances there are ample facts which prove non-acceptance of such technological innovations in use. In the context of India as a developing economy, it tries to engrave the option for availing and adopting online transactions in the economy for the att ainment of its prime mission ―Digital India‖. Certainly, NPCI has several weapons which are used to transact digitally like ―Unified payment Interface (UPI)‖, ―Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)‖, ―National Automated Clearing House (NACH)‖, ―Aadhar Enabled Payment System (AEPS)‖, ―National Financial Switch (NFS)‖, ―Rupee and Payment (RuPay)‖, The Bharat Bill Payment System etc. UPI is the flagship initiative out of all which has entirely changed the face of India’s remittance structure. Neo means new, modern, updated situation which is unlike the past system used to get followed. Here ―Neo‖ signifies a current situation which is modified and readjusted and accepted to comply the dynamic environment. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many new learning and opportunities people have experienced off just like the online remittance platforms in financial sector. This attempt is made to investigate a comparative analysis on the adoption and perception of the users of UPI remittance between Rural and Urban areas at preferred locations of West Bengal in Neo Normal Situation. The prime question arises behind this study is to know that why the rural part of the economy is not accepting the UPI as a reliable, user-friendly, and sustainable solution for payment. The COVID-19 lock-down has challenged the country throughout across its length and breadth from rural to urban. The major part of the economy consists of rural locations. Hence the current study tries to attempt and analyse rural locations to see the acceptance pattern of Unified Payment Interface as the flagship platform of India’s remittance system which is a key vehicle for making Digital India. Received: 23-05-2023 Revised: 18-06-2023 Accepted: 29-06-2023