Name: Renati Jayaprakash Reddy & Nataraja
Country: India

Year: 2025
Volume: Volume No: 12, Issue No: 2, Year: 2025 (Special Issue)
Page Number: 229-239
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18152474

ABSTRACT
As digital transformation reshapes governance and financial services, elderly citizens remain disproportionately excluded from the benefits of technological innovation. Despite the rapid expansion of e-governance and financial technologies (GovTech and FinTech), many older adults face persistent obstacles linked to accessibility, digital literacy, and trust. This study, titled “Senior Citizens in the Digital Era: A Study on Accessibility, Awareness, and Adoption Barriers in Governance and Financial Technologies,” investigates the factors influencing digital participation among individuals aged 60 and above. Employing a mixed-method approach that combines quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews, the research examines three critical dimensions—awareness, accessibility, and adoption. Findings indicate that socio-economic background, educational attainment, and prior exposure to technology
significantly shape Senior Citizens‘ engagement with digital platforms. Furthermore,
concerns about data privacy, financial security, and interface complexity act as major
deterrents to adoption. The study highlights that the lack of age-sensitive design and
inadequate institutional support contribute to a widening digital divide. It argues that
meaningful digital inclusion requires user-centered design principles, targeted digital literacy programs, and policy frameworks that account for age diversity. By addressing these structural and perceptual barriers, governments and financial institutions can promote equitable participation and ensure that digital transformation enhances—rather than limits— citizen inclusion across generations.

Keywords: Digital inclusion, Elderly, Accessibility, Awareness, Adoption barriers, Egovernance, Financial technologies, Digital literacy, Technology acceptance.