Quality assessment of Self Help Groups on stakeholders perspectives: A psychometrics analysis

Micro finance has garnered significant worldwide attention as being a successful tool to meet substantial demand for financial services by low-income. India occupies a significant place and a niche in global micro finance through promotion of the Self Help Groups and the home grown SHG-Bank Linkage Programme model. It is observed that different stakeholders have promoted SHGs with different expectations and understanding, and have sorted different parameters of quality of SHGs. Thus, it is necessary to identify a common ground and set appropriate benchmarks for SHGs operation. Sixty one variables relating to quality parameters are identified and relevant perception of direct stakeholders about on whose perspective parameters to be considered for assessing Quality of SHG is incorporated in this study. The study is conducted by using multi-stage random sampling method to collect primary data from the selected Development Blocks of Nagaon districts of Assam (India). It is observed that there exists enough evidence to conclude that there are differences among direct stakeholders regarding perception of stakeholders about on whose perspective parameters to be considered for assessing quality of SHG. Further, these variables are more decisive statements or factors in this case under given methodology.