RBI Ombudsman received over 13 lac complaints in FY 2024-25, while complaints against private sector banks grew

 

The Reserve Bank's Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS) received 13,34,244 complaints in FY 2024-25, up 13.55% from 11,75,075 in FY 2023-24. These Complaints were submitted by email, letter at the CRPC, or through the CMS portal. 

9,11,384 complaints were sent to the CRPC. Of these, 1,08,331 complaints were sent to the ORBIOs and 10,589 to CEPCs for processing. The remaining 7,76,336 were deemed non-maintainable or non-complaints. As of the end of FY 2024-25, 16,128 complaints were pending before the CRPC.

The ORBIOs received a total of 2,96,321 complaints in FY 2024-25, including 1,87,990 through the CMS portal and 1,08,331 recommended by the CRPC. This was a 0.82% rise from 2,93,924 complaints in FY 2023-24. Complaints received per lakh accounts at ORBIOs declined from 8.9 in FY 2023-24 to 7.7 in FY 2024-25 at the national level. 

Of the total complaints at ORBIOs, 91.22% were reported digitally through the CMS site or email. Individuals accounted for the highest share with 2,58,365 complaints (87.19%). Among categories, complaints relating to loans and advances were the greatest in FY 2024-25, followed by credit card complaints. Complaints involving mobile or electronic banking fell by 12.74% year-on-year.

With 2,41,601 cases, or 81.53% of all complaints received by the ORBIOs in FY 2024–2025, complaints against banks constituted the greatest share. NBFCs accounted for 43,864 complaints or 14.80%. 

Among banks, private sector banks received the most complaints, going from 34.39% in FY 2023-24 to 37.53% in FY 2024-25. The percentage of complaints against public sector banks decreased from 38.32% in FY 2023–2024 to 34.80% in FY 2024–2025.

In FY 2024–2025, the ORBIOs resolved 2,90,567 complaints, including ongoing cases, for a disposal rate of 93.07%. Of them, 1,80,621 complaints (62.16%) were manageable, while the rest were categorized as non-maintainable. Of the maintainable complaints, 43.36% were rejected and 51.91% were settled through conciliation, mediation, or mutual settlement. 

The Appellate Authority received 104 challenges against Ombudsman rulings during the year. Of these, 98 were submitted by complainants and 6 by regulated entities.

The Contact Centre (toll free: 14448) operating from Chandigarh, Kochi, and Bhubaneswar, it handled 9,27,598 calls in FY 2024-25, a rise of 28.89% from the previous year. Of these calls, 60.64% were handled through the IVRS system and 38.59% by staff. Abandoned calls dropped sharply to 0.78%. Hindi accounted for 70.43% of calls, English 6.73%, and 22.84% were in regional languages including Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu.

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RBI New Circular on Death Claim Settlement

 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released a new circular for Death Claim Settlement.

The nomination facility in deposit accounts, safe deposit lockers and articles in safe custody under the provisions of Sections 45ZA to ZF of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read with Section 56 of the Act ibid is intended to facilitate expeditious settlement of claims by banks upon death of a deceased customer and to minimise hardship caused to the family members. Further, in cases where nomination is not registered, the extant instructions require banks to adopt a simplified procedure for settlement of the claims up to a threshold limit. However, it is observed that divergent practices are being followed by banks. Hence, it has been decided to review the extant instructions and issue revised regulations to streamline the procedures and standardise the documentation to bring improvement in the quality of customer service in this regard.

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Cheque Clearing in Few Hours! RBI launches Continuous Cheque Clearing

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched Continuous CTS Cheque Clearing. Now, Cheques will be cleared in just a few hours. RBI has decided to transition CTS to continuous clearing and settlement on realisation in two phases. Phase 1 shall be implemented on October 4, 2025 and Phase 2 on January 3, 2026.

RBI Guidelines on Continuous Clearing with Settlement On-realisation in CTS

1. Single presentation session with continuous delivery:

There shall be a single presentation session from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Cheques received by the branches shall be scanned and sent to the clearing house by the banks immediately and continuously during the presentation session.

The clearing house will in turn release the cheque images to drawee banks on a continuous basis.

2. Continuous inward processing and confirmation by banks:

The confirmation session shall start at 10:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM.

For every cheque presented, the drawee bank shall generate either positive confirmation (for honoured cheques) or negative confirmation (for dishonoured cheques).

Each cheque will contain the ‘Item Expiry Time’ which indicates the latest time by which confirmation for the presented instrument needs to be provided by the drawee bank.

Processing by drawee banks is to be done continuously throughout the day and on a real time basis as soon as cheque images are received.

Information of positive/negative confirmation shall be sent by the drawee banks to the clearing house immediately after processing.

3. Time available for inward processing:

During phase 1 (From October 4 to January 2, 2026), drawee banks shall be required to confirm (positively / negatively) cheques presented on them latest by end of confirmation session (i.e. 7:00 PM) else those will be deemed to have been approved and included for settlement. Item expiry time for all cheques shall be set as 7:00 PM in phase 1.

In Phase 2 (from January 3, 2026), the item expiry time of cheques shall be changed to T+3 clear hours. For example, the cheques received by drawee banks between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM will have to be confirmed positively or negatively by them by 2:00 PM (3 hours from 11:00 AM). Cheques for which confirmation is not provided by the drawee bank in the prescribed 3 hours shall be treated as deemed approved and included for settlement at 2:00 PM.

4. Settlement on realisation:

No accounting entries (settlement) will be posted for presentation of cheques.

Starting from 11:00 AM, settlement will be arrived every hour till the end of confirmation session, based on the positive confirmations received from drawee banks and cheques considered deemed approved.

No accounting entries shall be passed for cheques with negative confirmation.

5. Releasing payment to customers:

On completion of settlement, clearing house shall release the information of positive and negative confirmations to the presenting bank.

The presenting bank shall process the same and release the payment to the customers immediately, but not later than 1 hour from successful settlement, subject to usual safeguards.

Download RBI Circular on Continuous Clearing

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RBI Officer Grade A & B Recruitment 2025 Notification Out

Recruitment of Grade A and B RBI Officers 2025: Under Advt. No. RBISB/DA/02/2025-26, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Services Board has formally released the recruitment notice for a number of Grade A and Grade B vacancies for the panel year 2024. The following positions are open: Assistant Manager (Rajbhasha), Manager (Technical – Civil & Electrical), Legal Officer, and Assistant Manager (Protocol & Security). From July 11 to July 31, 2025, interested and qualified applicants may apply online at www.rbi.org.in, the official RBI website.

RBI Officer Grade A & B Recruitment 2025 Overview

Recruitment Organization	Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Advertisement Number	RBISB/DA/02/2025-26
Post Name	Officer Grade A & B (Various Posts)
Vacancies	28
Last Date to Apply	31 July 2025
Mode of Application	Online
Category	RBI Officer Grade A & B Recruitment 2025 Notification
Official Website	www.rbi.org.in

RBI Officer Grade A & B Recruitment 2025 Important Dates

• Online Application Start Date: 11 July 2025
• Last Date to Apply: 31 July 2025
• Pay Exam Fee Last Date: 31 July 2025
• Exam Date: 16 August 2025

RBI Officer Grade A & B Recruitment 2025 Application Fees

• GEN / OBC / EWS: ₹850/-
• SC / ST / PwBD: ₹100/-
• RBI Staff: ₹0/-
• Mode of Payment: Online only (Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, etc.)

RBI Officer Grade A & B Recruitment 2025 Age Limit

Here is the age limit for each post under the RBI Grade A and B recruitment as of July 1, 2025:

• Legal Officer (Grade B): 21 to 32 years
  • Age relaxation: 3 years for LLM holders, 5 years for PhD in Law
• Manager (Technical – Civil/Electrical): 21 to 35 years
• Assistant Manager (Rajbhasha): 21 to 30 years
  • Age relaxation: Up to 32 years for PhD holders
• Assistant Manager (Protocol & Security): 25 to 40 years

RBI Officer Grade A & B Recruitment 2025 Notification PDF

Notification 

Apply Online

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RBI New Circular on Pre-payment Charges on Loans 2025

 

A new circular on loan prepayment fees was issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). If borrowers want to pay off their loans before the payback period, several Indian banks demand pre-payment fees. For instance, there will be pre-payment penalties if you take out a five-year auto loan and decide to pay it off in four.

In accordance with the October 9, 2024, Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies, a draft circular was released for public comment on February 21, 2025. The RBI has issued the updated circular after reviewing the supervisory findings and public comments on the draft circular.

All loans and advances approved or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, are subject to these directives. All commercial banks (with the exception of payments banks), cooperative banks, NBFCs, and All India Financial Institutions are subject to these directives.

Banks shall follow below Directions regarding levy of pre-payment charges

An RE is not allowed to collect pre-payment fees for any loans made to individuals, with or without co-obligants, for purposes other than business;

Regarding all business loans given to individuals and MSEs, whether or not there are co-obligants:

(a) No pre-payment fee shall be charged by a commercial bank (with the exception of Small Finance, Regional Rural, and Local Area banks), a Tier 4 Primary (Urban) Co-operative bank, an NBFC-UL, or an All India Financial Institution.

(b) No pre-payment fee may be assessed by a Small Finance bank, Regional Rural bank, Tier 3 Primary (Urban) Co-operative bank, State Cooperative bank, Central Cooperative bank, or NBFC-ML on loans up to Rs.50 lakh in sanctioned income.

But when it comes to term loans, any pre-payment fees that the RE may impose would depend on how much is being paid back.  Prepayment costs on cash credit/overdraft facilities that are closed before the due date will be assessed on an amount that does not exceed the authorized limit.

 As long as the facility is closed on the due date, there won't be any pre-payment fees for cash credit or overdraft facilities if the borrower notifies the bank that they intend not to renew the facility before the time frame specified in the loan agreement. Prepayment made at the bank's request will not result in any fees from the bank.

The loan agreement and sanction letter must explicitly state whether or not pre-payment charges are applicable. Additionally, if a Key Facts Statement (KFS) is required for loans and advances as outlined in the Reserve Bank's April 15, 2024, circular on "Key Facts Statement for Loans and Advances," it must also be included in the KFS. An RE is not permitted to collect pre-payment fees that have not been disclosed as outlined here.

When debts that the bank previously waived are repaid in full, the bank will not impose any fees or charges retroactively.

Download RBI Circular PDF

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Two banks based on Gujarat and Maharashtra were fined by the RBI for violation of rules

Two cooperative banks in Gujarat and Maharashtra were recently hit with financial fines by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for breaking key banking regulations. Based on infractions of RBI regulations, these fines were levied following RBI inspections and hearings.

Saibaba Nagari Sahakari Bank Maryadit, situated in Sailu, Maharashtra, has been fined ₹50,000 by the RBI for breaking KYC (Know Your Customer) regulations. 

 The bank failed to upload certain customers' KYC information to the Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR) in a timely manner. Additionally, the bank did not update some customers' KYC information on a regular basis as required by RBI regulations. 

RBI's actions is Based on the bank's financial statements as of March 31, 2024, RBI carried out an inspection. Following the identification of the problems, the RBI sent the bank a notice requesting an explanation for why a penalty should not be applied. 

Following an examination of the bank's written and verbal responses, the RBI determined that the penalty was appropriate because the bank had broken the guidelines.

Shree Kadi Nagarik Sahakari Bank Ltd., situated in Gujarat's Mehsana district, has also been hit with a far higher fine of ₹14.30 lakh by the RBI.

The punishment was applied because of violation of RBI's contribution regulations, the bank gave funds to a trust in which a director's relative had a stake. 

 Additionally, the bank neglected to properly supervise the end-use of loans by failing to verify how some loan funds were used, which is a major violation of lending criteria. 

 The RBI's procedure is Similar to the last instance, the RBI examined the bank in light of its financial standing as of March 31, 2024. 

After hearing the bank's explanation and examining the written responses, the RBI determined that the infractions were legitimate and levied the fine.

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RBI imposed penalty of Rs.63.60 lakh on PSU Bank

Union Bank of India was hit with a ₹63.60 lakh fine by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for not meeting certain regulatory standards. The May 23, 2025, penalty order lists non-compliance with RBI's rules on collateral-free agricultural loans as well as violations of Section 26A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. 

The decision comes after the RBI examined Union Bank's financial situation as of March 31 in 2023 and 2024 as part of its regular inspections under the Statutory Inspections for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE) program. 

Two significant infractions were found during the inspections: 

Delay in Transfer of Depositor Education and Awareness Fund: 

The bank did not make the required timely transfer of eligible unclaimed funds to the Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund.

Based on these findings, the RBI issued a show-cause notice to the bank, asking it to explain why a penalty should not be imposed. After reviewing the bank’s written response and oral submissions during a hearing, the RBI concluded that the violations were valid and warranted financial penalties.

The RBI emphasized that the penalty is strictly related to regulatory compliance shortcomings and does not question the legality or validity of the bank’s agreements with its customers. It also noted that this action is without prejudice to any further actions that may be taken in the future.

This enforcement reflects RBI’s ongoing commitment to ensuring banks adhere strictly to rules, particularly those aimed at protecting depositors and supporting priority sectors like agriculture.

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RBI imposed Rs 1.72 crore Penalty on PSU Bank

 

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has fined the State Bank of India (SBI) Rs.1.72 crore (Rs.1,72,80,000) on April 29, 2025. The fine was for not following certain rules related to:

Giving loans and advances

• Protecting customers from unauthorized electronic transactions
• Proper procedures for opening current accounts

This penalty was imposed under RBI’s powers as per the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. RBI had carried out an inspection of SBI based on its financial position as of March 31, 2023. During this review, RBI found that SBI had not followed some of its rules. A notice was sent to SBI asking why it should not be penalized.

After reviewing SBI’s written and verbal responses, RBI decided that the following issues were valid:

1. SBI gave a bridge loan to an organization based on money it expected to receive from the government (as subsidies or reimbursements).
2. SBI delayed refunds for customers affected by unauthorized online transactions. In some cases, it did not credit accounts within 10 working days or compensate customers within 90 days.
3. SBI opened or kept some current accounts in ways that did not follow the RBI’s rules.

RBI clarified that this action is about breaking regulatory rules. It does not mean the bank’s deals with customers are invalid. Also, this penalty does not stop RBI from taking other actions against the bank in the future.

What is a Bridge Loan?

A bridge loan is a short-term loan used to “bridge the gap” between two financial events—typically between the need for immediate funds and the arrival of expected funds. A bridge loan helps someone get quick money now while waiting for larger funds to come in later. Example: A company is expecting a Rs.5 crore subsidy from the government, but needs Rs.1 crore now to keep operations going. It can take a bridge loan from a bank, and repay it once the subsidy arrives.

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