Lok Sabha Question No. 3238 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-09
Subject: Promotion of Regional Languages in Banking Sector
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Prataprao  Jadhav, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sudheer Gupta, Bidyut Baran Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE

## DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION No. 3238

Answered on Monday, December 9, 2019/Agrahayana 18, 1941 (Saka)

## 'Promotion of Regional Languages in Banking Sector'

3238. SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Reserve  Bank  of  India  (RBI)  has  issued  guidelines  on  customer  service  in  banks instructing  to  promote  the  regional  languages  in  banking  sector  for  the  ease  of  understanding  for common people and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether  the  RBI  has  developed  any  mechanism  to  monitor  the  instructions  issued  and  being followed by banks in this regard and if so, the details thereof;

- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  made  any  policy  to  post  employees  with  proficiency  in  regional languages in rural and backward areas, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)  the  details  of  expenditure  incurred  by  the  banks  as  advertisements  issued  in regional  languages during each of the last three years, bank-wise; and

(e) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to make banking services more communicative among rural and backward areas in the country?

## Answer

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

- (a) & (b): Reserve Bank of India (RBI), vide Master Circular dated 1.7.2015 on Customer Service in Banks, has inter alia issued following instructions to promote the regional languages in banking sector for the ease of understanding for common people:

(i) Displaying indicator boards at all the counters in English, Hindi as well as in the concerned regional language. Business posters at semi-urban and rural branches of banks should also be in the concerned regional languages.

(ii) Providing customers with booklets consisting of all details of service and facilities available at the bank in Hindi, English and the concerned regional languages.

(iii)  Use  of  Hindi  and  regional  languages  in  transacting  business  by  banks  with  customers,  including communications to customers.

(iv)  Banks  should  make  available  all  printed  material  used  by  retail  customers  including    account opening  forms,  pay-in-slips,  passbooks  etc.,  in  trilingual  form  i.e.,  English,  Hindi  and  the  concerned Regional Language.

(v)  All  cheque  forms  should  be  printed  in  Hindi  and  English.  The  customer,  may  however,  write cheques in Hindi, English or in the concerned regional language.

As apprised by Reserve Bank of India, Banks are required to comply with RBI guidelines issued from time  to  time.  Compliance  to  RBI  guidelines  is  examined,  on  sample  basis,  during  the  supervisory assessment of the banks and any non-compliance observed is taken up with the banks for rectification, apart  from  initiating  supervisory/  enforcement  action  against  the  bank,  as  deemed  fit.  Supervisory assessment is also required to examine compliances regarding usage of vernacular language in banking transactions in terms of RBI, 'Master Circular on Customer Service'

(c)  Institute  of  Banking  Personnel  Selection  (IBPS),  which  is  the  agency  entrusted  with  conducting recruitment examinations in all Public Sector Banks (PSBs) except the State Bank of India (SBI), has apprised that the criteria for recruitment to clerical posts in PSBs stipulates 'proficiency in the official language of the State/UT (candidates should know how to read/ write and speak the official language of the State/UT) for vacancies, a candidate wishes to apply, is preferable'.

Further,  SBI  has  also  informed  that  in  the  case  of  recruitment  of  Junior  Associate  in  the  bank,  the joining of selected candidates is subject to their clearing the regional language proficiency test.

(d)  As informed by RBI, data on operating expenditure incurred by the banks on advertisements issued in regional languages is not maintained centrally.

(e)        In  addition  to  the  bank  branches,  as  per  annual  report  2018-19  of      RBI,  5.41  lakh  Business Correspondents are providing banking services in rural areas of the Country. Generally BCs are from local areas and they are providing the banking services in a communicative manner.

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