If you’ve been waiting for months for a bank or NBFC to resolve your complaint, there’s finally some relief in sight.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a special two-month mission to fast-track all complaints pending for more than 30 days.
This campaign will run from January 1, 2025, to February 2026.
Over the past year, customer complaints have increased sharply, creating a huge backlog in the Ombudsman system.
Even though 99.8% of complaints are resolved within the standard time, the sudden rise in the total number of cases has put pressure on the system.
The RBI has now decided to step in and clean up all old complaints to make the process quicker and smoother for customers.
Why Are Complaints Increasing?
With digital payments, online banking, credit cards, and instant loans becoming common, customer grievances have also surged.
In FY 2024–25, over 13.34 lakh complaints were registered—an increase of 13.55% from the previous year.
Loans and advances accounted for the highest complaints at 29.25%, followed by credit cards with a 20.04% rise.
Even though mobile and e-banking complaints dipped slightly, the overall pressure remained high because:
Banks received 81.53% of total complaints
NBFCs received 14.80%
RBI realized that if this continued, customer dissatisfaction would grow rapidly.
What Is the RBI Ombudsman and Why the Special Drive?
The Ombudsman Scheme is a support system for customers facing issues like:
Wrong charges
Failed digital transactions
Mis-selling
Incorrect deductions
Poor customer service
But due to the rising complaint load, many cases remained unresolved for more than 30 days.
This delay helped neither customers nor financial institutions.
The special mission aims to:
Clear all complaints pending for over 30 days
Speed up resolution for new complaints
Improve the quality and transparency of the grievance system
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra has also urged banks and NBFCs to adopt a fully customer-first approach.
The RBI is already publishing monthly reports on complaints to push for more accountability.
Why This Step Was Needed
India’s rapid shift toward digital finance has brought convenience but also challenges:
Fraud
Failed transactions
Overcharging
Fake loan apps
Poor customer support
With more users, the number of complaints has naturally increased.
The RBI’s intervention ensures that delays and negligence are not tolerated.
The goal is clear: customers must feel safe and supported.
