RBI Finalises Internal Ombudsman Directions, 2026 Following Stakeholder Feedback

New Delhi, Jan 14 (KNN) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued the Internal Ombudsman Directions, 2026, formalising rules for grievance redressal across regulated financial entities. The final directions follow a draft released on October 7, 2025, and incorporate stakeholder feedback.

Key Updates in the 2026 Directions

The 2026 Directions introduce several key updates aimed at strengthening grievance redressal across the financial sector. 

The definition of “customer” has been added, clarifying that even complaints not seeking specific relief can be reviewed to improve service delivery. 

For the appointment of Internal Ombudsmen (IOs), General Managers of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and cooperative banks are no longer treated as equivalent to public sector bank GMs, and IOs will not be appointed in these institutions due to low complaint volumes; temporary vacancies may be managed by serving officials or Deputy IOs.

NBFCs are now explicitly allowed to award compensation under the RBI-Integrated Ombudsman Scheme without creating separate internal policies. 

Complaint-handling procedures have been refined: escalation timelines have been aligned with industry-specific standards such as NPCI and card networks, senior-level review has been clarified for complaints partially resolved or rejected at branch level, and IO powers for CICs have been reinstated to seek information and hold meetings with regulated entities. 

All decisions by IOs or Deputy IOs must be submitted to the RBI Ombudsman. Additionally, reporting requirements have been updated, with quarterly submissions now due by the 15th of the following month and reporting formats revised based on stakeholder feedback.

Scope and Objective

The Directions apply to commercial banks, small finance banks, payments banks, NBFCs, non-bank PPI issuers, and credit information companies (CICs). 

RBI said the rules aim to strengthen internal grievance redressal, ensuring timely resolution of customer complaints while promoting accountability, transparency, and trust across the financial sector.

(KNN Bureau)