The Reserve Bank of India has issued the Regional Rural Banks – Responsible Business Conduct Directions, 2025 to consolidate and strengthen regulatory norms governing customer service, fair conduct, and ethical business practices by Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). Issued under multiple provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the Directions come into force with immediate effect and apply uniformly to all RRBs. The framework brings together dispersed RBI instructions on customer service and conduct into a single, comprehensive set of obligations, with the objective of ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in dealings with customers. By emphasising responsible conduct as a core governance requirement, the Directions seek to enhance customer trust, protect consumer interests, and improve service standards in the rural banking ecosystem. The Directions reinforce RBI’s supervisory focus on customer-centric banking and make compliance mandatory, positioning responsible business conduct as an integral component of RRB operations and regulatory oversight.
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
RBI/DOR/2025-26/267
DOR.MCS.REC.No.186/01-01-036/2025-26 | Dated: November 28, 2025
Reserve Bank of India (Regional Rural Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025
Introduction
Customer service holds great significance in the financial services sector. The Reserve Bank of India has, over the years, issued various instructions with a focus on enhancing the level of customer service and ensuring fair conduct towards customers by banks. These directions are issued with an aim to consolidate the various regulatory instructions on customer service and conduct aspects issued by the Reserve Bank of India to Regional Rural Banks at one place.
Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by Sections 21, 35A, 45ZC(3) and 45ZE(4) of Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the Reserve Bank of India (hereinafter called the ‘Reserve Bank’ or ‘RBI’), being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in public interest to do so, hereby, issues these Directions.
Chapter I – Preliminary
A. Short title and commencement
1. These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Regional Rural Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025.
2. These Directions shall come into effect immediately upon issuance, unless indicated otherwise.
B. Applicability
3. These Directions shall be applicable to Regional Rural Banks (hereinafter collectively referred to as ‘RRBs’ and individually as an ‘RRB’).
Read Full text of the Notification: https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/notification/PDFs/267MD96B7D24557AC47BFB051A5301120FFBB.PDF
