Consumer Education and Protection

The Reserve Bank has released today the draft Reserve Bank - Ombudsman Scheme, 2025 (Scheme). 2. The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS), 2021 launched on November 12, 2021, provides customers of Regulated Entities (REs) a speedy, cost-effective and expeditious alternate grievance redress mechanism. Based on the operational experience, stakeholder feedback, and global best practices, the Reserve Bank has undertaken a comprehensive review of the Scheme.

The Reserve Bank has released today the draft Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Internal Ombudsman for Regulated Entities) Directions, 2025. 2. The Reserve Bank, vide Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Internal Ombudsman for Regulated Entities) Directions, 2023 dated December 29, 2023, has institutionalized the Internal Ombudsman mechanism in various regulated entities (REs) for independent review of customer complaints that are being rejected. A holistic review of the existing instructions has been undertaken to further strengthen the functioning of the Internal Ombudsman with a view to facilitating faster and meaningful resolution of customer grievances at the level of the REs.

In pursuance of the announcement made in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated October 01, 2025, the Reserve Bank has, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, issued a Notification to bring State Co-operative Banks and Central Co-operative Banks under the ambit of the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021 (the Scheme), with effect from November 01, 2025.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) organised the Annual Conference of RBI Ombudsmen on March 17, 2025, in Mumbai. The theme of the Conference was “Transforming Grievance Redress: The AI Advantage”. It was attended by Managing Directors & CEOs of major banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies, Non-bank Payment System Operators, Credit Information Companies, RBI Ombudsmen and senior officials of RBI.

The Reserve Bank of India released the Annual Report of the Ombudsman Scheme for the period April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 . The Annual Report covers the activities under the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS), 2021 as well as major developments during the year in consumer education and protection and the way forward.

It has come to the notice of Reserve bank of India that fake videos of the Governor are being circulated in social media that claim launch of or support to some investment schemes by the RBI. These videos attempt to advise people to invest their money in such schemes, through use of technological tools.