RBI Flags Surge In Ombudsman Complaints, Launches 2-Month Redressal Drive From Jan 1, 2026

New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to improve customer service and strengthen consumer protection in the financial sector announced a two-month nationwide grievance redressal campaign starting January 1, 2026. The move was revealed during the RBI’s monetary policy meeting on December 5, 2025. The central bank said that pending complaints have risen sharply in recent months, and this dedicated campaign aims to clear long-standing cases and speed up the resolution process.

Governor Sanjay Malhotra stressed that all regulated financial institutions have been directed to prioritise customers in their policies, daily operations, and service standards. The key goal of the campaign is to clear all complaints pending with the RBI Ombudsman for more than a month, ensuring faster and more efficient resolution for consumers.

Understanding RBI’s Integrated Ombudsman Scheme

The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021 (RB-IOS) was launched on November 12, 2021. It brought together three earlier grievance redressal systems of the RBI:

Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006

Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies, 2018

Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions, 2019

These older schemes had different rules and limited coverage, which sometimes made the complaint process difficult for customers. The RB-IOS now offers a single, unified platform where customers can raise complaints against any RBI-regulated entity. It provides a free and easy way for customers to resolve issues when their complaints are not adequately resolved within 30 days or not responded to at all by the financial institution.

Who Can File a Complaint with the RBI Ombudsman?

Before approaching the RBI Ombudsman, customers must first raise their complaint with the concerned bank or financial institution (RE). If the institution does not respond within 30 days, rejects the complaint, or if the customer is not satisfied with the response, they can file a complaint under the RB-IOS, 2021.

Can you complain directly to the Ombudsman?

Complaints cannot be filed directly with the Ombudsman without first contacting the bank or NBFC, or before 30 days have passed without a response such complaints will not be accepted.

What is the time limit to file a complaint with the RBI Ombudsman?

Customers should remember that they must file their complaint with the Ombudsman within one year of getting a response from the bank, or within one year and 30 days from the date they first raised the complaint if the bank does not respond.