Root-cause analysis of complaints

Complaint analysis has defined frequencies and content; a total complaint count alone misses the required patterns.

Published by Finin2min · Updated 24 October 2026

How this provision works

The IO office must analyse all complaints quarterly by product, category, consumer group, geography and other relevant patterns, and provide inputs for policy intervention.
The IO should suggest action on repeat complaints and matters requiring policy changes. The bank must use the analysis for staff training and may involve the IO in that training.
Quarterly Board-committee information on RBI Ombudsman decisions favouring complainants must include analysis of at least the top five complaint categories and remedial measures. Read-only CMS access helps the IO follow RBI/appellate decisions; it does not make the IO the public CMS complaint handler.

Practical illustration

A falling aggregate count can conceal repeated failed reversals in one payment product. A useful quarterly analysis shows the relevant category, cause, corrective action and evidence that the recurring failure was addressed.

The example is illustrative; it is not a reported company or court case.

Questions answered

Is an annual total sufficient for the quarterly analysis duty?

No. Clause 12(6) specifies quarterly pattern analysis.

Must the report on favourable RBI decisions include categories?

Yes. Clause 13(5) requires at least the top five categories and remedial measures.

Primary source and edition

Commercial Banks Internal Ombudsman Directions 2026 and RB-IOS2026; separate NBFC and Credit Information Companies directions identified by actual title. Commercial Banks IO Directions 2026 clauses 12(6)–(8),13(5),14(14).

Open the official instrument at this provision

Legal effect follows the instrument’s commencement and amendment provisions; a website upload date does not by itself change the law.

Related primary authorities

Scope and source editions

The public RBI Ombudsman Scheme 2026 applies from 1 July 2026, with the 2021 saving in clause 20. The internal-review explanation uses the Commercial Banks IO Directions of 14 January 2026 and compares specific NBFC/CIC differences where stated. Bank IO applicability generally requires 10 or more banking outlets at 31 March 2025, with a six-month rule for later qualification. NBFC internal-IO thresholds differ from external Scheme coverage. CIC source 13276 means Credit Information Companies; source 13274 means NBFCs and 13273 means Payments Banks.