Rules / regulations / directions
Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021
Reviewed by CA Nikhil Gupta · Last reviewed 18 September 2026
Reserve Bank of India. The Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021 provides an alternate grievance-redress channel for covered RBI-regulated entities; later amendments expand/adjust coverage.
Status update (20 Sep 2026)
The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021 has been replaced with effect from 1 July 2026 by the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 (RB-IOS 2026). Complaints submitted before 1 July 2026 continue to be governed by the 2021 Scheme; new complaints fall under the 2026 Scheme. Read this page as the description of the 2021 Scheme and check the RB-IOS 2026 text and RBI’s FAQs for the current maintainability rules, timelines and compensation limits.
Scope, legal role and applicability
Unified RBI grievance-redress scheme for covered regulated entities. It is a customer-remedy framework layered over the underlying banking/NBFC/payment regulation, not a substitute for the entity’s own first-level grievance mechanism.
Operative requirements
- Confirm that the complained-against entity and service fall within the Scheme’s coverage.
- The complainant ordinarily must first approach the regulated entity and use the Scheme only after the response/no-response condition is met.
- Test maintainability, limitation and excluded subject matters before analysing merits.
- Preserve the regulated entity’s complaint response, documents supplied to the Ombudsman/Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre and any settlement/award/compliance record.
- Use RBI’s Complaint Management System/official complaint channel rather than unofficial intermediaries.
Records, forms and annexures
Link the official RBI complaint/CMS portal and retain complaint number, regulated-entity response, submission bundle, mediation/settlement record and award/compliance evidence.
Practical advisory example
Facts and issue. A borrower approaches RBI immediately after sending an email to the NBFC on the same day. The adviser should first test the Scheme’s first-level complaint and timing conditions before discussing the merits.
Working method. Classify the entity/product, identify the exact paragraph in force on the event date, test exceptions and transitional provisions, then retain the evidence listed above. Do not rely on the title of the Direction or an old Master Direction version.
RBI Act / cross-law linkage
Official source and version control
Questions and answers
What is the main purpose of Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021?
Reserve Bank of India. The Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021 provides an alternate grievance-redress channel for covered RBI-regulated entities; later amendments expand/adjust coverage.
Which part of Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021 should be checked first?
Start with covered regulated entities and exclusions and then apply this requirement: The customer should first complain to the regulated entity and observe the Scheme's timing/maintainability rules.
What record should be retained?
RBI Complaint Management System (CMS) is the primary filing route; preserve complaint acknowledgement, regulated-entity response and supporting documents.
Does this page treat the RBI Act as the only enabling law?
No. Cross-law grievance-redress scheme for covered regulated entities.