Bank service recruitment boards abolished

NEW DELHI: Banking Service Recruitment Boards have finally been abolished, with the Lok Sabha formally passing a bill to this effect.

While passing the bill, the government assured the House that job reservation for scheduled castes, tribes and other backward classes will continue in banking.

Replying to an hour-long debate on the Banking Services Commission (Repeal) Bill, ‘02, minister of state for finance Balasaheb Vikhe Patil said abolition of BSRBs would provide greater autonomy to bank managements in framing their own recruitment strategy, keeping in mind norms laid down by the government.

Patil said banks have been advised to frame their own recruitment strategy with the approval of their boards. He said, the decision to do away with BSRBs was taken in view of a decline in manpower requirements due to consolidation and mechanisation.

A proposal to this effect was made by FM Yashwant Sinha in his Budget speech last year. Patil assured that the interests of scheduled castes and tribes, OBCs and minorities would be protected.

The Banking Service Commission Act, which was repealed on Thursday, was enacted in 1984 to provide for establishment of a Commission for recruitment and selection of officers in public sector banks.