Parliament Question: Credit score criteria for securing bank employment

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2783 ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, 17 MARCH, 2026 / 26 PHALGUNA, 1947 (SAKA) CREDIT SCORE CRITERIA FOR SECURING BANK EMPLOYMENT 2783. DR. JOHN BRITTAS: Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state: (a) whether IBPS still insists candidates to ensure that they maintain a healthy credit history at the time of joining the participating banks and the minimum credit score will be as per the policy of participating banks; (b) the number of candidates selected through IBPS whose appointments were cancelled or offers withdrawn for CIBIL/credit-history reasons during the last three years bank-wise; and (c) whether Government take steps to ensure that educational/medical loans and bona fide indebtedness of poor and middle-class applicants are not treated as disqualifying factors for public sector bank employment? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY) (a) to (c): Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is a test conducting agency engaged by the member banks for conducting recruitment examinations, as per their mandate and requirements. The candidates applying for the Common Recruitment Process (CRP) conducted by IBPS, are required to ensure that, they maintain a healthy credit history at the time of joining the participating banks and the minimum credit score will be as per the policy of participating banks, amended from time to time. However, this is not a pre-condition to apply and not applicable to candidates with no bank account/credit history. The final discretion in this regard rests with the allotted bank, which are board governed commercial entities and the general superintendence, direction and management of the affairs and business of these banks, vest in their Board of Directors. As per the banks, this condition has been introduced to ensure financial prudence and creditworthiness among potential employees, especially in roles that involve handling financial transactions, credit processing, and customer accounts. The rationale is to encourage responsible credit behaviour among employees who are entrusted with public funds. Further, during the last three years, appointment of 20 candidates were cancelled or offers withdrawn due to reasons related to CIBIL / credit-history, which is only 0.02% of the total number of candidates selected through IBPS. Bank-wise detail in this regard, is annexed. ***Annexure referred to in reply of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2783 (answered on 17.03.2026) Annexure Bank-wise number of candidates selected through IBPS whose appointments were cancelled or offers withdrawn for CIBIL / credit-history reasons (from FY 2023-24 to 28.02.2026) S. No. Name of the Bank No. of candidates 1 Bank of Baroda 02 2 Bank of India 00 3 Bank of Maharashtra 00 4 Canara Bank 00 5 Central Bank of India 02 6 Indian Overseas Bank 00 7 Indian Bank 00 8 Punjab & Sind Bank 00 9 Punjab National Bank 04 10 State Bank of India 11 11 UCO Bank 00 12 Union Bank of India 01 TOTAL 20 Source: Public Sector Banks ***