Letters: HR issues in public banks

This refers to the report "Performance assessment in banks & NBFCs: Panel recommends 360-degree feedback" (September 24). In June 2010, the Khandelwal Committee had submitted a report on human resources (HR) issues in public sector banks (PSBs) and the government had accepted and implemented certain recommendations. The current committee headed by G Gopalakrishna has another set of recommendations. Although, the recommendations of these two committees appear to be on different lines, the crux of the HR issues both have tackled are the same.

As for taking the help of internal employees as part-time faculty, PSBs have been facing an acute shortage of line staff and hence, relieving internal employees even on a part-time basis is not feasible.

As for using e-learning methods to impart function-specific lessons, the staff at the operating level have sufficient knowledge but lack the orientation to help customers. Banks have already categorised different business functions, but in core areas of credit dispensation, they have not been able to develop the required expertise in the staff.

The Gopalakrishna Committee also recommended conducting a banking aptitude test (BAT). The current aptitude tests only address issues at the knowledge level. As entry-level tests are conducted on a mass basis, it is not possible to assess the aptitude at individual levels. The BAT will only add one more level of assessment without getting to the root of the problem.

K V Rao Bangalore

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