In its efforts to enable youth from the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected States and Jammu & Kashmir to prepare for competitive exams in the banking sector, the Finance Ministry has asked Indian Banks Association (IBA) to take adequate steps for imparting coaching to aspirants from these states.
In a letter written to IBA Chairman last week, Department of Financial Services has suggested that special coaching be organised by banks to help aspirants from these regions prepare for Common Written Examination (CWE) conducted by Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).
“Greater participation of people from such areas would also help the banks in getting over the problem of finding personnel in such areas. IBA is advised to take appropriate steps to operationalise such coaching programmes in the LWE-affected districts as well as in the State of J&K,” it said.
Banks have also been asked to take up the initiative of preparing candidates from Naxal-affected States and J&K for competitive examinations as part of their CSR programmes.
The ministry’s move is aimed at not only bringing youth from LWE States into the mainstream but also giving them an opportunity to consider a job in a government bank as a long-term career.
While there are no concrete statistics available in terms of the proportion of people from LWE-affected areas and J&K in the overall workforce of public sector banks, finance ministry officials say the numbers are not very encouraging.
The Centre had formed a Naxal Management Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The IBPS is an institute set up by the banking industry to cater to its needs of recruitment, placement and promotion. Headed by Bank of Baroda Chairman M.D. Mallya, the governing board of IBPS consists of nominees from Reserve Bank of India, Ministry of Finance, representatives of public sector banks and insurance companies.