KYC Reform in India: Gaps and Fixes Suggested
Why in the news
A commentary argued that KYC is a burden in rural India and needs better enforcement, not new laws.
Key facts
- KYC is mandatory for banks, insurers, brokers, mutual funds, demat accounts and NPS.
- Repositories: CKYC (CERSAI) for banking and insurance; KRAs (SEBI) for securities.
- Aadhaar, mobile and Jan Dhan widened access; DBT encouraged KYC completion.
Problems
- RBI allows digital re-KYC for low-risk accounts, yet banks demand visits and papers, causing blocked pensions and wage loss.
- Banks face no penalty for ignoring norms; CKYC does not validate data.
Way forward
- Make RBI norms enforceable with penalties.
- Upgrade CKYC to validate data.
- Sync updates across entities; adopt SEBI’s portability model.
Exam angle
- Contrast: CKYC stores; KRAs validate and enable reuse.