March Closing Pressure: RRB Employees Denied Leave Amid NPA Recovery and Insurance Targets

Employees of RRBs are under intense pressure to meet business targets as the March closing approaches. The situation has become alarming, with leave denials, demands for 100% NPA recovery, and mounting stress to push insurance products of their sponsor banks.

“Leave Only If You Deliver”: Targets Over Welfare

As the month-end closing approached, RRB employees were instructed not to leave their stations. An employee told Kanal, “Meeting the bank’s targets has become a prerequisite for leave approval. Even in emergencies, we are tied to business numbers. It feels like we are being held hostage to target achievement.”

Image: Directive in one of the RRB’s on denial of leave

The pressure has escalated with the financial year-end approaching, leading to extreme burnout among staff. 

Insurance Reps Mount Pressure for March-end Targets

In addition to internal target pressure, RRB employees are reportedly facing intense demands from Life Insurance representatives to push insurance policies aggressively during the March closing period. Confirmed sources reveal that insurance representatives have visited multiple branches of an RRB in the northern region, directing employees and branch heads to achieve strict sales targets within a set timeframe.

An employee of Uttarakhand Gramin Bank told Kanal, “The relentless pressure to cross-sell SBI Life insurance is overwhelming, making it nearly impossible to focus on our core banking duties. This not only disrupts our work-life balance but also reduces us to mere insurance sales agents. In March, the push for insurance sales takes precedence over even our primary banking responsibilities.”

Image: Insurance target directive to employees in Uttarakhand Gramin Bank  

A similar push to achieve SBI Life insurance targets is evident in Utkal Grameen Bank. An employee confirmed to Kanal, “We regularly receive directives on insurance targets, but the pressure intensifies in March due to the financial year-end closing.”

Ensuring 100% NPA Recovery: The Final Nail in the Coffin

Adding to the already intense workload, RRB employees are being pushed to ensure 100% recovery of loans before the financial year closes. Employees allege that they are being held accountable for recoveries beyond their control, leading to excessive workplace pressure and fear of repercussions.

Adding to the already intense workload, RRB employees are being pushed to ensure 100% recovery of loans before the financial year closes. Employees allege that they are being held accountable for recoveries beyond their control, leading to excessive workplace pressure and fear of repercussions.

Image: The directive on 100% NPA recovery by a a stipulated time frame.

“Recovering NPA is our duty but we are expected to ensure complete loan recovery within an unrealistic time frame. It’s taking a toll on us,” lamented another bank employee.

Recently, employees in Ellaquai Dehati Bank complained about the March closing work pressure leading to coercion and harassment.

The relentless demand for business targets, insurance sales, and loan recovery—especially in March—has created an extreme work crisis within RRBs. With the March closing pressure mounting, RRB employees continue to grapple with an overwhelming workload, leaving them with no space for respite, fair treatment, or even the scope to take a break during an emergency.