RRB Aspirant Denied Job Over Low CIBIL Score, Sparking Concern on Public Sector Hiring Criteria

In a recent development, an aspirant for a Regional Rural Bank post lost a job opportunity at the final stage of recruitment. Though he cleared the competitive IBPS exam for Office Assistant (Multipurpose), his appointment was cancelled by J&K Grameen Bank—not for lack of merit, but due to a low CIBIL credit score. The case has raised concerns over the growing use of financial profiling in public sector hiring.

IBPS Credit History Clause Quietly Tightens Eligibility

The clause on credit history appeared in the CRP RRB-XIII notification under the eligibility criteria. It reads: “The candidate applying shall ensure that they maintain a healthy Credit history at the time of joining of RRBs.” While vague on specifics, it leaves room for participating banks to determine the minimum credit score—without standard guidelines or timelines for candidates to comply.

Image: IBPS recruitment process for RRBs details about credit history and CIBIL state

The clause further states that candidates with adverse CIBIL reports must either update their status or furnish NOCs from lenders—failing which their offer would be cancelled.

This vague yet open-ended clause has now resulted in loss of job to candidates who despite clearing every stage of the recruitment process. 

Image: IBPS recruitment process for RRBs details about credit history and CIBIL state

J&K Grameen Bank Cancels Offer Letter Over CIBIL Score of 590

One such instance came to light when J&K Grameen Bank, in a formal letter, cancelled the provisional appointment of a selected candidate. During document verification, the candidate’s CIBIL score was found to be 590, falling short of the 650 benchmark set by the bank’s internal Credit Information Management policy.

The letter stated: “As you have failed to maintain a healthy credit history, we regret to inform you that your candidature... stands cancelled.” It further clarified that no correspondence on the matter would be entertained, effectively shutting the door on any appeal.

Image: JKGB’s response on candidature cancellation of an aspirant.

Violation of Appointment and Promotion Rules of RRBs

The denial of employment based on CIBIL score brings into question the legality of such criteria under existing service rules. The Department of Financial Services (DFS), in its official 2017 Gazette on the Appointment of Officers and Employees in RRBs, makes no mention of credit history or CIBIL score as part of the eligibility requirements.

Image: DFS Directive on Regional Rural Banks (Appointment of Officers and Employees) Rules, 2017

The decision has also sparked concern among RRB employees, who consider the rejection as a stand alone case.

An RRB employee familiar with the issue told Kanal, “The power to change the eligibility criteria in the Appointment and Promotion Rules of RRBs lies solely with the Government of India, and no such amendment has been made since 2017. Introducing a credit score as a qualifying factor is not only arbitrary but also a clear violation of the existing Appointment and Promotion Rules.”

He further pointed out that as per data from AIRRBEA—the leading trade union of RRBs, gramin banks are already battling a massive staff shortage, with nearly 40,000 vacancies across the country. “Denying a candidate employment at the final stage—after clearing competitive exams—on the basis of credit history undermines years of effort. At a time when the government is striving to revive RRBs through capital infusion and structural reforms, it is disheartening to see recruitment processes being weakened by such arbitrary screening methods imposed by testing agencies.”

This incident exposes a deeper, underexplored conflict between the IBPS-led recruitment process and the official service rules that govern RRBs. As questions mount over jurisdiction and fairness, the issue calls for urgent discussion among key stakeholders, including DFS, IBPS, and the sponsoring banks.