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‘We’re Bankers, Not Agents.’: UP Gramin Bank Branches Crushing Due to Insurance Targets
Dinners, gifts, and deadlines — UP Gramin Bank’s latest insurance contest offers flashy rewards, but branch staff say the pressure is unbearable and unethical.
Author: Neha Bodke
Published: July 8, 2025
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A new contest by Care Health Insurance has sparked sharp criticism and internal unrest across UP Gramin Bank branches. As per an internal WhatsApp communication forwarded by Regional Manager Banda region, all branches achieving over ₹50,000 in insurance business in July 2025 will be rewarded with a certificate and dinner with the Regional Manager. Those crossing ₹1,00,000 will additionally receive a 1600-watt Prestige induction cooktop.
But what’s being sold as motivation is being experienced as coercion. Bank staff say this is not encouragement, it’s “target terrorism.”
The RM’s message also directs that all branches must qualify in large numbers and “ensure 100% commitment” to the monthly insurance goal. It openly links this contest to the ongoing performance reviews for July.
Staff Pushback: A Tweet That Sparked a Storm
Amid this backdrop, a tweet by X account user Nitin Tyagi has gone viral. He accused RM Vinod Keswani of running a monthly “insurance circus” just to earn personal commissions and flatter senior officials.
“UP Gramin Bank has become an insurance bazaar!
New contests, new targets, new drama every month…
Dinner, induction, certificates, all eyewash!
So that RM gets commission, pleases the Chairman, flies to Thailand and secures promotion!”
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Tyagi’s tweet questions whether bank employees were hired to be financial service professionals or just insurance agents for backend incentives.
The contest prizes include:
- A Prestige 1600W induction cooktop, worth around ₹2,500–₹3,000
- A dinner with the Regional Manager
- A certificate of performance, possibly circulated on official WhatsApp groups and reports
But many employees say they’d rather have fair workload expectations than consumer gifts that come with pressure.
Institutional Questions That Can’t Be Ignored
Nitin Tyagi’s strongly worded tweet doesn’t just challenge an individual RM, it highlights deeper structural concerns within UP Gramin Bank. His allegations raise important questions,
- Is insurance sales becoming the core business of public banks?
- Should employees be forced into third-party cross-selling without consent?
- Are Regional Managers and Zonal Managers held to the same accountability they impose on branches?
This situation highlights a key issue plaguing RRBs banks today: performance-linked harassment under the guise of motivation.
What Branches Are Demanding
In his viral tweet, Nitin Tyagi called on colleagues to resist undue pressure from senior officials, urging them not to carry the burden of forced insurance sales. Reflecting that sentiment, many staff are now demanding
- Insurance targets to be optional, not enforced
- An end to monthly contests that add stress without support
- Full transparency, including whether RMs and ZMs are meeting their own sales quotas
Conclusion: A Fight for Dignity, Not Just Data
In his closing remarks, Nitin Tyagi reminds colleagues that the bank belongs to its staff, not to any RM or chairman’s personal empire. His sentiment reflects a broader frustration within PSU banks where staff are seen as sales tools rather than professionals. Until there’s structural accountability and relief from relentless target pressure, the battle isn’t just over numbers, it’s about dignity, identity, and fair working conditions.
Comments
- The Banker
If the non interest income through Bankassurance is calculated taking into consideration its impact on tangible and non tangible assets of the Banks, the Institution is always in loss. Its the executives, who are the real beneficiaries ( in terms of R&R) of the third party products.
Posted on July 9, 2025 - The Banker
Its not only pressure. Its open corruption which is legalized by the DFS itself.
Posted on July 9, 2025