Banking in India - Adoption of Banking Technology

Adoption of Banking Technology

The IT revolution had a great impact in the Indian banking system. The use of computers had led to introduction of online banking in India. The use of the modern innovation and computerisation of the banking sector of India has increased many fold after the economic liberalisation of 1991 as the country's banking sector has been exposed to the world's market. The Indian banks were finding it difficult to compete with the international banks in terms of the customer service without the use of the information technology and computers.

The RBI in 1984 formed Committee on Mechanisation in the Banking Industry (1984) whose chairman was Dr C Rangarajan, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India. The major recommendations of this committee was introducing MICR Technology in all the banks in the metropolis in India.This provided use of standardized cheque forms and encoders.
In 1988, the RBI set up Committee on Computerisation in Banks (1988) headed by Dr. C.R. Rangarajan which emphasized that settlement operation must be computerized in the clearing houses of RBI in Bhubaneshwar, Guwahati, Jaipur, Patna and Thiruvananthapuram.It further stated that there should be National Clearing of inter-city cheques at Kolkata,Mumbai,Delhi,Chennai and MICR should be made Operational.It also focused on computerisation of branches and increasing connectivity among branches through computers.It also suggested modalities for implementing on-line banking.The committee submitted its reports in 1989 and computerisation began form 1993 with the settlement between IBA and bank employees' association.
In 1994, Committee on Technology Issues relating to Payments System, Cheque Clearing and Securities Settlement in the Banking Industry (1994) was set up with chairman Shri WS Saraf, Executive Director, Reserve Bank of India. It emphasized on Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) system, with the BANKNET communications network as its carrier. It also said that MICR clearing should be set up in all branches of all banks with more than 100 branches.
Committee for proposing Legislation On Electronic Funds Transfer and other Electronic Payments (1995) emphasized on EFT system. Electronic banking refers to DOING BANKING by using technologies like computers, internet and networking,MICR,EFT so as to increase efficiency, quick service,productivity and transparency in the transaction.

Apart from the above mentioned innovations the banks have been selling the third party products like Mutual Funds, insurances to its clients.Total numbers of ATMs installed in India by various banks as on end March 2005 is 17,642. The New Private Sector Banks in India is having the largest numbers of ATMs which is fol off site ATM is highest for the SBI and its subsidiaries and then it is followed by New Private Banks, Nationalised banks and Foreign banks. While on site is highest for the Nationalised banks of India.