BLS E-Services Ltd, a leading digital service provider, has strengthened its financial inclusion network by training and certifying over 10,000 Business Correspondent (BC) agents through the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (IIBF). The initiative aligns with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) enhanced regulatory framework governing BC operations.
In addition to its BC workforce, the company has developed a pool of more than 2,000 Debt Recovery Agent (DRA)-certified professionals. These certified personnel enable banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) to conduct recovery operations through trained, compliant, and ethically guided agents.
The development gains significance as the RBI, effective April 2024, made mandatory training a prerequisite for BC agents before appearing for the BC Certification Examination. As per revised norms, candidates must undergo 28 hours of training for Basic Certification and 42 hours for Advanced Certification, with only trained individuals being eligible to take the examination.
Commenting on the initiative, Lokanath Panda, Chief Operating Officer, BLS E-Services, said that regulatory expectations are increasingly focused on creating a trained, accountable, and customer-sensitive last-mile financial workforce. He added that structured training and certification are viewed not merely as compliance requirements but as essential to building trust between banks and citizens.
On the recovery front, the DRA certification—designed by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) in consultation with IIBF—requires 50 to 100 hours of structured training. The programme emphasises legal procedures, banking operations, responsible collection practices, and soft skills. RBI has advised banks and NBFCs to engage only certified recovery personnel within a stipulated timeline.
Business Correspondents play a critical role as the primary link between formal banking institutions and customers, particularly in semi-urban and rural regions. With increased regulatory emphasis on training and ethical conduct, BLS E-Services’ certified agent base reflects the evolving standards in India’s financial inclusion and banking outreach ecosystem.