Many banks not cooperating to open accounts for students; parents facing a tough time

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Many banks — including public and private sector ones — are allegedly refusing to open accounts for school students in the State on various pretexts.

"I have been going to a public sector bank for the last one week. The banks had given me different dates to open accounts for my 12-year-old son. Every day, I have been asked to produce various documents. Last Friday, (October 30) the bank had asked me to produce the Aadhaar card of my son. The Aadhaar card of my son is yet to be prepared. Many banks — including public and private sector ones — are allegedly refusing to open accounts for school students in the State on various pretexts.nitially, the bank said that the original birth certificate and an undersigning from the Head Master of son's school will be required to open the account. Now the bank is demanding his Aadhaar card," said Bimal Bora of the Zoo Road area here.

Bora is not alone. Many parents are facing the same harrowing time even after the State Government recently instructed that all students from Classes I to XII studying in government schools would have to open bank accounts. The move aims at training children on management of financial skills and inculcating good financial habits on savings.

Mission Director of SamagraaSiksha, Assam, B. KalyanChakravarthy, through an official letter, recently directed the Inspectors of Schools and also the District Elementary Education Officers to take necessary action to ensure opening of bank accounts by following all COVID-safety protocols. Chakravarthy also said that it would be a massive exercise and the entire process will be completed by November 30, 2020.

Students will have to open their accounts — preferably at the nearest accessible branches of any nationalized/scheduled commercial banks — with core banking facility.

Barring the State Bank of India (SBI), many banks are reluctant to open accounts for students. Some of the private banks operating in Guwahati said that their corporate head offices — either in Delhi or Mumbai — have not yet given their nod to cooperate with the State Government's initiatives. A few public sector banks blame the parents for not being able to produce the necessary documents. Some banks blame it on "manpower shortage" due to the current pandemic.

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