Repositioning of BTC

Reserve Bank of India

Summer Project

PROJECT ON REPOSITIONING OF
BANKERS’ TRAINING COLLEGE

Prepared by:
Ruby Mohan
Mumbai Educational Trust, Asian Management Development Centre

Email: rubymohan@gmail.com

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 Repositioning of BTC

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Ms. Ruby Mohan, student of Mumbai Educational

Trust Institute of Management has successfully completed her summer
training under my guidance at the Human Resources Development
Department (HRDD) at Reserve Bank of India, Central Office, Mumbai. I have
gone through the report and certify that it has been prepared to my
satisfaction and all the facts mentioned have been verified to the best of my
knowledge.

Mr. S. K. Bhargava
General Manager
Human Resources Development Department
Reserve Bank of India
Central Office,
Mumbai

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 Repositioning of BTC

Index

CHAPTER PAGE
NO. CONTENTS NOS.
1 Executive Summary 6
2. Objective of the Study 9
3. Scope of the Study 10

4. Environmental Scan 12
5. RBI’s training policies 14
6. Introduction to BTC 18
Recommendations-I- Course
7. 23
redesign
Recommendations-II-Repositioning
8. 34
BTC
9. Appendices 41
10. References 65

Appendices

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 Repositioning of BTC

I Central Banks’ Training initiatives

II Training Institutes in India
III Commercial Banks’ Training initiatives
IV RBI’s Training Colleges
V Statistics on RBI’s Training Colleges
VI Number of Faculty Members in RBI’s training Colleges
VII Questionnaire for Faculty Members of BTC
VIII Table showing Guest Faculty Proportion at BTC
IX comparison of the number of slots allotted to banks and RBI
participants
X Area wise participation and bank wise/institution wise
participation in BTC Programmes
XI Comparative position of area-wise and participation-wise
classification of the programmes

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 Repositioning of BTC

Acknowledgement
It is only because of the help and cooperation of a large number of
people that this project has materialized in its present form. My sincere thanks
should first go to the Reserve Bank of India for providing me a golden
opportunity to study and make recommendations regarding the Bankers'
Training College. The hospitality with which my queries (sometimes very basic
in nature) were entertained and the guidance provided for my project is
admirable.

I am especially grateful to Mr. Sheshadri, Assistant General Manager,

Human Resources Development Department (HRDD) for sparing his valuable
time and expertise for providing guidance through out the project work.

I wish to extend my gratitude to Shri. B. Sheikh, Shri. S. K. Bhargava,

Shri R. Vasan, Shri. S. Ghosh, Shri. H. Kirodkar, HRDD, Reserve Bank of
India for their valuable time which gave me requisite exposure on the subject.
I am also thankful to Shri. Ghosh and Smt. Subramanium; respectively
Principal and Vice-Principal of Bankers’ Training College for their assistance
and co-operation.

It would be failing on my part not to thank our esteemed Professor s of

MET Institute of Management for providing guidance and help during the
project.

Last but not the least; I would also like to thank the RBI staff and the
staff at Bankers’ Training College for their cooperation and generous
assistance.

Ruby Mohan
Mumbai Educational Trust, Asian Management Development Centre

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 Repositioning of BTC

Executive summary

M
ajor reform initiatives in the last decade have changed the face of
the Indian banking and financial sector. Adoption of prudential
norms in terms of capital adequacy, asset classification, income
recognition, provisioning, lowering of reserve requirements (SLR and CRR)
greater operational freedom for individual banks in terms of opening and
swapping of branches, Universal Banking, move towards Real Time Gross
Settlement and adoption of BASEL II norms are just a few of a gamut of
critical issues which call for constant updating and tuning of skill inventories
when one talks about the workforce of banks.

For a strong and resilient banking and financial system, therefore, the
importance of training as a tool for growth and development cannot be
overemphasized. In order to maintain the efficiency of their Officers at a high
standard in a keenly competitive environment, banks spare no effort in
anticipating and arranging for essential, state-of-the-art training of their
executives at all crucial levels. The ability of an organization to attract the best
talent and develop them through training and other intervention tools will
directly influence the ability to achieve its objectives.

Training is the management of the learning process. More specifically,

it is an oriented process of developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes of
individuals, groups to enable them to perform effectively or to improve
performance in a job occupation or role. Training is directed towards behavior
change resulting in performance improvement, which is readily measurable.
Training unlike education is a means to an end not an end in itself. But it is
unlikely to succeed unless to a reasonable degree it also meets identified
learning needs of the individual. Training needs should be regularly reviewed
and the training and development plans prepared and implemented. Training
should not be regarded as a once and for all investment confined to young
people only but should be seen as a lifelong process of personal
development.

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 Repositioning of BTC

Bankers’ Training College is an institution which was set up by the

Reserve Bank of India in the year 1954 with a view to impart quality training to
the functionaries of Indian commercial and development banks, foreign banks
in India, Reserve Bank of India and certain cadres of Government of India . At
a time when the Banking and Finance sector in India faced a challenge
presented by low-level skills and a dearth of meaningful qualifications, BTC
emerged as an imaginative and forward-looking training establishment. Not
only did BTC fill the void, but it also enhanced the credibility and good
standing of the practice of Training and Development.

However, it is now felt that BTC has more than successfully fulfilled the
mandate laid down for it at the outset. Moreover, several banks have, over the
years, started their own training establishments and are liberally investing in
the development of good in-house training facilities. The College's status of
being a trendsetter in formulating and delivering Training programmes has
slowly but surely got diluted over the years. Several programmes have lost
their relevance and the individual banks themselves can now organize some
others. In such a scenario, BTC's role cannot remain that of an indifferent and
passive spectator.

The following paper, prepared a year after BTC’s Golden Jubilee,

attempts to take stock of the Colleges’ activities and also reviews the
prevailing atmosphere of the Training function in the banking sector in India
and abroad. It starts with a brief commentary on the banking sector in India. It
then goes on to talk about the training function and its relevance in Central
Banks the world over. It then emphasizes training in the light of leading
training institutes in India and gives a description of a few leading commercial
Banks’ training initiatives. Then the focus shifts to the Bankers’ Training
College, the Bank’s apex training institute. A historical overview and an
analysis of the various aspects of the Bankers’ Training College follow. Then
the key findings from the visit to BTC are presented, supported by
recommendations, if the College were to continue in its present form. The
recommendations made to BTC and the RBI are two-fold in nature:

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 Repositioning of BTC

If the College were to continue in its present form, suggestions for

changes in the nature, focus, duration, faculty profile, infrastructure, follow-up
work etc. are made.

The report also suggests a transformational model for BTC in the form
of a think tank that could successfully respond to the demands of the Banking
sector in the long run and spells out the details like funding, communications,
research work etc. for the same.

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 Repositioning of BTC

Objective of the study

T
he study was undertaken with a view to reanalyze the operations of
BTC with the objective of carrying out a holistic assessment in the
context of changing environment of the training activity of BTC and
consequently suggesting a think tank model for the College.

The findings can be used by the management of the Bank for future
planning and can be used for focused efforts on training & development. Not
only will the model be useful in showing a new direction and purpose to BTC,
it will also ensure that the resources of the RBI are utilized to the fullest and
best potential.

The approach to the study

Attempts were made during the project to obtain information related to
five main areas of study:

• A study of the training colleges of leading commercial banks both in the

private and public sector.
• A study of the training Colleges of a few leading Central Banks of the
world.
• A study of the insiders’ point of view i.e. first-hand feedback from the
College itself with respect to their perception about the training
programmes of BTC, as also their expectations about the future role
that the College should play.
• A study of the perception and expectations of the sponsoring Bank-The
Reserve Bank of India. (Through interactions with various policy
making Officers across departments.)

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 Repositioning of BTC

Scope of the study

The information for the project has been collected from PRIMARY and
SECONDARY sources of data. Primary data includes feedback received from
the Members of Faculty (MoFs) and staff members of the Bankers’ Training
College and the Officers of the RBI and also first-hand information from the
user banks.

Secondary data sources include:

• Documents and files related to the various training

programmes of BTC
• Agenda notes for College Advisory Council Meetings of four
consecutive years
• Reports related to the area of study; or any similar work done
by the college before
• Books on training and banking from the library of the RBI

Data Collection

Feedback and reaction from the MoFs was obtained during the project
period in order to study their expectations and to solicit their views on the
path of transformation for BTC.
The instruments, which were used to collect data, were:
 Questionnaires
 Individual in-depth interviews
 Direct observation method

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 Repositioning of BTC
Data Analysis

The questionnaires filled by the MoFs and the opinions of the

sponsoring banks were carefully analyzed to reveal the clarity of
interpretations. Relevant conclusions were also drawn from the study of the
training environment in the banking sector in India and abroad. The trend of
events in the BTC was analyzed with the help with the help of Agenda Notes
of the Meetings of the College Advisory Council.

Limitations

The limitations of the study could be enlisted as follows:

• The time constraint restricted the scope of study to only 5 Faculty
Members and Vice-Principal and Principal.

• An impressionistic study with a small selected sample of user banks

may not comprehensively capture the impression of the user system.

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 Repositioning of BTC

Environmental Scan

T
he Reserve Bank of India has its own training institutions that impart
quality professional training for the functionaries of Indian
commercial and development banks, foreign banks in India, Reserve
Bank of India and certain cadres of the Government of India.

It can be said that being the regulatory and supervisory body of all
other banks and Financial Institutions, Central Banks the world over have very
similar training needs. In order to comparatively analyze RBI’s training
programmes vis-à-vis those of leading Central Banks, the training initiatives of
the Central Banks of France, England and Germany are highlighted in
Annexure I.

While studying the role of BTC in catering to the training needs of the
banking sector, one cannot afford to overlook the various pioneering training
and research institutes in India cater to the needs of the banking and finance
sector. While some of them focus on niche areas (like capital markets), others
offer more comprehensive programmes. Annexure II attempts to capture the
salient features of a few of these institutes.

The changes taking place in the banking sector in the last decade or so
have impressed upon the commercial banks the need of organizing training
for their employees. The need became so urgent that in due course of time
most of the commercial banks established their own training institutions to
cater to the training needs of their clerical, junior supervisory and senior staff.
While this development can be viewed as encouraging from the point of view
of the RBI, it will also definitely impact the participation levels at BTC.

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 Repositioning of BTC
In order to get a holistic view of training in the banking sector, a visit to
the HDFC Bank, Citibank and Bank of Baroda training centers was made
during the course of the study. The approach taken to training by these banks
was analyzed. The findings are presented below in Annexure III.

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 RBI’s Training Policies
Training holds the key for survival and success of the human resource
development in an organization and RBI, realizing this has a separate
Training Division to handle the Training Function. The Training Division is a
wing of the Human Resources Development Department (HRDD). It looks
after the policy formulation and operational matters relating to training of
Bank’s officers and staff. In particular, the following functions are handled by
the Training Division:
• Preparation of training plan
• Supervision over the banks training establishments
• Deputation of staff for training to organizations in India and abroad
• Enrollment of confirmed staff for Distance Education / Online Education
courses in recognized Institutes
• Grant of study leave, sabbatical, and scholarships for higher studies
abroad, etc.

The RBI, recognizing the paradigm shift in the banking sector realized
that the challenges for the banks in the times to come would be to counter
increased competition, meeting the demanding standards of customers,
stepping up of income and a move towards becoming "one-stop financial
hyper-markets". To cater effectively to this need, the Bank has for the last 5
decades delivered quality training programmes through it’s training Colleges.

In July 1953, the Reserve Bank of India constituted a Committee to

draw up a concrete plan for setting up a training College. The Committee,
which was headed by the then Deputy Governor Shri Ram Nath and
consisted of top executives of commercial banks and their eminent bankers,
proposed the name "Bankers Training College" for the training institution set
up in 1954. Following this, the Reserve Bank Staff College (RBSC) at
Chennai and the College of Agricultural Banking (CAB) at Pune were set up in
1963 and 1969 respectively. In addition to this, four Zonal Training Centers

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(ZTCs) at Belapur (Navi Mumbai), Kolkata, New Delhi and Chennai now
provide training for Class III and Class IV staff which constitutes almost three-
fourths of the employee strength of the Bank. The Colleges have constantly
endeavored to introduce new programmes as well as up-grading the existing
programmes. Considering the rapid transformation of the financial system, the
Colleges continually review their respective missions, purpose and objectives
to ensure the delivery of high-quality/high value-addition programmes.

A brief note on each of the above colleges is given in Annexure IV and

statistics regarding the number and nature of programmes are in Annexure
V.

This study will eventually suggest that the number of programmes at

BTC be reduced to a large extent. In the light of this suggestion, it is
imperative to look at the role that the CAB and the RBSC will have to play.
They might have to build on their capacities to be able to accommodate BTC’s
USP programmes.

The training needs of the officers are prepared on the basis of

information called for from various offices on an annual basis and also on the
basis of the recommendations made by superiors in the Performance
Appraisal Report and the emerging needs of the organization arising out of
environmental changes. For example, during the early 1990s, when economic
liberalization took place, foreign exchange regulations were relaxed and
communication networks were to be used by banks on a massive scale.
Training in the areas like financial management of banks, foreign exchange
management and data communication networks was intensified.

On the basis of the training needs, the training plans are prepared for
the ensuing year based on the capacity of the Bank’s training establishments,
areas / subjects of training which need priority, resources like faculty and
training infrastructure available in the Bank, relative costs of in-house versus
external training and the like.

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 Besides functional programmes, officers are encouraged to attend
programmes on behavioral, I.T., communication and leadership areas.
Employees are also nominated for in-house/ in-company programmes. As
regards the training needs of the Class – III and IV, the concerned Regional
Directors / Officers-in-Charges are responsible for the same. Powers are
delegated to the Heads of the various Regional Offices to nominate Officers
for training programmes.

The training colleges of the banks have also been extending training
facilities to officers of Indian commercial banks, foreign commercial banks
working in India and central banks of certain developing countries. A number
of such officers from certain African countries, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,
Bhutan have attended programmes conducted by RBSC, BTC and CAB in
areas related to bank supervision, exchange control and central banking etc.

In those areas of training where the banks training institutions do not

have adequate expertise or resources for conducting training programmes or
where the number of employees to be trained is not large enough to run a
channel, the Bank deputes its officers for training to external training
institutions in India such as National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM),
ASCI, and the like.

Bank deputes a good number of officers abroad for training with a view
to updating their knowledge, improving their skills and increasing their
awareness of international developments.

At the end of each training programme conducted by the Banks training

establishments, the participants are required to give their feedback on the
extent of their learning from the programmes, the adequacy of coverage and
duration of the programmes, the quality of faculty, the effectiveness of training
aids used, the quality of course material supplied, and infrastructural facilities
provided, an a prescribed format. In the case of external training, the
usefulness of the training is assessed by the Training Division based on the
officers’ feedback reports on the training programmes attended by them.

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HRDD is evolving strategies to ensure proper utilization of training at the work
place and methods to measure transfer of learning to the work situation.

The Members of Faculty of the training Colleges are selected from

among the Officers of the Bank. Various external faculty are also invited from
time to time to deliver lectures at the colleges. The Training Division
coordinates the process of selection of Members of Faculty for the Banks
training establishments.

The eligibility criteria for selection of faculty members are:

1. Age not more than 55 years on the cut off date.

2. Possession of bachelor's degree with:
• Record of published papers or participation in Seminars/Workshops
or

• Association as a member of Working Groups/policy Groups etc. or

• Have completed the Associate Examination of The Institute of

Bankers or

• Possess special qualifications/experience/training of value to the

training colleges / training centers to be accepted at the discretion
of the Bank.

Annexure VI shows the Faculty strength in the Bank's

training establishments.

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Introduction to Bankers’ Training
College

T
he Bankers Training College (BTC) came into existence on
September 14,1954. It was the crystallization of the first ever-
conscious efforts towards creating an institution devoted to the
systematic training of commercial banks and also one of the few of its kind in
the world to be set up at that time by a central bank. BTC's Vision Statement
reads as:

"To continue as an apex-training institution to impart high quality

professional training to middle and senior management of the banking
sector with a thrust on excellence and constant endeavor to groom
future leaders of Banks with a view to meeting the emerging challenges
and to serve as a focal point for dissemination of learning."

An Advisory Council was also constituted, thereafter, on October 1,

1954 with Shri B. Rama Rau, the then Governer of the RBI, as President and
the two Deputy Governors, Shri N. Sundaresan and Shri Ram Nath as Vice
Presidents of the Council.

The College was placed under the stewardship of M. F. H. Hayne, the

first Principal and Mr. T. H. Harvey, Chief Instructor, both of whom were
experts seconded by the Midland Bank, London to carry out the preliminary
work and assist the college in its formative stage.

The College was modeled on the pattern of the Staff Training College
of the Midland Bank in the UK. The important feature of the Midland Bank's
training practices was that each course was confined to a limited number of
participants to ensure that individual assistance was bestowed.

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 The location of the College was carefully debated and it was decided
that the College premises would be located in Mumbai. The College was
initially located in a building in Fort area in Mumbai, which was taken on lease
by the RBI. Although no residential facilities were available, a number of
hotels were available in the vicinity of the College for out-station trainees. The
administrative expenses of the College were borne entirely by the RBI.

Transformation of programmes over the

years

The College in its initial years focused on imparting training in practical

banking of an "advanced type" to the supervisory staff of commercial banks in
India. The first training course provided at the College, known as the Senior
course' commenced on September 27, 1954. It was a course of eight weeks'
duration and was designed by the college for the senior officers of banks and
branch.

The trainees were divided into four groups of seven each and placed
under a charge of a tutor who was thus able to give individual attention to
each trainee and no trainee was left unattended. The learning process was
further supported by frequent work reviews, question and answer sessions,
tutors' quiz, interviews, participants' presentations, etc.

The College also made arrangements to invite speakers from outside

who were specialists in their own fields. At the end of each course
comprehensive confidential report on the performance of each trainee was
sent to the bank concerned.

The teaching staff mainly consisted of teachers drawn from an

experienced pool of officers from various departments of the RBI. In order to
expose the tutorial staff of the College to a broader perspective of training and
keep them abreast with the latest developments in banking practices and

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procedures, the College had a practice, whenever convenient, to depute one
or two tutors to the Midland Bank Training establishment in the UK for
intensive practical training.

The College received a number of distinguished visitors during the late

fifties. Professor A. F. Laidlaw, Colombo Plan Consultant to RBI on
agricultural credit, Mr. Fredrick. W. Gray, Banking and Currency Member of
the United Nations Technical Assistance Administration Mission to Nepal
(also former Secretary of London Institute of Bankers) and Mr. Gavan Duffy of
the Commonwealth Bank of Australia were among the first visitors to the
college.

In 1956, the College Advisory Council (CAC) recommended that the

College should be housed in a building of its own with a hostel attached to it.
The Bank accordingly acquired a plot of land at Cadell Road, Dadar (west),
Mumbai. The construction of the College, which commenced in October 1958,
was completed in December 1959.

Soon after the construction of the buildings the RBI played host to an
international course, i.e. the third Central Banking course (also called the
SEANZA (South East Asia, New Zealand and Australia) Central Banking
course) at the new premises from January to March 1960. The total capital
cost of setting up the College and the hostel amounting to around Rs. 18
lakhs was entirely borne by the RBI as its contribution to the development of
training in banking in the country.

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 Current Position

Over the years, BTC has become a pioneer in the field of professional
training in the sphere of banking in India. At the turn of the 21st Century, the
College has trained over 50,000 officials from banks, financial institutions
including overseas nominees and Government of India cadres. Most present
day CEOs of Public Sector Banks would have at some point or the other
undergone training at the BTC. 50 years in any institutions history is a
milestone. BTC continues in it's endeavor to scale new heights in alignment
with it's status as an inter-regional training center to meet the future
challenges lying before the Indian banking and financial system.

The College is centrally located in the heart of Mumbai, at Dadar. This

offers a strategic location advantage, in that the College is easily accessible
by the corporates from the chief financial centers of the suburbs and the city.
The convenient location also makes it more amenable for the Guest Faculty to
accept the Invitation of the College to address participants of various
programmes.

BTC is backed by the Central Bank, and can offer a Supervisory, a

Central Banking and an international view of the banking sector to the
participants, thereby enhancing their knowledge. The RBI backing is also
advantageous as guest faculty and eminent speakers are always more than
willing to come and deliver lectures at BTC given that it is a Central Bank
Institute.

The ownership and executive management of the BTC vests with the
RBI and the College functions under the administrative control of the Human
Resource Development Department (HRDD) of the bank. The Principal, who
is of the rank of Chief General Manager, assisted by a Vice-Principal and
faculty members heads the College. RBI has constituted the College Advisory
Council under the Chairmanship of the Governor to ensure proper co-

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ordination, planning and execution of the progammes. The Annual Meeting of
the Council is held usually in the month of May /June in Mumbai. At this
meeting, the activities of the College in the preceding year are discussed and
the training plans for the ensuing year are discussed and approved.

The Calendar of Programmes is prepared each year taking into

account the views of the CEOs of Commercial Banks, Heads of Departments
(HoD) of the RBI Central Office and Members of Faculty (MoF) of BTC and is
approved by the College Advisory Council. In the case of RBI, the
participation is mostly form the AGMs and DGMs level but specific
programmes are conducted even for Senior Management cadres.

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 Recommendations - I

I
n order to get a first-hand idea of the functioning of the BTC and to study
the resources and the procedures adopted by the College, I spent two
days at the College. During my stay, I had the opportunity to interact with
the Principal, Vice-Principal and five faculty members. The extensive
groundwork undertaken during the initial part of the project helped to get an
overview of the entire training set-up in India and abroad.

This information helped to provide the contours of the questions to be

posed to the members. It was felt that getting the insiders point of view in the
form of the views and visions of the very people who drive the College in its
present form would be relevant and meaningful. Since the information
solicited was of a varied nature and was needed to be obtained in a structured
form, an open-ended questionnaire was formulated which factored in
numerous key issues and addressed the problems faced by the College.
Please refer to Annexure VII for the questionnaire.

The interactions with the MoFs at BTC and the in-depth study of the
various reports and agenda notes of the College Advisory Council brought to
light the main problem areas of the College. The following recommendations
are made to the College if it were to continue in its present form and continue
imparting training.

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 Faculty profile

BTCs 'facilitators' to learning - "Members of Faculty" (MoFs) or

"Trainers" in the common parlance- are experienced bank officers with many
years of exposure in the entire gamut of banking. BTC Faculty members
drawn from the senior level office of Grade 'D' and above and have varied
academic qualifications and practical experience in different
areas/departments. MoFs are also exposed periodically to updating of skills
and awareness in leading institutions in the country like Administrative Staff
College of India, Hyderabad, Management and Development Institute,
Gurgaon, Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata, Xaviers Learning and
Research Institute, Jamshedpur etc.

They specialize in subjects such as Credit, Foreign Exchange,

Financial Engineering, Risk Management, Human Resources Development,
Treasury/Asset-Liability Management, Information Technology, etc. Besides
handling sessions, the MoFs also prepare reading material, co-ordinate other
arrangements with relating to programmes, liaison with guest faculties and
provide faculty support to other institutes. The average sessions handled per
faculty member are 3.65 sessions per week, which was considered to be too
much by all the Faculty members interviewed. Besides the faculty support, the
College also invites eminent bankers, academicians, consultants and experts
in the field of banking and management to deliver talks, make presentations
and impart practical training and also to conduct certain programmes in
respect of technical/policy related topics.

The details of the sessions handled by the MoFs and guest faculties
from various institutions, in the on-site programmes between the period July
2003 and December 2004 are given in Annexure VIII. It is indeed a matter of
concern that almost half the faculty members at BTC are external faculty.
Upon analyzing the type of programmes that are outsourced, it was observed
that the participant-drawing programmes like the Forex Bourse and Treasury
Management are being outsourced. This trend raises questions about the

24
contention that these Programmes, being the USP of the College; justify its
existence.

There is no research work done by faculty members at BTC. While

some faculty members felt that research was not part of the mandate, others
felt they were being overburdened with too many sessions per week and
consequently found very little time to do any meaningful research work.
Research papers and their publication in international journals would help in
enhancing knowledge and would build on the capacities of the Faculty
Members and should be encouraged. The possibility of group research can
also be explored.

The MoFs are deputed abroad for training. However, the number of
MoFs sent is low. RBI should review its selection policy with regards to
sending MoFs abroad for training as such international exposure is welcome
and will certainly go a long way in improving the quality of the programmes.

Library and infrastructure

BTC is a residential College having a College building, a Hostel

Building and a Principals’ Bungalow. 3 comfortable and well-equipped
classrooms, a reading room, an auditorium, a dealing room (for conducting
simulated trading games), and two computer laboratories help in the effective
delivery of the programmes. The dealing room is equipped with networked
PCs and Reuters screen for conducting simulated domestic and Forex
treasury trading games, using ICICI InfoTech Ltd. Solution and CCIL package.
The conference room is enhanced with the use of “Smart Board” which
operates like a touch screen and enables writing on a presentation,
eliminating the need for a white board. Medical facilities and recreational
facilities like gymnasium, badminton court has been provided in the campus.
An extension counter of a commercial bank is also located within the College

25
premises. Efforts are being made to provide video-conferencing facilities in
the college to enhance training interfaces.

The College library contains a useful repository of information in its

close to 18,000 books. The library has facilities like air-conditioning, readers’
lobby and 4 computers with Internet connectivity. The Library has been using
the LIBSYS software package, which enables a participant to easily retrieve
books on a particular topic by conducting a comprehensive search with the
help of the software.

The library has books on subjects like banking, risk management,

foreign exchange, Human resources Development, management etc. The
library subscribes to over 90 journals including many popular international
journals. It has a collection of over 400 CD-ROMs which enable the
participants to take advantage of many computer based tutorials and
encyclopedias. The books have been bar-coded for easier management.

Although the general opinion was that there have been significant
improvements in the College infrastructure in the recent past, the following are
the recommendations about the infrastructure:

• BTC should consider converting the hostel rooms into single-

occupancy rooms. This is of particular importance when it comes to
senior level managers who expect international standard
accommodation and services when they go for a training
programme.

• The College should provide copying machines and fax machines

near the vicinity of the Faculty members' office so that there would
be no problem in sending out an urgent fax or getting copies of
some important document post office hours.

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• The elevator system needs up hauling in order to increase its
capacity and efficiency as the current elevators can accommodate
very few people. This could prove to be tedious and time
consuming if Seminars/Conferences involving large number of
participants take place at the College.

• It is also recommended that there should be an increase in the

number of overflow rooms/break out rooms for meaningful
interactions among participants during tea breaks and in case of
excess participants during conferences.

• BTC can consider outsourcing the catering and hostel function to

improve the quality. This would also free resources of the College to
concentrate on the core activities. The hostel and catering will be
provided more effectively and at a lower cost.

• Increase in the reading room area in the library as the current space
is grossly inadequate.

• Providing Internet access to residential participants during off-hours

too so that they can fully utilize their time on-campus.

27
 BTC Website
The college website at http://www.btc.rbi.org.in contains a host of
information on college’s activities, details of MoFs, Calendar of programmes,
nomination forms and BTC News (which includes news From the Editor's
Desk, a Review of select Programmes conducted by BTC, details of
Programmes conducted , Faculty Support by BTC for Banks and Learning
Events for the quarters). The website should be made more user-friendly and
should be made more attractive.

BTC Journals/Newsletter

The college has been bringing out a professional journal in Hindi called
“Banking Chintan-Anuchintan” which is being used to spread knowledge
about banking through Hindi medium. The College also puts out a newsletter
periodically in English called “BTC News”. These publications are useful
communication tools and help to keep the users updated about the latest
developments in the College.

Nature of programmes and level of

participation

Every Calendar year, around 150 programmes including seminars,

workshops and conferences are conducted by the College. The College
normally runs three channels of programmes concurrently. The total number
of participants is restricted to 25 on an average to ensure personalized
attention and optimum participation in the courses.

Courses are held throughout the year except for a two week break in
the second half of May every year to help the faculty update their skills and

28
knowledge, revise the study material and for renovations and repairs to the
hostel blocks.

The BTC conducts programmes on areas such as Credit, Foreign

Exchange, Financial Engineering, Risk Management, Human Resources
Development, Treasury/Asset-Liability Management, Information Technology,
etc. Programmes such as Foreign Exchange Bourse, Integrated Treasury
Management, ands Faculty Development are BTCs flagship programmes.
Most of the programmes attract overseas participants as well. The College
caters mainly to the middle and senior level officers of commercial banks,
other financial institutions in India and officers of RBI.

Number of participants

4000
3735
3500
3000
2500 2381
2175 2030 2147 2103
2000
1696
1500
1000
500
0
1998- 1999- 2000- 2001- 2002- 2003- 2004-
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Year number of
participants

The above graph shows the number of participants the college has had
in the past 6 years. There was a sharp decline in the year 2003-2004 and the
College should do more to attract a higher number of participants for their
programmes.
Annexure IX shows a comparison of the number of slots allotted to
commercial banks and RBI participants.
Annexure X shows the Area wise participation and bank wise/institution wise
participation in BTC Programmes.

29
Annexure XI shows a comparative position of area-wise and participation-
wise classification of the programmes

Training methodology

The training method adopted by the College is a judicious mix of

instructional and group processes of learning. Wherever relevant,
programmes are enriched by simulation, exercises, case studies, project
assignments etc. Multi-media presentations are used to make the learning
process interesting and thought stimulating and these serve the purpose of
ensuring high absorption. The trading games in Forex Bourse and Treasury
Management programmes are made as close to live situations as possible
and help in molding the technical skills of the participants.

Self-learning by the trainees also takes place through interaction with

participants from different banks with diverse backgrounds, work cultures,
systems, perceptions and experiences. Although these methods are the most
popularly and frequently used ones, methods like case studies, group
discussions, role plays and management games can make the learning
process an interactive and stimulating experience.

Tie-ups and collaborations

BTC has in the past had collaborative efforts and tie-up arrangements
with EDI/IMF Institutes at Washington, the Bank of England (CCBS)/DFID
London, and some select Central Banks as well as BIS in Switzerland for
conducting high level seminars/conferences/programmes for the senior
executives of banks.

The College attempts to have a fine blending of academics with

bankers. It invites eminent academicians from Universities, IIMs, IITs, etc. and
professional bankers to share their thoughts in matters of current and future

30
concern to bankers. The College is an institution devoted to meeting
operational banking requirements of bank managers. As a central forum for
bankers to interact among themselves, it attaches great value to visits to the
College by senior bankers at the level of CMDs and EDs of banks and
financial institutions for addressing participants and giving their perspectives
at the inauguration/ wrap-up sessions or being on the panels for interface.
This is a good initiative and ensures that bankers get an overall perspective of
various issues.

Value for Money

An in-house Academic Audit is carried out to evaluate the quality of
programmes and the Value for Money aspect. It considers the coverage of
reading material, the relevance and the date of the articles selected to be
given as reading material to the participants, the feedback from the
participants, the degree to which the participants' expectations were met, and
the guest faculty profile and compensation. It is felt that conducting an
academic audit through an external body would be more representative and
objective.

Post training impact evaluation was tried earlier by the college but was
not very successful as the response rate from the Departments of the
participants (both RBI and commercial bank participants) was low. However
the College is in the process of retrying the impact evaluation by sending
online evaluation forms to the concerned departments of the trainees. This
has been initiated in a pilot way through 3 programmes- Human Resource
Management, Integrated Treasury Management and Faculty Development. If
successful, this initiative will definitely go a long way in improving the quality
of the training programmes.

31
 Change in course design
A major shift of focus from the current theoretical training to more
policy oriented training is the future way for the College, as theory, is widely
available on the Internet and is easily accessible by all.

The course content should be suitably adapted taking into

consideration the changing scenario in the form of increasing M & As,
increase in the number of cross border transactions, and the adoption of
Basel II norms. Besides continuing with the core programmes, the envisioned
goal at BTC should be to shift to more focused, 1-2 day seminars, symposia,
and conferences aimed at senior level management.

BTC could get into consultancy but one needs to guard against the
legal position that the College might have to take, as on the one hand RBI
would continue in its regulatory role and on the other hand BTC would be
offering consultancy services/advice to banks on policy issues. Thus securing
authorizations as well as the nature of the consultancy services that could be
offered is a debatable issue. BTC should take the initiative to invite more
eminent speakers and foreign dignitaries from diverse fields to deliver
lectures. But the monetary aspect is not very conducive as the remuneration
of Rs.500 given per trainer per session of 75 minutes is substantially less than
what the lecturers would get elsewhere. However, a recent policy change
gives the Principal the discretionary power to award remuneration of up to Rs.
2500 to external faculty.

32
 Synergy-building activities
Interaction among faculty members takes place, but interface with the
industry was grossly insufficient. It is recommended that in addition to its own
efforts and reliable information available with the policy making departments
of the RBI; the College should try and establish a sound communication and
information exchange channel with other training institutes. A Committee
comprising Heads of leading training colleges can be formed to deliberate
over matters relating to training strategies, training methodologies, course
design etc. In this vein, the College is considering entering into collaborative
arrangements with institutes like IIM, Bangalore, Canara Bank Staff Training
College, National Institute of Finance and Management, Faridabad and Lal
Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.

Follow-up and Feedback

A very small percentage of the total number of trainees reverts back to
the college for any clarifications or queries. This trend raises doubts about the
take-home value of the content of the programmes. One can attribute such a
trend to the lack of direction and focus of the trainees who are sometimes
unsure of the objectives of a particular programme and what their
expectations from the programme are. BTC, on its part, should expedite the
process of post training evaluation and chart the progress of the participants
once they resume their jobs. The programme coordinator can give his contact
number/e-mail address to the participants, so that they can clear any doubts
they face after they return back to their jobs.

At present, several commercial banks are able to meet their training

needs in-house and do not require much handholding. This trend is apparent
in the dwindling number of programmes and participants at BTC. BTC needs
to review its purpose and role and identify its core competency. BTC should
consciously move away from omnibus training programmes and concentrate
on focused programmes exclusively targeted for senior management.

33
 Recommendations - II

It is felt that the days of handholding in the Indian banking sector with
regards to training are over. Training needs of the Officers of commercial
banks and financial institutions are more than adequately met through various
other training avenues such as:

1. By their own in-house training establishments which exist in individual

institutions.

2. By collaborative institutions such as Indian Institute of Banking and

Finance (IIBF), The UTI Institute of Capital Markets, BSE training
institute (BTI) and the National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM)
as elaborated above.

3. By the seven associate banks of SBI who besides having their own
training facilities, have access to SBI's training network.

4. By deputing Faculty Members of banks' training institutions for the

Faculty Development Programmes conducted by the GOI (Department
of Personnel and Training) at different centers like Delhi, Jaipur,
Bhopal.

5. By some of the banks particularly new generation private sector banks

making arrangements for training by consultancies, and by sending
senior level officers of banks on a selective basis to MDI, ASCI, IIMs
and even to international programmes

BTC has more than successfully fulfilled the mandate laid down for it at the
outset. The College's status of being a trendsetter in formulating and
delivering Training programmes has slowly but surely got diluted over the

34
years. The prevailing atmosphere is one where memories are exalted and the
past eulogized as ideal. The fallout of this is a temptation to support yesterday
and ignore the problems that loom around it.

The user banks do not have a positive perception about BTC’s soft-
skills programmes dealing with attitude development and motivational
programmes. Even the Information Technology related programmes do not
have many takers. Banks generally prefer to send their employees to training
institutes, which have these programmes as their core competency.

BTC has been running into constant deficits in spite of the fact that its
programmes maintain a very high standard of commitment and quality in the
market. The quality of boarding and lodging is not very high in comparison to
the other training institutes. The trainees generally are not very satisfied with
it. The College charges fees, which is nearly half of the market price while its
quality is equivalent to the market standards. This focuses on the
underutilization of resources of the college.

The need for a makeover or a repositioning of an entity arises when

there is some fundamental flaw or defect in the current scheme of things. The
various findings of this paper all narrow down to a common observation: BTC
no longer is the premier training institute in the banking sector in India and it
needs to rethink its strategy if it has to live up to its name and legacy.

It is thereby suggested that BTC can be modeled as an autonomous

non-partisan think tank devoted to research, analysis and public education in
the area of banking and finance. Think tanks, also known as public policy
institutes are independent institutions producing rigorous studies of public
issues with the aim of improving policy and are a promising alternative for
obtaining research support for policymaking. Central Europe and USA have a
number of such think tanks, which provide well-informed research to
policymakers on which to base their decisions. In this setting, think tanks are
valued for their ability to identify critical issues that deserve a place on the

35
policy agenda. Policymakers and members of the public will look to the think
tanks as a resource to gauge current problems and as providers of sound
analysis of issues, many of which are long-term and complex. In the long run,
the think tank could provide grants for research projects after evaluating their
relevance and then monitor the development of projects.

Change of name

In its new form as a think tank, BTC can be renamed as:

 Indian Institute of Financial Research

 Center for Economic and Public Policy Studies
 Asian Institute for Research on Banking and Finance
 Or any combinations of the above

Mission

The mission statement of the think tank could be along the lines of:

“To undertake continuous research and to strive to provide timely

analysis and concrete solutions to issues that are in the national and
international interest of the banking and finance sector and to anticipate
emerging issues and problems so as to provide ideas and policy
options that inform and shape public debate.”

36
 Research areas

Research could be carried out in major areas of Banking and Finance

and Public Policy such as:

• International finance and macroeconomics which could include

Banking , Exchange rates, currencies, and intervention; Financial
regulation and liberalization; Foreign direct investment, portfolio
investments, and capital controls; Multilateral development banks (IMF,
World Bank); Monetary theory and policy; Regional monetary
integration etc.

• Regulation topics like Corporate disclosure; Electronic commerce;

Environment and energy; Financial services; General services; The
regulatory process; Technology; Telecommunications; Transportation
etc.

• Comparative government issues like Bureaucracies; Electoral rules;

Executives; Judiciaries; Legislatures etc.

Communications

The Institute should explore ways to effectively use the television,

Internet and other technologies to advance and improve the dissemination of
their policy research and engagement of the public in a meaningful dialogue
on key policy issues.

The emergence of a 24/7 media will provide the think tank with a larger
audience and help to connect them with the public. The dominance of the
Internet will not only reduce the costs of disseminating information, but will
also facilitate rapid and inexpensive coordination and collaboration between
think tanks and other non-governmental organizations, private organizations

37
and research institutions. The Institute’s communication strategy could
comprise of:

• Policy Briefs, which are short and informative analyses on current

issues that bring background and recommendations to
policymakers and the general public.

• Analysis and Commentary which could include reports, papers

and articles, testimonies, monographs, and texts of speeches and
interviews

• Books can be published by the Institute, which would provide

extensive background and insight on important public policy issues
in business, finance, banking, economics, government, and
international affairs.

• Periodic journals could be released with a focus on economic

activity, urban affairs, trade, and financial services.

• A Website of the Institute featuring useful links such as News and

Events, Research Programs, Scholars, Publications, Fellowship
Programs, and Services Provided.

Nature of Programmes

One day Seminars/Conferences aimed at central banks and banking

supervision bodies will be a regular feature of the Institute, which would bring
together representatives from central banks, international institutions and the
private sector. The Institute could function as a platform where senior bankers
at the level of CMDs and EDs of the RBI and other commercial banks who are
passionately concerned with advancing the frontiers of knowledge, could
interact amongst themselves and contribute productive ideas. Given its broad
spectrum of knowledge about virtually all the facets of Banking and Finance
such seminars would prove to be the lubricant that fuels the entrepreneurial
process in banks in India.

38
 Fellowships

Without training and opportunities for professional development, the

researchers might not be able to maintain a level of technical knowledge
necessary to remain competitive. Thus, given its rich legacy in Training, the
repositioned Institute could offer training seminars and other advisory
activities to pass their knowledge on to other groups. The Institute could
organize Executive education programs for government and corporate
executives of a weeklong duration, which would provide the senior
management with foundational leadership knowledge. Courses on Central
Banking, economics, accounting, finance, statistics and scientific method can
be put together to develop senior executives and give them the opportunity to
better understand the various banking functions. Over time, high-impact,
specifically tailored Custom programs to meet certain targeted training and
development needs can also be made part of the mandate.

Funding

Assuming that the think tank will have the technical qualities to be
competitive in the market for ideas and policies, being able to compete
successfully for this limited funding also requires that is should be able to
demonstrate two other qualities: an understanding of its costs, and control of
and accountability for its use of sponsor funding.

The first quality is necessary to link the research it intends to carry out
with the funding available from a sponsor. It will have to accurately estimate
the real costs of carrying out an assignment to ensure that it has sufficient
resources and to get sponsors to continue supporting and funding work that is
incomplete or requires additional funding.

The second quality the Institute will need to demonstrate to sponsors is

that the funds provided were used for the purpose intended. Without funds to
support business development and fundraising, the organization will be

39
unable to continue obtaining new project work necessary to provide
continuing support to the organization and its researchers.

The RBI will wholly fund the Institute initially. Over time, it should try
and engage more institution donors/sponsors (private foundations and
corporate donors). Reasonable standards for funding the research will have to
be developed to insulate think tanks from influential private and public donors
who may attempt to exercise undue influence over their research and its
findings.

Researchers

The think tank will have researchers of distinguished academic

credentials and high-level experience from business, government, and non-
profit sectors. It would be a melting pot of resident and nonresident scholars
(Ph. Ds, economists etc.) researchers and the financial community, fostering
an environment of healthy interaction, which would culminate into mutually
beneficial synergy between all the drivers of the Banking and Finance
Function. RBI could also draw upon its extensive network of contacts,
which includes policy officials, lobbyists, experts and visiting central bank
officials who have academic backgrounds and government experience.

The success of the think tank will depend on the quality of research it
undertakes, the outreach of the same, the constant fund infusion, the
communication of the findings, the interest generated by the think tank and
last but not the least, the commitment and the belief of the policy makers of
the RBI.

40
 ANNEXURES

ANNEXURE I

T
he Central Bank of France, the Banque de France has two training-
cum-research foundations-The Banque de France Foundation and
the International Banking and Finance Institute (IBFI).

The Banque de France - The Banque de France

Foundation

The Banque de France Foundation is a public foundation to foster

international research in the fields of Money, Finance and Banking.
The institution acts as an interface between researchers and the financial
community.

The role of the Banque de France Foundation is both to propose

research topics and to provide a forum for exchange. It does so by means of
an annual programme of calls for proposals that reflect the interest taken by
central banks in issues of monetary and financial stability; by direct funding of
research bodies and university symposia; and by means of events designed
to publicize research findings within the Bank and among members of the
banking and financial professions.

Proposals, for which 90 000 EUR are earmarked, are received during
the fourth quarter of each year from a large selection of research teams and
institutions. A Scientific Committee comprised of French and international
academics makes recommendations to the Board based upon the relevance
of the project in particular with respect to its policy implications, the overall

41
quality and feasibility of the research agenda, the awareness of the relevant
literature, and the quality of the team.

Other initiatives are planned, such as inviting renowned economists to

the Bank, in order to set up a mutually beneficial synergy between the
conduct of economic policy and publication in international journals. Several
contributions are made for the financing of colloquiums and seminars.
In particular, the Foundation:

Awards grants for research projects through a request for proposals

procedure to allocate funding between three projects on average on issues
selected by the Board for an overall € 90 000.

Monitors the development of research projects, which are carried out for
about 18 months. They give rise to discussion papers presented in internal
and external seminars. They are also accompanied by executive summaries.

Organizes the Foundation's Journées held under the auspices of the

Governor of the Banque de France. The Journées bring together the best
projects which culminate from the last request for proposals and an invited
session.

Provides resources through direct support to research institutions and

various projects such as workshops and conferences.

Encourages interchanges between the scientific, private and institutional

communities, by organizing lunchtime meetings or economic policy forums.

42
 The Banque de France - The International Banking
and Finance Institute

The International Banking and Finance Institute (IBFI) is an institution

set up by the Banque de France. The IBFI offers free training seminars aimed
at central banks and banking supervision bodies.

Nature of a seminar held by the IBFI

The International Banking and Finance Institute (IBFI) of the Banque de
France organized its sixth International Monetary Seminar on the subject of
“Credit risk management and financial stability” from 7 June 2004 to 11 June
2004. This seminar brought together forty-five representatives from central
banks in developed and emerging countries and from international
organizations (such as the Bank for International Settlements and the
European Central Bank), as well as twenty speakers from central banks,
international institutions and the private sector. The first two days of the
seminar were devoted to conferences on:

 Risks and sources of macro-financial vulnerability, the latest

developments on credit risk transfer markets and the presentation of
the findings of the cross-sectoral survey on credit derivatives in France;

 The French and European experiences with respect to the role of

central banks in rating companies and their contribution to financial
stability;

 Basel II, prudential frameworks that better reflects credit risk, and the
effect of ratings on market dynamics.

 Participants then attended two workshops on the subjects of “Basel II,

credit risk provisioning and accounting standards” and “Credit risk
management and its macro-financial consequences”. These gave rise

43
 to intensive and fruitful discussions on several points such as
identification of the sources of risk, Credit risk assessment and its
implications for economic policy.

The Bank of England - Centre for Central Banking

Studies

The Bank of England's Centre for Central Banking Studies conducts

seminars and provides expert advice for central banks throughout the world. It
is a centre for comparative study and collaborative research on issues at the
forefront of central banking. Its primary aims are:

• To foster monetary and financial stability world-wide,

• To promote the Bank of England's core activities,
• To provide opportunities for central banking staff to obtain broader
perspectives on their own areas of expertise.

Its goal is to be recognized internationally as a centre of intellectual

excellence for the study of central banking. The CCBS is based at the Bank's
Head office in London and is staffed by experienced central bankers with
technical expertise drawn from the various operational and analytical areas of
the Bank of England.

CCBS runs a series of seminars and workshops in London on core central

banking issues. The institution also responds to requests to run events
abroad, either for one institution or on a regional basis for a group of central
banks in a particular area. Additionally, it provides expert advice on a range of
central banking subjects and sometimes arranges for short, specialized visits
to the Bank of England. The Centre also undertakes comparative research on
central banking issues. A relatively new innovation has been the research
workshops. A series of Handbooks in Central Banking has also been

44
published - these are short, focused booklets discussing the key points of a
number of central banking topics.

The Bundesbank of Germany - Bundesbank training

programmes

BUNDESBANK conducts degree courses in business management,

with special emphasis on central banking throught the University of Applied
Sciences.

Bundesbank, in collaboration with The University of Applied Sciences

in Hachenburg conducts broadly based, theoretical and strongly practice-
oriented training programmes. Participants graduate in business management
and take on demanding tasks as a junior civil servant in the Upper
Intermediate Service.

During the training programme, trainees aquire the specialist

knowledge needed to perform tasks independently and flexibly in their chosen
career path. The theoretical groundwork involves 18 months of specialised
studies at the Deutsche Bundesbank’s University of Applied Sciences in
Hachenburg. The compulsory subjects are covered are General business
studies and banking operations, data processing, Financial mathematics,
accounting and statistics, Economics, Law and civics and Central bank
operations.

Once a student has completed the basic course of studies, he/she sits
for an intermediate examination for the Upper Intermediate Service, which
consists of a dissertation to be completed during practical training and a
written and an oral examination. On passing the final examination, a degree in
business management is awarded by the Bundesbank’s University of Applied
Sciences.

45
 ANNEXURE II

Training initiatives of other Training and Research

Institutes in India

Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF)

Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (formerly The Indian Institute of

bankers), offers a number of professional courses in banking and finance
which include Diploma in Treasury and Risk Management, Diploma in
Banking Technology, Diploma in International Trade, Diploma in Bank
Financial Management and Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Advising. The
Institute has also been attempting to foster continuing professional
development by organizing lectures, seminars for dissemination of
knowledge. The Institute is in collaboration with IGNOU to offer a MBA in
Banking and Finance.

Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research

(IGIDR)

The Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) is an

advanced research institute established by the Reserve Bank of India for
carrying out research on development issues from multi-disciplinary points of
views.

Starting purely as a research institution, the Institute developed into a

full-fledged teaching cum research organization in 1990 when it launched a

46
Ph.D. program in the field of development studies. IN 1995 the M. Phil
programme was also started.

IGIDR offers academic programmes like the M.SC. in Economics and

the M.Phil. in Development Studies.

The UTI Institute of Capital Markets

Unit Trust of India established the UTI Institute of Capital Markets, with
the objective of supporting the needs of the investment community for
professional education, training and research.

Training programmes are conducted throughout the year on three main

thrust areas:
Financial Markets and Institutions; Investment Analysis and Risk
Management; and Corporate Financial Strategy.

UTI-ICM also undertakes consultancy assignments with a view to

assisting both new entrants and established participants in the markets with
their projects in the financial services industry. UTI ICM conducts empirical
and policy research in the capital markets area. The Institute maintains
extensive databases on Indian and International capital markets.

Empirical research at the institute has been undertaken in unexplored

areas such as overreaction in Indian Stock markets, Chas theory, Interest
rates and stock prices and international diversification. Policy research in
areas of corporate governance, role of Institutional shareholders, Undertaking
of public issues and mutual fund marketing is also undertaken. The Institute
brings out its findings in the form of research papers, working papers and
monographs.

47
BSE training institute (BTI)

BTI conducts training programs for various intermediaries in the capital

markets as well as investors. The areas of training include highly specialized
courses in various areas of capital markets offering quality-training
programmes. The faculty is composed of members from the Exchange as well
as external professional experts.

BTI tries to enter into alliances with reputed Institutes having similar
goals & objectives. It conducts programmes on topics like Investor
Awareness, Derivatives, Futures and Options, Fundamental and Technical
Analysis, Certificate Programmes on Stock Markets and Debt Markets.

Their clientele includes professionals such as chartered accountants,

company secretaries, cost accountants, financial analysts, etc, from Mutual
Funds, FIIs, Banks, FIs, other financial intermediaries and Brokers of the
Stock Exchanges.

National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM)

The faculty members on a regular basis conduct research and take up
consultancy assignments and thereby get an insight into the functioning of the
concerned organizations. They also guide and assist the programme
participants in the thesis or project work and utilize the opportunity to learn
various aspects of the functioning of banks and financial institutions.

Bankers present papers and participate in discussions on strategic,

operational and managerial aspects of banking and finance during
conferences and seminars held at the institute.Learning also comes from the
task forces and study groups set-up at the industry level which comprise a
team of senior bankers and faculty members who study topical or complex
problems of the banking and financial industry.

48
Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI)

ASCI is a pioneer in post-experience management education in the

country and a noted think tank on business, industry and economy. It advises
various national and international agencies through research, management
training and consultancy. Ever since it was established in 1956 at the initiative
of government and the corporate world, ASCI has synthesized managerial
theory and practice to equip corporate managers, administrators,
entrepreneurs and academicians to effectively respond to the ever-increasing
complexity of managerial issues confronting government, industrial
enterprises and non-government organizations ASCI has a team of strong
interdisciplinary faculty engaged in management development training,
research and consultancy activities. In addition to the full time Faculty, the
College also hosts a set of distinguished Guest Faculty, Visiting Professors,
and Advisors.

Over the years, Over 75,000 participants from industry, government

and non-government organizations have taken advantage of over 200
management development programs offered by ASCI every year and the RBI
also has sent a large number of participants to ASCI for training.

Indian Institute of Bank Management (IIBM)

Indian Institute of Bank Management, formerly known as North Eastern

Institute of Bank Management, is an autonomous management institute
located in the North Eastern region of India. . Established in 1980, the institute
is engaged in training, research and consultancy activities. Reserve Bank of
India, National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development, State Bank of India,
United Bank of India, UCO Bank, Allahabad Bank and Central Bank of India
are the sponsors of IIBM. Shri V.Leeladhar, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank
of India is the present Chairman of the Governing Board. In addition to the
regular competency and management development programmes, the institute

49
also conducts in-house programmes for business, industrial organizations,
banks and financial institutions on demand. Functional areas in which training
programme are conducted include Management/Executive Development;
Finance/Credit Management; Information Technology; Banking Operations;
Micro-Finance/Development Banking.

50
 ANNEXURE III

Citibank's’ Training Initiatives

The Citibank Corporate Office does not house a separate Training

Center per se. There is a Training Department, which schedules training
programmes and overlooks the various details. The bank has 2 mandatory
programmes in the form of Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money
Laundering (AML). Other policy-specific programmes are held as and when
the need arises.

The Center has a single Conference room, which is the venue for most
of the Training Programmes. Senior management programmes are held
mostly in 5-star hotels or abroad in one of the Banks’ foreign branches.

Most training programmes are of a short duration of 3 hours. Induction

training however is a longer programme spanning about 2 weeks and held
outdoors. The Bank does not have exclusive programme for other Banks’
employees, but deputation of in-house faculty is made from time to time to
deliver lectures as per the requirement of the banks.

The bank makes use of external faculty for soft skill programmes,
mostly from the IIMs and other management institutes.

51
HDFC Banks’ Training Initiatives

HDFC Bank’s Training Centre (HBTC), at Andheri (W) was started in

the year 2000 with a view to provide quality training to the employees of the
Bank. Training modules:

 Retail modules.
 Total Quality Six Sigma programmes.
 1 day meets of different departments are held at regular intervals.
 Banking overview which is a two day programme giving a general
insight into banking at HDFC Bank.
 Train the trainer programmes which is a Faculty Development
programme which fine tunes the skills of the trainer.
 Selling skills- a two-day programme for the selling staff of the Bank.
 Presentation skills programme.
 Personal effectiveness programmes.
 Mentoring and Leadership Excellence programmes (for senior level
managers).
 Business Appreciation (5-day programme for senior level managers of
the level of Regional Managers and Executive Directors.
 Outbound training programmes at Lonavala are scheduled once in six
months.

90% of the faculty is in-house, and the remaining 10% external faculty
focuses on programmes related to soft skills like Selling and presentation
skills.
HDFC has stopped conducting training programmes for non-HDFC
employees since the last one year as their in-house programmes were too
many and they were unable to accommodate external participants. The
average participant strength per class is 15-20 with a maximum strength of 40
participants per session.

52
 HBTC is a 6 storey-training center located in the hub of the city at Andheri.
There is one Conference Room with a capacity of 40 participants. A VHS
player, a DVD player, OHPs, and a document camera are present at the
room. The room can be converted into 2 self-contained conference rooms for
20 participants each.

Bank of Baroda’s Training Initiatives

The Bank of Baroda training institute situated at Jogeshwari was

started in 1980. It caters to the training needs of employees up to Scale III.
Besides the regular programmes, some programmes relating to foreign
exchange are also held for dealers of Foreign Exchange Dealers Association
of India. Training programmes of two to six day duration are held here with a
maximum duration of 2 weeks. (Mostly the induction programmes last for 2
weeks).

The Institute runs two channels simultaneously. The participant

strength per session is approximately 25. The Programme Calendar is
reviewed quarterly taking into account the needs of the Bank.

53
 ANNEXURE IV

Reserve Bank Staff College (RBSC), Chennai

The Reserve Bank Staff College was established in 1963 mainly to

impart training to Bank’s own officers in junior and middle management cadre
and occasionally to officers of senior management. Apart from running 5
channels normally, the College also conducted 3 and 2 off-site programmes
during the years 2002-03 and 2003-04 (up to March 2004) respectively.

College of Agricultural Banking (CAB), Pune

The College of Agricultural Banking was set up in 1969 with the

objective to provide training for senior and middle level officers of scheduled
commercial banks, state co-operative banks, Government departments,
National Agricultural Bank for Rural Development (NABARD) and Reserve
Bank who are concerned with financing agricultural and its allied activities and
rural development programmes. It is the only training establishment in the
country running courses for personnel of Non-Banking Financial Companies
and State Level Financial Institution. Apart from running 5 channels normally,
the College also conducted 20 and 4 off-site programmes during the years
2002-03 and 2003-04 (up to March 2004) respectively. The College has also
been associated in a research project with University of Reading U.K., funded
by Department for International Development, U. K.

Zonal Training Centers (ZTCs)

The four Zonal Training Centers located at Belapur (Navi Mumbai),

New Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai are main caterers to the training needs of the
Class III and Class IV employees. They run broad spectrum functional,
behavioral and computer related programmes. Although ZTCs are

54
administratively under the control of the Regional Directors of the respective
office, the Training Division directs their functional part.

55
 ANNEXURE V

The following table shows the number of programmes conducted by the

Colleges during 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04 (up to December 03) as also
the number of participants.
Programmes and participants in RBI’s three Colleges

College 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 (up to

March 04)
Prog. Participants Prog. Participants Prog. Participants
BTC 95 2147 160 3735 132 2504
(829) (633)
RBSC 102 2291 139 3013 78 1635
(3013) (1635)
CAB 143 3018 173 3461 105 2034
(990) (799)
(Figures in brackets indicate the number of RBI participants)

56
 ANNEXURE VI

Faculty strength in the Bank's training establishments

Training Establishment Sanctioned Strength Working Strength

BTC 16 15
CAB 19 (17 RBI + 2 16 (RBI) + 2 (NABARD)
NABARD)
RBSC 17 17
ZTC, Belapur 7 7
ZTC, Kolkata 3 3
ZTC, Chennai 3 4?
ZTC, New Delhi 3 2

57
 ANNEXURE VII

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE FACULTY MEMBERS OF

BTC

1. BTC was set up as an apex training establishment with a mandate

of imparting professional training to middle and senior management
of the banking sector. As it stands today, has BTC fulfilled what it
set out to do? Or has the College, in your opinion, outlived the
mandate initially laid down for it?

2. Training needs of individual commercial banks are today almost

completely met by the banks’ own in-house training establishments.
Don’t you think this has impacted BTC’s role in servicing industry
training needs in a big way?

3. In the light of the varied training programmes on offer by the

commercial banks’ training institutions, where would you say BTCs
exclusivity/USP lies? Which are the core courses offered by BTC
that are still not offered by any other training institution?

4. How would you rate BTC’s training programmes vis-à-vis those

offered by the industry institutes as well as the teaching-cum-
research organizations like National Institute of Bank Management
(NIBM), The Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (IIBF) and Indira
Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Indian Institutes
of Management (IIMs), and the Administrative Staff College of India
(ASCI)?

58
5. How much importance do you attach to individual research work,
publication of papers, books, monographs, etc. as a critical
component of self-development for Faculty Members? What
research/ studies/publications have you taken up especially during
your stint as Faculty Member at BTC?

6. Do you perceive any competency gaps or inadequacies that are

affecting your performance as a trainer? As a prime role holder in a
premier training faculty, what additional capacity building inputs do
you feel should be made available to you?

7. What are your views on the infrastructure / logistics (in terms of

class rooms, hostel, catering arrangements, faculty deputation,
faculty-participant ratio, equipment availability, library facilities, etc.)
currently available at BTC?

8. How important do you feel is it to measure the ultimate outcome

evaluation of training in terms of Human Resource Value? Does
BTC perform a cost-benefit/value for money analysis to compare
training costs with benefits accruing from the programmes?

9. How do you think the nature/content/duration of training

programmes currently being offered at BTC should be
refashioned/reoriented to account for the emerging realities and
trends in banking and finance?

10. If you were to envision a transitional or even transformational

makeover for BTC, how would you define the broad contours for the
reinvented BTC? In what way would the faculty orientation change?

59
11.What synergy-building activities in the form of faculty interaction
take place at BTC? Does the college have industry interface in the
form of interactions with other banks’ training colleges?

12.What is the nature and extent of follow-up and feedback that the
College does? Are there a lot of instances when a participant
contacts the College to get any clarifications or additional inputs
after his/her Training programme?

60
 ANNEXURE VIII

Break-up of sessions handled by in-house and guest faculties

Sessions by Year
2003-04 2004-05 (up to
December 2004)
Members of Faculty 1665 (52.7 %) 898 (52.4 %)
Guest faculties
1. from RBI and
Associates 518 272
2. Banks/FIs 590 352
3. Others 385 192
Total 3158 1714

61
 ANNEXURE IX
A comparison of the number of slots allotted to banks and RBI
participants
Type of July 1, 2004 to April 15, 2005 July 1, 2003 to April 15, 2004
programmes
No. of No. of No. of No. of
programmes participants programmes participants
Exclusively 5 186 51 1395 love
for Banks
Exclusively 9 206 19 691
for RBI
Banks and 1 20* 2 50 **
RBI
Total 15 382 72 2136

* Participants from banks-13, RBI-7

** Participants from banks-41, RBI-9

62
 ANNEXURE - X
Area wise participation and bank wise/institution wise participation in
BTC Programmes
Type of July 1, 2004 to April 15, 2005 July 1, 2003 to April 15, 2004
programmes
No. of No. of No. of No. of
programmes participants programmes participants
BTC regular 111 2381 118 2103
programmes
In company 17 371 14 349
programmes
RBI slots 15 382 72 2136
Collaborative 4 51 7 108
programmes-
IIBM
Guwahati
Off site (in 0 0 4 114
India)
Off site 3 63 0 0
foreign
programmes
Total 150 3248 215 4810
*The total number of participants during July 1, 2004-Aril 15, 2005 has
declined to 3248 from 4810 during July 1, 2003-April 15, 2004 mainly due to
the decline in the number of slots allotted to RBI departments in the
corresponding periods.

63
 ANNEXURE XI
Comparative position of area-wise and participation-wise classification
of the programmes
July 1, 2004 to April 15, 2005 July 1, 2003 to April 15, 2004
Sr Area of No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of
. Programmes program progra particip program progra particip
N mes mme ants mes mme ants
o. weeks weeks
1 Credit 9 11.0 171 6 7 106
Management
2 Foreign 14 15.0 364 15 16 283
Exchange
3 Financial Risk 15 16.5 341 22 23.5 399
Management
4 Information 13 12.0 248 17 15.5 271
Technology
5 Human 16 17.5 317 17 17 306
Resources
Management
6 Specific 4 3.5 86 10 9.5 186
Functional
Groups
7 Seminars/Confe 30 15 666 22 11 415
rences
8 General 7 6.0 146 9 7.5 137
banking
9 Financial 3 4.5 42 0 0 0
Research and
Analysis
Total 111 101 2381 118 107 2103

REFERENCES

64
 Books

• Handbook of Training and Development

-Steve Truelove

• Handbook of Training
-Kayne Thorne & David Mackey

• Training and Development of Higher Bank Personnel

-National Institute of Bank Management

• Training of Bank Executives

-Punjab National Bank Publication

• Bankers Training College- Vision 2005. Report of the

Committee to review the activities and future direction of
BTC. Reserve Bank Of India

• Agenda Notes Meeting of the College Advisory Council

Meeting, 2003-2004, RBI, BTC

65
 Websites

 http://nibmindia.org/

 http://www.banque-france.fr/

 http://www.igidr.ac.in/about/

 http://www.rbi.org.in/index.TrainingSectionHomepage

 http://www.utiicm.com/

 www.indiainfoline.com/humanresource

 www.btc.rbi.org..in

66
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

The objective of the study is to measure the impact of trainings being

imparted to the Officers of the Reserve Bank of India with particular focus on
the application of the learning by the trainee in post training placement.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The study aims at measuring impact of all trainings being imparted to

employees at three of the Banks’ Training Colleges – viz.: Bankers Training
College (BTC), Mumbai, Reserve Bank Staff College (RBSC), Chennai, and
College of Agricultural Banking (CAB), Pune.

METHODOLOGY

The study has been conducted with the help of a Questionnaire. The
questionnaires were given to employees who have actually undergone
training recently. HoDs were requested to identify some of their subordinates
from the Officer cadre who have recently undergone training for the purpose
of filling up of questionnaire. (An attempt was made to collect questionnaires
from participants who have had at least 6 months to implement the learnings
of the programme). The following departments were covered during the
course of the study: Urban Banks Department (UBD), Department of
Banking Supervision (DBS). Department of Banking Operations and
Development (DBOD), Rural Planning and Credit Department (RPCD),
Foreign Exchange Department (FED), Human Resources Development
Department (HRDD) and Department of Administrative and Personnel
Development (DAPM). In most cases an interview was also conducted along
with filling up the questionnaire so as to gain greater insight into the subject.
An approximate 60 trainees were covered during the course of study. The
questionnaire is given in Annexure 1.

67
NEED FOR EVALUATION

Training is an important intervention tool that facilitates Banks' officers

and staff members to develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes so as to
enable them to perform effectively and to improve performance. Given the
considerable allocation of scarce resources to training, managers need to
understand which parts of a training program are effective, which are
ineffective or irrelevant, and how the training might be improved to help staff
transfer their new skills from the classroom to the workplace. Moreover,
providing training to staff has many costs: the cost of resources involved in
preparing and giving the training, the cost of travel and lodging, and the cost
of staff being away from the workplace. To justify these costs, it is crucial to
know determine whether the training they are providing, or asking their staff to
attend, will make a difference in staff performance. They need to know that
staff members have not only acquired new knowledge, attitudes, and skills
from the training but can, and do, put them into practice back on the job.

Evaluation of training within work settings can assist the Bank in

learning more about itself. It is important to understand the purpose of an
evaluation before planning it and choosing methods to do it. Some
advantages of using evaluations are difficult to directly witness, but when
done correctly they can impact organizations in positive ways.

Evaluation feedback assists in improving efficiency and effectiveness of:

• Training content and methods

• Use of organization money, personnel, and other resources
• Employee performance
• Organizational productivity

68
 Through evaluation, trainers:

• Recognize the need for improvement in their teaching skills

• Are given suggestions from trainees for improving future training
• Can determine if training matches workplace needs

A BRIEF ON DONALD KIRKPATRICK’S FOUR LEVELS MODEL

Assessing training effectiveness often entails using the four-level

model developed by Donald Kirkpatrick (1994). According to this model,
evaluation should always begin with level one, and then, as time and budget
allows, should move sequentially through levels two, three, and four.

KIRKPATRICK'S FOUR-LEVEL EVALUATION SCHEME

Level Measurement focus Questions addressed

1-
Trainees' perceptions What did trainees think of this training?
Reaction
2- Knowledge/skills Was there an increase in knowledge or skill
Learning gained level?
3- Worksite
Is new knowledge/skill being used on the job?
Behavior implementation
What effect did the training have on the
4 - Results Impact on organization
organization?

69
 This study focuses on Level 3 i.e. it purports to measure the transfer
that has occurred in learners' behavior due to the training program. Evaluating
at this level attempts to answer the question - Are the newly acquired skills,
knowledge, or attitude being used in the everyday environment of the
learner?

LIMITATIONS

The following can be listed as the limitations of the study:

1. Ideally, Training Impact Evaluation should also comprise the

assessment by a superior; of the individuals learning and workplace
performance. Time constraints allowed me to assess only the
participants’ judgment of the worthwhileness of the Programme.

2. The sample size is restricted to 60 participants spread across different

departments of the Bank. It goes without saying that a larger sample
size would have produced more accurate result.

3. The study initially envisaged targeting participants who had attended

training programmes 6 to 9 months prior to the date of evaluation.
However, this date might vary in the case of some respondents.

70
KEY FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY

1. Implementation of learnings

Implementation of learnings

30%
45% Not implemented
Implemented fully
Implemented partly
25%

The study brought out the degree to which the learnings from training
were implemented on the job post training.

Only 25% of the respondents actually fully implemented the training

learnings on the job. 45% of the respondents implemented the learnings partly
while 30% did not find occasion to implement the learnings of the training at
all.

This raises the question whether the programmes achieve the intended
goal. On several occasions it was found that an employee gets training
relating to a particular Department but is placed or transferred to another
department. For example, a person attends a programme on Monetary and
Fiscal management and is subsequently posted in an administrative desk-job.
This leads to a loss of money, time, personnel, equipment, materials spent on
training people. The same training if provided to the right individual by a
careful training needs analysis programme will prove to be more beneficial to
the Bank.

71
2. Training material reference

Training material reference

15%
39% Large extent
Some extent
Very little
46%

At the completion of a training programme, the participants absorb a

vast amount of knowledge and information. This knowledge is expected to be
put into practice in some form or the other once they resume their jobs at the
Bank. In order to facilitate and aid the transfer of knowledge, the respective
training Colleges go to great lengths to prepare training material/ notes of the
various programmes. These notes capture the main learnings of the
programme, clarify any doubts the participants may have and can help to
refresh their memories. The degree to which the training material was referred
back to can be indicative of the actual application of the learnings of the
training programmes.

It was observed that only 15% of the trainees interviewed felt the need
to refer back to the training material to a large extent, and close to 40% hardly
felt the need to refer back to the material. This can be a reflector of the fact
that not many employees are actually implementing the knowledge gained in
the post-training placement.

72
3. Relevance to work

Relevance to work

27%
Related to work
Unrelated to work
73%

Any person nominated for a training programme should be nominated

only after prior consideration if the training will be relevant to the line of work
of the person post-training. It was found that in 73% of the respondents, the
training programme related to the work currently attended to by them or
proposed to be attended to in the immediate future. The remaining 27% of the
respondents’ did not find any connection between the topic of their training
and their present/ future work profile. Such participants might find the training
exercise a futile one and it could lead to loss of motivation.

73
4. Clarity of learning objectives

Clarity of learning objectives

12%
Learning objectives clear

Learning objectives
Unclear
88%

Clearly defined goals and objectives provide criteria for:

• clarifying expected outcomes

• outlining training content
• planning specific training activities
• selecting/developing materials
• designing evaluation procedures
• communicating program intent to the training participants and others
(such as program administrators and supervisors)
• ensuring that the training is realistic and appropriate for the purpose
intended

The survey results showed that 88% of the respondents were aware of
the objectives of the programme. However, here it needs to be mentioned
that responses for this question was mostly got only after the respondents
referred to the details of the programmes as they seemed to have
forgotten as to what was taught in the programme. Knowledge of the
objectives of the programme was seldom known prior to the training. It
was only after the programme got over that the employee was aware of
the broad topics covered.

74
5. Exchange of Learnings

Exchange of Learnings

31%
Exchanged
Not exchanged
69%

A common benefit of training is the ability for employees in different

parts of the Bank to exchange views and information. The exchange of views
and information helps promote a common identity in the company and social
ties, and can generate new solutions to problems.

An organization can become a learning organization only if there is

dissemination of knowledge throughout the levels. It was found that almost
70% of the respondents found opportunities to exchange their learnings with
others in their department. This was mostly done informally during the course
of work and sometimes even during tea breaks.

75
6. Grasping of topic

Grasping of topic

12% 12%
12% Extremely Confident
Very Confident
Confident
27% Somewhat Confident
Not Confident
37%

How effectively a participant of a training programme has grasped the

topic taught to him/ her was sought to be deciphered through a five-option
question. Participants were asked to comment on how confident they would
consider themselves to be if they were to speak on any topic taught to them in
the training. While 37% of the respondents found themselves to be confident,
12% were not confident of talking about the training delivered to them.

76
7. REASONS FOR LACK OF IMPLEMENTATION

The main reasons provided for the non-implementation of the learnings

of training on-the job were given as:

Not being in the same section, the trainees were unable to use their
training knowledge. This was the most cited reason.

Sometimes mastering the training skills required time and the trainees
faced paucity of tie on returning to the department to practice the skills. This
was more frequent in case of functional trainings.

Very often it was found that training was provided on particular

software such as AKRUTI, but the software was not subsequently provided in
the department.

Many times the trainees were not dealing with the matter relating to the
training. For instance an employee was trained in Post- Based Roster but was
subsequently placed in the Accounting Section of the particular Department.
There were some cases where there was not adequate scope to utilize the
learnings of the training programme. This could be due to over-manning or
any other reason.

Sometimes training was given on certain policies which had not yet
reached the particular department.

77
Recommendations

Define Purpose of the Training and Target Audience

The starting point for effective training programmes is at the training

institutions. The training institutions should be clear about the purpose of the
training and the target audience. This description can be used to get the right
kind of nominations from prospective participants.

Determine Participants’ Needs

Analysis of Training Needs is the process of taking an overview of the

performance of an organization. Its purpose is to identify where training can
make major contributions to improving organizational performance. The Bank
should undertake regular Training needs analysis. The more the Bank knows
about its participants, the greater the likelihood it will design a training event
that will be meaningful to them. Information about the following can be
solicited:

• current roles and responsibilities of the trainee

• previous training on this topic
• reasons for attendance
• specific needs and expectations for the event

Moreover, the needs assessment should be conducted early enough so as to use the
information that is collected in designing the training programme.

78
 Define Training Goals and Objectives

After assessing the needs and expectations of the participants the goals and
objectives for the training should be spelt out. A training goal should be broad, spelling out
who will be affected and what will change as a result of the training.

Sample Goal: To increase knowledge about credit risk models.

Objectives are more precise, specifying a path for achieving the program goal(s).
They should state as specifically as possible the after-training result that one is trying to
achieve, including what will change, who will change, under what conditions, and to what
extent.

Sample Objective: By the end of the training, participants will be able to identify several
ways of applying, understanding and assessing credit risk models.

Follow-up Activities for the Event

Without follow-up, the benefits of training may quickly be forgotten or never used.
Follow-up activities provide the continued support and feedback necessary for the successful
implementation of new ideas and practice. HRDD can look at the following follow-up
strategies which have been shown to improve the adoption of new training practices include:

79
 • Newsletters and Web site postings;

• Peer observation and coaching, in which individuals observe one

another performing a newly acquired skill, then meet to discuss and
reflect on their observations;

• Mentoring, in which individuals receive personal support and technical

assistance from someone with experience in the method being learned;

• Study groups, in which individuals meet regularly to support one

another during the implementation of a new idea or practice;

• Booster sessions, in which training participants are brought together

two to three months after the training event to reinforce the knowledge
and skills acquired during the training; and
• Ongoing communication between participants and trainers via phone or
electronic mail

Some follow-up activities require more resources than others, but may increase the likelihood
that significant learning will occur.

Post training placement

This is one of the most vital areas to be addressed by the Bank.

Appropriate post training placement is the main means by which a trainee can
demonstrate the application of the knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs)
acquired through the training intervention. The success of a training event

80
depends on the placement of the participant. The survey found several
instances where the trainee was not posted in the Department relating to the
training programme. While it is possible that sudden shortages of staff in a
particular department may necessitate transfers to other departments, such
situations should be reduced to the minimum.

Responsibility of managers

A major responsibility for the implementation of training rests with the

managers across all levels. They should be expected to include training
among the key activities of managing. They have main responsibilities for
identifying the training needs of the employees at all levels for designing and
managing the learning process and for creating conditions conducive for
implementation of learning by individuals and groups. Finally they have
responsibility for evaluating the effectiveness and progress of training and
modifying provisions accordingly and they are entitled to expect improved
levels of performance.

Opportunity to develop presentation skills

Training and development programmes give an excellent opportunity

for developing skills of presentation. Through role-plays, video recordings and
syndicate work, employees can be exposed to the experience of making
presentations in a friendly atmosphere.

The HRDD can consider the option of making a group of participants

deliver presentations about the training programme they have attended for the
mutual benefit of all the employees of the Department. This system exists in

81
case of foreign training and can be started for training at the Banks’ colleges
as well.

CONCLUSION

Training is an important factor to promote the growth and development

of the employees of the Bank. The learning organization is one that keeps its
employees constantly updated through relevant training programmes. It is for
this reason that training must be regarded as an investment by the Bank.
However the entire purpose of the training programme is lost if the trainees
are not carefully placed in the right departments. The importance of post
training placement cannot be overemphasized. The study revealed that
across several departments participants did not recollect any details of the
training programme (even when the programme was held as recently as two
months ago!). HRDD should take a proactive role and promote the training
function. A training mission or vision should be developed and propagated
among the employees to highlight the importance and relevance of training.
The Bank has a large number of Departments and coming up with an all-
inclusive training impact measurement system will be a challenging task;
nevertheless it is the need of the hour.

82
 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS

Note to the participant: Kindly fill the following questionnaire to help the Bank evaluate the
training programmes and assess the impact of the intervention on the participants.

Program Title Date of

Programme
Participant Name Designation

College Name Department

1. Please list down key learning objectives of the training programme agreed
between the nominee and his \ her manager?

S.
No. Learning objectives
1

2. Did the programme relate to the work presently attended to by you /

proposed to be handled by you in the immediate future?

Yes

No

3. Have the skills / No Yes

knowledge acquired by If implemented fully--
you from the training tick
been implemented in Here
Post Training If implemented in part--
Placement? tick Here

83
4. Kindly specify a few occasions / opportunities where you were able to
apply the skills / knowledge acquired from the training.

5. To what extent did you find the need to refer back to your training
material / notes?
To a large extent

To some extent
Very little

6. If the skills / knowledge acquired from the training have not been put
into practice, what hindered their implementation?

7. Do you get opportunities to exchange your learnings with others in

your office / department? If so, how?

8. How confident would you consider yourself to be if you were to

deliver a lecture on a topic that was taught to you in the training
programme?

Extremely Very Confident Somewhat Not

confident confident confident confident

Name \ Sign of Nominee

THANK YOU

84
85