As per some media reports, the Government of India never accepted the demand for 5-day banking. This report has been published by several reputed news websites. News websites reported that Government officials said that there was no commitment on the issue from the Finance Ministry. But these reports are totally false.
A question related to 5-day banking was asked in Rajya Sabha in February 2026. The question was raised by Shri Chandrakant Damodar Handore, who asked whether the demand for five-day banking had been approved by the Government, why it had not been approved, whether the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) had recommended five-day working for public sector banks, and whether the Government planned to approve the demand and, if so, when it would be implemented.
In its reply, the Ministry of Finance said that the Indian Banks’ Association, through a letter dated July 12, 2023, had submitted a proposal to the Government to declare all Saturdays as holidays for banks. This proposal is linked to the demand for a five-day working week for bank employees.
So, if the government has told the Rajya Sabha that five-day banking is under consideration, then the recent media reports saying otherwise are completely false. Also, in the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed in 2024, the IBA agreed that five-day banking would be implemented after getting approval from the government and the RBI.
Since the IBA represents the banks and is involved in discussions with the government, it is difficult to understand how the government could be unaware of this agreement. This is completely different from what has been reported recently. It raises serious questions about the accuracy of the media reports and the statements given by government officials to the media. Click here to Download 12th Bipartite Settlement (12th BPS) PDF
