Lady Branch Head Received Calls Till 11 PM, Employees forced to work till Late night in PNB
The work culture in Punjab National Bank appears to be deteriorating. According to reports, the Circle Office is constantly imposing day-end restrictions on branches.
If an account turns into an NPA, branches are not allowed to complete the day-end process and employees are often forced to remain in the branch until late in the evening, sometimes till 9 PM.
Similarly, if insurance of loans is pending, day-end is restricted and branch staff Are forced to sit in office till 9 PM. The same situation reportedly occurs when limitation-related work is pending. In effect, for almost every pending issue, a day-end restriction is imposed.
One PNB employee told – Circle Office does not care whether there is sufficient staff in branch or not – they just want their work to be done on priority otherwise they won’t allow us to leave branch before 9 PM.
Recently, a similar incident has been reported in Ahmedabad and AIPNBOA has come into action.
The All India Punjab National Bank Officers’ Association (AIPNBOA), Ahmedabad Circle, has written to the Circle Head of Punjab National Bank, expressing serious concerns over certain recent incidents that have allegedly caused anxiety among officers.
The association said that while business growth, recovery performance and asset quality management are important, these goals should be achieved without compromising employee welfare, safety and dignity. The association has requested the bank management to take corrective measures and ensure a healthy working environment for officers.
Concern Over Repeated Late-Night Calls to Branch Heads
According to the association, a lady Branch Head in Ahmedabad reportedly received nine official calls from the Deputy Circle Head/Recovery In-charge on May 29, 2026, between around 7:00 PM and 11:07 PM. The last call was allegedly made at 11:07 PM. The association further stated that similar recovery-related communications were also made to other Branch Heads beyond normal working hours. It said that such practices are creating stress among officers and affecting work-life balance.
Direction to Reopen Branch at 10 PM
The association also highlighted another incident that reportedly took place on May 29, 2026. According to the representation, a Second Man was directed to reopen branch premises at around 10:00 PM for recovery-related work linked to PNPA accounts. The association raised concerns over the safety, security and operational risks associated with reopening bank branches late at night for routine business activities.
Case of Officer Working Till 12:30 AM
AIPNBOA also referred to the case of an officer, Shri Jatin Chauhan. According to the association, he was instructed on April 30, 2026, to continue branch operations until approximately 12:30 AM. During this period, he was allegedly monitored through calls and video calls from the branch premises. The association stated that a transfer order posting him to BO Unjha was issued the following day. The association said such incidents are creating apprehension among officers.
Association Says Culture of Pressure Is Increasing
The officers’ association stated that these incidents are not isolated cases. It claimed that many officers are increasingly feeling that a culture of excessive pressure is replacing a culture of guidance, mentoring and administrative support. The association pointed out that RBI’s Fair Practices Code, recovery guidelines and various judicial pronouncements emphasize that recovery efforts should be carried out in a dignified and non-harassing manner.
The association further noted that across the banking industry, borrower contact for recovery purposes is generally expected to be undertaken during reasonable hours, broadly between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM, unless special circumstances require otherwise.
