The Federation of Bank of India Officers’ Associations (FBOIOA) has issued an important clarification regarding the functioning of bank branches on March 31, 2025, a day that coincides with the financial year-end and a designated bank holiday.
In recent days, several bank employees and officers have sought clarification on whether all branches will be open on March 31. Addressing these concerns, FBOIOA General Secretary Nilesh Pawar confirmed that only select bank branches handling government-related transactions will remain operational on the day, in accordance with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines.
RBI Guidelines on Bank Operations for March 31
The RBI, through a press release dated February 17, 2025, has instructed that:
- Branches dealing with government-related payments and receipts, such as tax collections and Public Provident Fund (PPF) transactions, should remain open during normal working hours on March 31, 2025.
- A special clearing session will be conducted by the RBI to facilitate the collection of government cheques on that day.
Clarification on Branch Operations
FBOIOA emphasized that the RBI directive applies only to branches designated for government transactions. These branches will operate exclusively to process government-related transactions and not for general banking services.
The association also clarified that there are no statutory instructions mandating regular bank branches to remain open on March 31 for other banking activities. Unless a branch is explicitly designated for government-related work, it is expected to remain closed in observance of the bank holiday.
The FBOIOA urged its members to avoid any confusion and refer directly to the RBI’s official guidelines, which have been attached for reference. The association reiterated that the matter is self-explanatory—only the specific government-designated branches are required to remain open, while others are not.
