Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/136 · issued 15 Jul 2013 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI reiterates that banks must engage only TRAI-registered telemarketers for promotional calls. Unregistered telemarketers using normal lines for calls to customers on the National Customer Preference Register are causing grievances. Strict compliance is mandatory.
The rule, in the simplest words
Banks must only use telemarketers that are registered with TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) – a telemarketer is a person who makes phone calls to promote services.
Unregistered telemarketers who use normal phone lines to call customers on the National Customer Preference Register (NCPR) cause many complaints – NCPR is a list of customers who have said no to marketing calls.
All vendors (telemarketers, DSAs, call centres) must be checked for TRAI registration before they are hired – a DSA is a Direct Selling Agent who works on behalf of the bank.
Stop using any unregistered telemarketers immediately and update the vendor onboarding process to include TRAI registration checks.
Monitor compliance regularly to avoid customer grievances and possible regulatory action from the RBI.
How it plays out — a real example
Ravi, a gold‑loan officer in Indore, receives a promotional call from a bank’s call centre. He quickly verifies that the telemarketer is TRAI‑registered, so he can confidently share the loan offer. If the telemarketer were unregistered, Ravi would flag the call to the bank’s compliance team to avoid customer complaints.
What changed
RBI has reiterated its earlier instructions from 2005-2008 that banks must use only telemarketers registered with TRAI. The circular notes that many banks and their franchisees are still engaging unregistered telemarketers, leading to customer complaints.
What it means for you
Banks must audit their telemarketing vendors to ensure they are registered with TRAI as per the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010. Non-compliance risks customer grievances and regulatory action. This applies to all promotional activities, including those by franchisees and direct selling agents.
What you must do
Verify that all telemarketers, DSAs, and call centres you engage are registered with TRAI.
Stop using any unregistered telemarketers immediately.
Update your vendor onboarding process to include TRAI registration checks.
Monitor compliance periodically to avoid customer complaints.
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs), Banks' direct selling agents (DSAs), Banks' call centres and telemarketing vendors, Bank franchisees involved in telemarketing
❓ Common questions
What is the National Customer Preference Register (NCPR)?
The NCPR is a register mentioned in TRAI's regulations where customers can register to avoid unsolicited commercial communications. The RBI circular does not provide further details.
What happens if we continue using unregistered telemarketers?
The RBI circular states that using unregistered telemarketers results in customer grievances and reiterates that strict compliance is mandatory. Specific penalties are not mentioned in this circular.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2013-14/136
DBOD.No.FSD.BC.30/24.01.001/2013-14
July 15, 2013
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(excluding RRBs)
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Unsolicited Commercial Communications – National Customer Preference Register (NCPR)
Please refer to our circular Nos. DBOD.FSD.BC.49/24.01.011/2005-06 dated November 21, 2005 , DBOD.FSD.BC.19/24.01.011/2007-08 dated July 3, 2007 , DBOD.FSD.BC.35/24.01.011/2007-08 dated October 19, 2007 and DBOD.No.FSD. BC.45/24.01.011/2008-09 dated September 17, 2008 on the above subject in terms of which banks were advised to employ only those DMAs/ DSAs / call centres who are registered as telemarketers with DoT, Govt. of India, as per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Regulations, 2007 for the purpose of soliciting or promoting any commercial transaction.
2. As per the “Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010” issued by TRAI, any person involved in sending of commercial communications has to register with TRAI as a telemarketer. It has, however, been brought to our notice that many banks, financial institutions as also their franchisees are engaging telemarketers who are not registered with TRAI, for marketing their services and these unregistered telemarketers use their normal telephone connections for making commercial calls to customers registered in the National Customer Preference Register. This is resulting in a lot of customer grievance.
3. It is, therefore, reiterated that banks should engage only those telemarketers who are registered in terms of the guidelines issued by TRAI, from time to time, for all their promotional/ telemarketing activities. These guidelines should be strictly complied with.
Yours faithfully,
(Prakash Chandra Sahoo)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/136 · issued 15 Jul 2013. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs), Banks' direct selling agents (DSAs), Banks' call centres and telemarketing vendors, Bank franchisees involved in telemarketing), your first concrete step on “Banks Must Use Only TRAI-Registered Telemarketers” is: “Verify that all telemarketers, DSAs, and call centres you engage are registered with TRAI.” (RBI issued this 15 Jul 2013).
Circular: RBI/2013-14/136 -- Banks Must Use Only TRAI-Registered Telemarketers
Issued: 15 Jul 2013
Action required: Verify that all telemarketers, DSAs, and call centres you engage are registered with TRAI.
Action required: Stop using any unregistered telemarketers immediately.
Action required: Update your vendor onboarding process to include TRAI registration checks.
Action required: Monitor compliance periodically to avoid customer complaints.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=8235&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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