[This web page offers information on how banks open accounts of illiterate persons, blind and partially blind persons other disabled persons]
Blind, illiterate, and other disabled persons can open and make certain bank account operations using thumb impressions. Bankers customarily extend helping hand to the disabled persons like sick/old/incapacitate who cannot be physically present to the bank, by offering special service to them.
Accounts of Illiterate persons
Accounts can be opened in the single name of the illiterate person using thumb impression. Normally, the opening of a joint account with an illiterate person is not permitted in banks. Such customers should personally come to the bank, with a person (normally a close relative) to withdraw cash along with their passbook. The Authorised Officer of the Bank would compare the Photo and thumb impression available in the Bank’s record and allow withdrawal of the money from his/her account. No checkbooks would be issued to illiterate persons.
Joint Accounts:
Joint accounts of two illiterate persons normally not allowed. However, at the discretion of the bank, the account may be opened for closely related people like illiterate husband and wife under a condition that the account should be operated jointly. It means both the illiterate account holders have to personally visit the branch for the operation of the account. An illiterate person is allowed to open accounts jointly with a person who is literate and closely related to him. The mode of operation has to be jointly operated in that case. Operation by ‘Either or Survivor’ former or survivor ‘or’ latter or survivor’, etc. not allowed.
Accounts of blind and low vision customers:
According to RBI guidelines, Banks should not equate visually impaired customers with illiterate customers. Banks should ensure that all the banking facilities such as cheque book facility including third party cheques, ATM facility, net banking facility, locker facility, retail loans, and credit cards are invariably offered to the visually challenged without any discrimination. They are also allowed to open joint accounts. For more information click: Details of banking service available to blind and low vision customers
Accounts of old sick and physically disabled persons:
Banks are advised by RBI that in the event of a customer who is too ill to sign a cheque and he cannot be physically present in the bank to withdraw cash, banks should help such old, sick and incapacitate persons are not willing to open joint accounts with other family members. Read more: Accounts of old sick and physically disabled persons
Accounts of disabled persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation or a combination of any two or more of such conditions
Banks were advised by RBI to rely upon the Guardianship Certificate issued either by the District Court under Mental Health Act, 1987 or by the Local Level Committees under the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999 for the purposes of opening / operating bank accounts by disabled persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities. Read more: Operations of bank accounts by disabled persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, etc.
If a person cannot reach to bank and doesn’t have registered mobile number in bank account…he has thumb impression in account…then can he transfer money by bhim app to another relatives account by thumb impression without having registered mobile number in account
I’m not sure, how a person can transfer funds without having registered mobile number. Further, it is always risky to allow a person to transfer money from his account when he cannot read and understand the transaction.
Dear Sir,
Please tell can a Blind person open a Bank account or maintain with another person , who is educated or illiterate
A blind person can open the bank account in his single name. The opening of joint account of blind persons with other person/s is not allowed. normally, such person will be accompanied by a close relative to witness and confirm the correctness of money deposited or withdrawn. As an abundant precaution bank officials will also orally ask the account holder to confirm the amount deposited or withdrawn by him.
If a person with thumb impression came to cash counter is verification of that person required by officer ??? Or i can pay without it ???
Officer will obtain thumb impression of the account holder in his presence and certifies the thumb impression, while withdrawing the cash. At cash counter the cashier may also obtain one more thumb impression on the back of the check to identify that the same person has come to receive the cash. System differs from bank to bank for payment of cash. In somebanks there is a system of obtaining witness signature of a literate customer or relative of the account holder. Which also confirms that correctness of amount handed over to illeterate person.
It is the operative guidelines how the cash payment to be made to an illiterate person. It’s as simple as that the thumb impression of the person is witnessed by another responsible official of the bank in addition to cashier who makes the actual payment.
Hi,
If an illiterate person apply for SB account opening with thumb impression, is there any verification required from Gazetted Officer? Or he/she may have to produce an affidavit?
He will come to the bank with address proof and identity proof. The officer of the bank can recognise the person through identity proof (photograph in the identity proof). The thumb impresseion of the proposed account holder shall be taken in the presence of Bank Officer /Mananger and attest it both in the account opening form and Specimen card.All other formalities under KYC norms are same.
My father is blind, and till now he was using his left thumb for the signature. As of this moment, the bank manager has said that his right thumb impression is necessary. Is it true? I am asking because I cannot find a definitive answer online
If the lines in your father’s left thumb impressions are not visible, Manager might have asked for Right Hand Thumb impression. Ask the Manager why he wants RHT as it is not a rule.
Hi,
If a joint account open in the Either or Survivor with the literate person ( Along with Son). The first one is illetratr, Can we give cheque book to the customer or not?
Thanks in advance,
Bhupender
o joint accounts of illiterate with literate persons will generally be opened by the Bank as illiterates are gullible and are prone to cheating by the literate in the guise of conducting their account. However, it may be allowed in case of joint accounts of husband and wife, and in the case of illiterates with genuine request (In such special cases where the branch decides to open the account, you need to record the purpose of the joint account as it may create problem at later date.
No joint accounts of illiterate with literate persons will generally be opened by the Bank as illiterates are gullible and are prone to cheating by the literate in the guise of conducting their account. However, it may be allowed in case of joint accounts of husband and wife, and in the case of illiterates with genuine request. Illeterate person cannot use cheque book, he has to personally visit the bank to withdraw cash.
Hi, Goodmorning sir, literate husband and wife opened a joint ac with EorS operation. Earlier both of them withdrawing payment with cheque with their signature. But due to some health issue of the husband who is in the first name now using thumb impression. I want to ask can his wife withdraw money with bank using cheque with her sign over the counter as the first person is now using thumb impression. Pls advise. Await ur reply. Thanking your goodself in advance. Regards Dhiraj Singh
You may allow the wife to withdraw money through cheque. Remember, the husband is not illiterate, he is using the thumb impression due to other reasons.
Bhim adhar app is best for illiterate. Govt should shut down all atm to avoid additional expenses. Even aadhar number of nominee of depositor should be linked with account. Adhar card should be contained with parents Name and aadhar number.
hello sir,
if two friend willing to avail credit facility from any bank for purchase a land in the joint name. one of them is illiterate and other is literate. if bank sanction the credit facilites in the joint name for purchase land than account of illerate with literate person can be possible or only an account to be opened in the name of literate person.
In India, two friends cannot open a bank account jointly. One can open a joint account only if he/she is a blood relative or spouse.
Sir, one of our customer is paralysed due to which she gave application along with medical certificate to change signature and make it thumb impression. Now she wants to open term deposits in her name and gave nomination in favour of her brother in law as her husband died last year.
So I would like to know the criteria of witness in this case as she provide witness of her cousin brother and his wife who lives in other city. Is it necessary that witness should be of local address??
The nomination forms (DA1, DA2, and DA3) have also been prescribed in the Nomination Rules. These forms, inter alia, prescribe that the thumb impression of the account holder is required to be attested by two independent witnesses known to the bank, one of whom must be a bank official.
Thank you Sir…that means we cannot accept the witness of them though our branch manager has verified them.
As those witnesses reside at Mumbai and don’t have any accounts with us.
Obtain witness signature locally from someone known to the customer and the bank.
How to proceeds the with account operation when illiterate become literate,documentation required for modification.
Communicate to Bank. The illiterate person has to personally visit the bank affix his thumb impression as well as the signature on the specimen card provided by the bank in the presence of the Manager which will also be attested by the Manager. The customer has to give a letter that he would sign on cheque/letters/ documents in place of thumb impression in future. Bank will safe keep the letter along with the loan documents if any or with the SB account application form.
Respected Sir,
My father is an illiterate person & he hold an account in bank of baroda he had thumb impression account & he wants to do NEFT or RTGS So he is eligible to do that ? Please reply.
He has to personally visit the bank and do the transaction, you may become witness to the transaction. If the bank staff do not agree, he may withdraw the cash up to Rs.50000/- and remit the money to the beneficiary by cash using NEFT channel.
Respected Sir,
someone who is completely paralyzed and couldn’t even speak anything and is already bedridden, can we open a bank account for her. She cannot move from her place.
one has to convince the Manager of the bank, why he/she need to open an account of such incapacitated person. Normally one of the responsible bank officials would visit the account holder’s house and get the thumb/toe impression of the proposed account holder in the account opening form. The thumb/toe impression of the sick or old or incapacitate persons shall be identified by two independent witnesses known to the bank and one witness from the responsible bank official.The difficulty in such cases is that the bank official has to visit whenever the account holder wants to withdraw the cash.
Weather an illeterate person can avail SMS alert registration for his bank account. The bank officials are refusing to register and saying As the customer is illeterate how can he read the Messages?
Is it true that illeterate person cannot avail Sms facility with bank?
It is natural that illiterate person cannot read the message. There is a risk that third person comes to know the balance in his account if the bank sends SMS. Anyway, the customer has to visit the bank for withdrawal of cash, he cannot issue cheques to third parties. Each time pass book is updated whenever cash is remitted/withdrawn. Where is the necessity of SMS?
Sir, one of our illiterate customers wants to transfer fund from his account to another through neft or rtgs or demand draft can we allow him for the same or what is the solution for such situations.
Even otherwise if an illiterate account holder comes to withdraw from his account, the bank gives a withdrawal slip; How is it different from he transferring the amount to another person through NEFT/DD? Bankers have a reason to avoid such facility as the customer may contest subsequently that his consent was obtained by misrepresentation and try to demand money back from the bank. Therefore, banks should get the same witnessed to the effect that the name of the beneficiary and purpose of remittance (indicated by the account holder himself) were explained to the illiterate person in his own language and he signed the application form (NEFT)after understanding in their presence. The same precautions shall be betaken while passing the withdrawal slip need to be taken while entertaining withdrawal of money for the transfer of funds. So long as the document is countersigned by a literate witness, I don’t think any problem in allowing such transactions. Only thing is, before allowing, bank official should confirm themselves it is a genuine case and accordingly record the same.
Is there any withdrawal limit as per rbi guideline in the case of senior citizen and person unable to sign using thumb only
There is no restriction for withdrawal of money by a person using thumb impression. The conditions for withdrawal of cash is as applicable to a person who withdraws cash using signature.
In the matter of withdrawal of cash from the account, no separate exist for senior citizen and illiterate people. They are equated with other customers of the bank.
whether thumb impression account holder can transfer the money through RTGS or NEFT ….??
There is no clarity from RBI or IBA. I’m not sure individual banks have given any instructions to their branches in this regard. I feel banks should not have any serious concern for small amount remittances- more so since the RBI and the Government of India are not barring illiterate persons to do normal banking transactions. But, it is necessary for the branches to follow all risk mitigation measures while passing debit transactions of an illiterate person.
My illiterate servant has a Savings Bank Account and also a Term Deposit in Central Bank of India. She uses Thumb impression and Withdrawal Slips to withdraw Cash. She is Very seriously ill and admitted in a hospital and needs cash. Please advise how she can draw money without going to Bank. An early reply will help. matter is urgent please. thanks
You may obtain a letter addressed to the bank stating the health condition of the patient. The photo and thumb impression of the patient may be attested by a doctor. Please contact the manager with the above letter and tell him that the money to be withdrawn for payment to the hospital. If required bank may send one of their officers to the hospital to confirm the position and obtain her thumb impression of the account holder on the withdrawal slip either for cash payment or to issue a demand draft in favour of the hospital to clear the hospital dues. Discuss with the bank manager, he would definitely help.
Hello Sir,
Can we open a joint saving a/c with operational instruction E/S as per RBI ploicy of mother and daughter in which mother is illiterate and daughter is literate. and in joint account customer wants first name of literate person and second name is illiterate person. if yes please guide also for extra pre caution .
Yes but the mode of operation is jointly not ‘either-or survivor’. At the discretion of the Bank, illiterate persons are allowed to open accounts jointly with persons who are literate or illiterate and closely related to them, to be operated upon jointly. No cheque book facility will be extended in the single or joint savings bank account of the illiterate depositors.
My father in law is 94 yes old . He is educated and understand even English properly. Having orthopedic problems and can’t make uniform signature bank advise to change in to tumb impression but now he has to visit bank every time. We also ask for atm but they refuse. They also don’t have doorstep facility. Pls help
Lodge a complaint to customer service of the bank at (RO/ZO/Head office), or, complain to Banking Ombudsman, for which you need to visit https://cms.rbi.org.in. After that, click on the File a complaint link. CMS is accessible on desktop and there is an app as well that you can use. Select the language from the dropdown and then ‘File a complaint with ombudsman against the bank. Lest you may open an account with another bank.