We use an audit methodology where auditors ask for tax saving instruments from banks and document the disclosures made on product features at the time of sale. In private sector banks with high sales incentives, the high commission product is recommended. In public sector banks, where there are deposit mobilisation targets, fixed deposits are recommended. […]

Higher capital adequacy norms locking up funds

Identifying the Market Failure and Mis-identifying the Intervention The discussion paper highlights a ‘market failure’ in the debt market for MSMEs wherein incumbent banks are unwilling to lend to MSMEs, who are otherwise creditworthy, due to lack of documentation and thereby leading to suboptimal outcomes for both banks and MSMEs[3]. Adding to these frictions is […]

Dvara Research is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit policy research institution based in

This chapter documents the growing informalization of India’s labour force and the consequences of this phenomenon for the state of social protection in India.

Advancing women’s financial inclusion is a key policy objective for both advanced and emerging economies. Providing access to formal finance is seen as an important lever in helping poor women seize economic opportunities and build a resilient future for themselves and their families.

These fraudulent messages have proliferated during the pandemic, where fraudsters induce panic or excitement that impairs the customers’ ability to think clearly.

This blog is the first in our trust series where we study trust in digital financial services. This blog attempts to lay down the conceptual contours of trust.

This research presents a framework comprising nine principles, which we believe are pre-requisites for creating user-centric GRMs.

The microfinance industry has witnessed moves by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to revise the regulatory framework (March 2022) for it and also caution it against an exclusive focus on business growth (November 2022).