RBI prescribes qualifications for MDs, WTDs of UCBs

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank on Friday prescribed educational qualifications and 'fit and proper' criteria for managing directors (MDs) and whole-time directors (WTDs) of primary urban cooperative banks (UCBs) and barred MPs and MLAs from these posts.

Issuing the guidelines for appointment of MDs and WTDs, the RBI said MPs, MLAs and representatives of municipal corporations will not be eligible to hold such positions in the primary UCBs.

It further said the MD/WTD should be a post graduate or have qualifications in finance discipline. He or she could be either chartered/cost accountant, MBA (finance) or have a diploma in banking or cooperative business management.

The person should not be below 35 years of age or more than 70 years, it added.

"The person shall have a combined experience of at least eight years at the middle/senior management level in the banking sector (including the experience gained in the concerned UCB) or non-banking finance companies engaged in lending (loan companies) and asset financing," the notification said.

Besides MPs, MLAs and representatives of municipal corporations and local bodies, persons engaged in business, trade or having substantial interest in any company too will not be eligible for appointment to such positions. Regarding the tenure of appointment, it said the person can be appointed for a maximum of five years and will be eligible for re-appointment.

However, it said the MD or WTD will not hold the post for more than 15 years. After that, the person, if necessary, may be re-appointed after a three-year cooling period.