Complaints

Stand-Up India complaint and grievance route

स्टैंड-अप इंडिया शिकायत और निवारण

If a bank delays your Stand-Up India application, will not accept it, or turns it down without a reason, there is an order to follow. Start with the bank branch and its grievance officer. Then go to the Lead District Manager (LDM) and the District Level Credit Committee. You can also use the official Stand-Up India contacts. Finally, if the bank has not resolved a service complaint within 30 days, you can complain to the Reserve Bank of India’s ombudsman. This page sets out each step, the timelines and what to keep on file.

Start with the reason for the decision

Many problems are solved by understanding exactly what the bank needs. The Stand-Up India FAQs advise: if your proposal is not approved, get in touch with the banker you chose, understand why, and take corrective action to make the proposal creditworthy. Common fixable reasons are an unclear project report, a margin shortfall, missing documents or an old overdue loan.

The scheme guidelines say that if a bank rejects an application, the reason must be made known to the borrower, as required by the Code of Bank’s Commitment to Customers. Ask for it in writing.

Escalation ladder

Step	Where	Expect a response
1	Branch manager, then the bank’s grievance officer	15 days, per the scheme guidelines
2	Lead District Manager; DLCC meeting	Next quarterly DLCC meeting
3	Official Stand-Up India helpline and email	Varies
4	RBI Ombudsman via cms.rbi.org.in	After 30 days with no reply, or an unsatisfactory one
Also	CPGRAMS for a government department	As set by the department

Sources: scheme guidelines; RBI FAQ on the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme.

Step 1: the bank branch and its grievance officer

Write to the branch manager first. Say what happened, when you applied and what you are asking for. Attach your application acknowledgement. Under the scheme guidelines, bank-level grievances should be resolved within 15 days, as set out in the Code of Bank’s Commitment to Customers. Every bank also has a grievance or nodal officer above the branch. The Stand-Up India portal is meant to show the contact details of the officers each bank has named for grievances.

Points worth raising:

Delay. The guidelines expect a decision within 3 weeks for complete applications between ₹5 lakh and ₹25 lakh, and within 6 weeks above ₹25 lakh.
No reason given. You are entitled to know why an application was rejected.
Collateral insisted on. Ask why the bank did not consider the CGSSI guarantee.
Refusal to accept an application. Every Scheduled Commercial Bank branch is covered by the scheme.

Step 2: the Lead District Manager and the DLCC

The LDM monitors Stand-Up India cases in the district and follows up with banks’ regional and zonal offices for timely processing. The District Level Credit Committee, chaired by the Collector with the LDM as convener, takes up cases at least once a quarter. It is also named as the forum for grievance redressal at district level.

Write to the LDM with a copy of your complaint to the bank and the bank’s reply, if any. Ask for your case to be taken up and, if needed, placed before the DLCC. Ask any bank branch for the LDM’s contact details, or find the LDM on standupmitra.in. Read more on the LDM’s role.

Step 3: official Stand-Up India contacts

The Stand-Up India portal has published these contacts:

National helpline (toll-free): 1800-180-1111
Email: support[at]standupmitra[dot]in and help[at]standupmitra[dot]in

Check the “Contact Us” page on standupmitra.in for current details before you call or write. If you registered on the portal, you can also use its messaging feature to write to the LDM, handholding centres and the banks handling your application.

Step 4: RBI’s complaint portal

The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 is a free complaint route against banks for deficiency in service. It came into force on 1 July 2026. The key rules from the RBI FAQ are:

You must first complain to the bank, and keep proof that you did.
You can go to the RBI Ombudsman if the bank does not reply within 30 days, or if you are not satisfied with its reply.
You must file within 90 days after that 30-day period ends, or after the bank’s last communication, whichever is later.
File online at cms.rbi.org.in. The RBI contact centre is on toll-free 14448.

One important limit applies. The ombudsman does not hear “matters relating to commercial judgment or decision” of a bank. A bank’s decision not to lend, after a proper appraisal, is usually such a judgement. The ombudsman route is stronger for service failures. Examples are refusing to accept an application, unexplained delay, not giving the reason for rejection, or charging fees that were not disclosed.

Government grievance portal

For a complaint about a government department or how the scheme is run, rather than a single bank’s service, you can file on the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System, pgportal.gov.in. Choose the Department of Financial Services as the department concerned.

What to keep in your file

the application acknowledgement, with date and application number
copies of everything you submitted
the names of officers you met, with dates
every email, letter and portal message, and the replies
any rejection letter or written reason
proof that you complained to the bank first, with the date

A clear paper trail makes every later step faster.

Before you complain

Make sure the problem is not a missing step on your side. Did the bank ask for a document you have not given? Is your own contribution of 10% shown? Did you choose a bank branch near your unit? A quick call to the branch can sometimes solve what a complaint would take weeks to settle. Use the documents checklist and how to apply to check your file.

Writing a clear complaint

Keep it to one page. Give your name, the branch, the date you applied and your application number. State in two or three lines what went wrong, and what you are asking for: a decision, a written reason, or acceptance of your application.

Avoid paid “fixers”

Nobody can guarantee a Stand-Up India sanction for a fee. Complaints to the bank, the LDM, the ombudsman and CPGRAMS are all free. Do not pay anyone who offers to “get your file passed”.

FAQ

Where can I complain if a bank refuses a Stand-Up India loan? First to the branch manager and the bank’s grievance officer. Then to the Lead District Manager. If the bank does not reply within 30 days, go to the RBI Ombudsman for service issues.

What is the Stand-Up India helpline number? The portal has published the toll-free number 1800-180-1111. Check standupmitra.in for current contacts.

Can I complain to RBI about a loan rejection? You can complain about service failures, such as no reason given or unexplained delay. The ombudsman does not overrule a bank’s commercial decision on whether to lend.

How long does the bank have to resolve my grievance? The scheme guidelines say 15 days at bank level. RBI allows a complaint to the ombudsman after 30 days without a reply.

Is there a fee to complain? No. The RBI ombudsman route is free, and so are bank, LDM and CPGRAMS complaints.

More answers are on the Stand-Up India FAQ. Back to the Stand-Up India overview.

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.