8:10 PM IST – Over the past few years, the Reserve Bank of India has communicated with the public mostly through circulars, press releases, PDFs, and policy statements. Important information, but often hard for common users to follow. Usually, they need to visit sites, or the RBI do advertisements via TV or social media.
That is now changing.
RBI has officially entered the podcast space. On January 1, 2026, the new GEN-Z trend. They have joined the growing YouTube and audio or video trend, and have launched their own podcast series called “RBI Talks: Paisa to Policy.” Now the goal is clear. explain banking and financial rules in a way ordinary people can actually understand.
The first episode of the series. The name is “Demystifying KYC“. It was released on the same day, jan 1 and made available to the public on the RBI official channel on YouTube. They mark the first time RBI has used an audio–video podcast format to explain banking rules directly to common users.
Why RBI Chose Podcasts Now
This move did not happen suddenly.
In its Monetary Policy Statement of December 6, 2024, RBI had already indicated that it wanted to expand how it communicates with the public. Podcasts are part of that plan.
Unlike official documents, podcasts allow:
- simple language
- real-life examples
- question-and-answer explanations
For a country where millions use banks digitally but still struggle with rules, this format makes sense.
What the First Podcast Episode Covers
The first episode focuses entirely on Know Your Customer (KYC) — a process every bank customer faces, but few fully understand.
RBI officers explain KYC using a simple comparison. Just like we exchange basic details when meeting someone new, banks also need to know who you are before starting a financial relationship. KYC, according to RBI, is an official handshake between the customer and the bank.
The episode explains:
- What KYC actually is
- Why banks insist on it
- How it protects customers from fraud
- Why KYC updates are sometimes repeated
Key Numbers and Facts RBI Clarified
The podcast clearly lays out important data points that are often misunderstood:
- There are only 6 officially valid documents (OVDs) for KYC
- A customer needs to submit just one of these documents
- Aadhaar is one of the six, not mandatory in all cases
- PAN is required; if PAN is not available, Form 60 can be used
RBI also clarifies that Aadhaar may be asked for only when a customer is receiving government subsidies or benefits, to avoid duplication or any fraud.
One-Time KYC, Multiple Banks
RBI also explains the Central KYC (CKYC) system in the podcast 15:43 Seconds Video, which many users are still unaware of.
Once KYC is done, customer details are stored in a central registry. Other banks can access the same information using a unique KYC number, avoiding repeated document submission.
This “do it once, use it everywhere” approach reduces hassle for customers.
What This Means for You
This podcast does not change KYC rules. But it changes how RBI explains them.
For bank customers, this means:
- Better understanding of banking rules
- less fear around KYC messages
- more awareness against fraud
By adopting podcasts, RBI is moving closer to how people actually consume information today.
And if future episodes follow the same approach, this could quietly become one of RBI’s most useful public initiatives.
