SBI resolves ST-status hurdle for Arunachal Christians
GUWAHATI — The Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) has welcomed the State Bank of India’s decision to correct a software issue that prevented Christian applicants in Arunachal Pradesh from selecting “Scheduled Tribe” (ST) while opening accounts or completing know-your-customer (KYC) processes on the bank’s digital platforms.
Issue flagged and resolved
In a letter dated October 14, the head of SBI’s regional business office in Itanagar informed the forum that the problem raised by the group had been fixed. According to the bank, its information technology team modified the validation logic used across the YONO application and the re-KYC platform to ensure that eligible customers can correctly declare both their religion and their category.
Background to the complaint
The ACF first raised the issue on October 5, stating that SBI’s software disabled the ST category option whenever an applicant selected “Christian” as their religion. As a result, applicants were compelled to choose the “General” category despite holding valid ST certificates.
The forum argued that in Arunachal Pradesh, tribal status is not dependent on religious affiliation under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order of 1950. Describing the software setting as “potentially discriminatory,” the ACF stressed that an individual’s religion cannot be used to override their officially recognised tribal status.
Forum’s position
“The SBI is not the competent authority to delist a tribal Christian customer who possesses a valid ST certificate. The SBI cannot automatically classify a tribal Christian under the General category solely based on their declared religion,” the ACF wrote in its complaint.
Bank’s corrective measures
Following the October 14 communication, SBI confirmed that the validation logic on its YONO and re-KYC platforms had been revised to remove the barrier. The bank indicated that the change would allow applicants from ST communities who identify as Christian to select both their religion and their ST status accurately, aligning with constitutional provisions and state practice.
Reaction from ACF
The forum expressed appreciation for SBI’s swift response. “The resolution is a positive outcome of our engagement with the banking authorities. Our intervention aimed to ensure that eligible Christian members of the ST communities could correctly record their religion and category in the bank’s digital system,” an ACF spokesperson said.
Significance
The correction addresses a key procedural hurdle for Christian members of Scheduled Tribe communities in Arunachal Pradesh, ensuring their identity and status are accurately captured in one of the country’s most widely used banking ecosystems. The development follows formal representations by the ACF and clarifications that tribal recognition in the state is not contingent upon religious affiliation.
Published: October 16, 2026
