Ensuring inclusive banking: Addressing mandatory signature challenges for visually challenged bank customers

Abstract

Accessibility to banking services remains a significant problem for visually challenged bank customers (VCC). Despite Reserve Bank of India regulatory initiatives to encourage financial inclusion, conventional paper-based documents and signatures pose substantial challenges for those with visual disabilities. This study addresses critical challenges, such as inaccessible papers, readability issues, lack of support, privacy concerns, and complex signing requirements, based on field experiences and stakeholder comments. Innovative digital technology and alternative techniques, such as digital signatures, digital fingerprints, and thumbprint signatures, have emerged as promising options for improving accessibility and security in banking activities. This article analyses demographic data from visually challenged bank customers, emphasising their qualifications and banking preferences, such as primary and secondary banking services. By looking into the viewpoints of both visually challenged persons and bankers, this study intends to give suitable practical solutions to mandatory signature in banking services for the VCC and ensure regulatory reforms and better procedures to provide equal banking experiences for all, regardless of visual capacity.