The document discusses recommendations for improving banking training programs in three key areas: 1. Benchmark training programs against international best practices by studying other domestic and foreign banking institutions and entering partnerships for sharing course materials and faculty development. 2. Enhance training facilities with modern libraries, air conditioning, technology infrastructure, and publications to disseminate information. 3. Gradually introduce e-learning through study materials on disks and websites, outsourcing e-learning modules, and using training to market other programs.

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2. Have a great Training Policy

3. The members of faculty of the banks’ training colleges are resource persons in their
areas of specialization.
Wherever internal committees in banks have been established relating to
operational areas, it would be advantageous to associate the faculty with such
committees, as they will add value to the deliberations wherein operational issues
can be discussed and ironed out.

4. Benchmarking training to international best practices:Training, in my opinion, must
be “marked-to-market”. In order to benchmark the training in banks’ training
establishments to international best practices, we need to study the training
practices followed in well established banking training institutions within the
country and abroad with emphasis on training strategy, infrastructure, etc.
For this, the banks can enter into tie ups with such institutions for improvement of
course material, upgradation of faculty skills, etc.
Banks can also periodically depute their faculty to relevant training programs
conducted by reputed domestic and international institutions abroad, that would
enhance their exposure.

5. The training function can be enhanced by providing state-of-the-art facilities such as
a well-stocked library, air conditioning the premises, upgradation of the
infrastructure including technology-related infrastructure, constitution of “think
tanks” and internal committees to deliberate on training issues, publication of an in-
house newsletter that highlights issues pertaining to training and important
developments on banking, providing appropriate financial incentives and
allowances to faculty, encouraging original thinking, publication of articles in
newpapers and magazines by faculty, etc.

6. Today, there is great demand for training that is learner-driven.“Anywhere learning”
is rapidly catching up with “Anywhere banking”. Distance learning is becoming a
reality world-wide, thanks to satellite technology, fiber optics and CD-ROM based
multimedia.
Rapid developments in computer-based interactive technology are making the
boundaries of the traditional classroom seamless, resulting in the “virtual
classroom”.This is facilitating “distance learning” for self-paced study through
multimedia and learning through satellite. e-learning can be gradually introduced in
banks’ training establishments by increasingly making available study material in
floppies and CDs, uploading articles prepared by the faculty onto the banks’
websites, engaging reputed consultants for developing e learning modules, etc.
This would also help in marketing training.

7. Evaluating the impact of training is an important, though challenging task.
Training evaluation will be meaningful provided there is a proper training needs analysis
(TNA) and the training is planned, designed and delivered effectively.
Appropriate post-training placement is necessary for meaningful “transfer of learning”.
It is difficult to suggest a ready-made procedure for training impact evaluation,
considering the diversity of the banks’ activities and training requirements and keeping
in view the fact that training benefits are rarely immediate, but tend to accrue over a time
period.
Nevertheless, the impact assessment exercise undertaken at banks’ training
establishments has be constantly fine-tuned in consultation with training users so as to
make the training practical.
While it is important to be cost-conscious in training, training is basically an investment in
Human Resources and it will eventually repay itself many times over through
performance enhancement and increased productivity.