NAMSAI, Aug 20: As part of the Bank Attachment Module (Module 3) under the Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) & Agro-Industrial Attachment (AIA) Programme 2026, a comprehensive session on Banking, Financial Services and Agricultural Credit was conducted for the BSc (Agriculture) students of Arunachal University of Studies (AUS), Namsai.
The session was conducted by Kamal Roy, Assistant General Manager (District Development), NABARD, with the objective of enhancing students’ understanding of the banking and financial ecosystem and its relevance to agriculture, rural development and agri-entrepreneurship.
The session provided students with a practical overview of Bank, Banker and Banking, followed by an explanation of different types of banks operating in India, including Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Cooperative Banks. Special emphasis was laid on cooperative credit structure in India, covering both the Short-Term Cooperative Credit Structure (STCCS) and Long-Term Cooperative Credit Structure (LTCCS), as well as the role of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs).
The session also covered various banking products and services, including Savings Accounts, Current Accounts, Recurring Deposits, Fixed Deposits and remittance facilities. Students were introduced to the importance of financial inclusion and social security schemes, along with concepts such as front-end and back-end subsidies and interest subvention.
A significant part of the session focused on risk management and investment awareness, covering the meaning and importance of insurance, different types of insurance and the role of insurance in protecting agricultural livelihoods. The students were also introduced to mutual funds, their types and basic investment concepts.
The regulatory architecture of India’s financial system was explained, including the roles of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). Students were also familiarized with the role of key development financial institutions such as NABARD, SIDBI, National Housing Bank (NHB), MUDRA and NEDFi in supporting agriculture, MSMEs and rural development.
Given the students' agricultural background, special emphasis was placed on agricultural and rural credit instruments and institutions, including Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Self Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). The session highlighted how these institutions and credit mechanisms can improve farmers' access to formal finance, strengthen collective action and promote value addition and market linkages.
The session further highlighted the emerging career opportunities for agriculture graduates in banking, agri-finance, FPO management, agri-enterprises, rural development, financial inclusion, insurance and agri-fintech. Students were encouraged to develop an understanding of financial literacy, project preparation, credit appraisal, market linkages and risk management alongside their technical knowledge of agriculture.