Who heads the High-level Task Force on Public Credit Registry (PCR) constituted by the Reserve Bank of India?

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on institutional reforms in the Indian financial system, specifically the creation of a Public Credit Registry (PCR) by the Reserve Bank of India. A Public Credit Registry is a comprehensive database of credit information for borrowers, aimed at improving transparency, risk assessment, and credit discipline. Knowing who chairs important committees and task forces set up by the RBI is a common requirement in banking, financial awareness, and competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The Reserve Bank of India formed a High-level Task Force on Public Credit Registry (PCR).
• We must identify the person who heads or chairs this task force.
• The options are S Venkitaraman, G. Ambegaokar, Yeshwant M. Deosthalee, and R S Gujral.
• No numerical calculations are needed, just correct recall of names and positions.

Concept / Approach:
The Public Credit Registry is envisaged as a centralised repository for all credit-related information, including data on loans, defaults, and collateral. The task force was set up to study and recommend the design and implementation details of such a registry. Yeshwant M. Deosthalee, a respected banker and former chairman of a major financial institution, was appointed as the head of this High-level Task Force. Recognising his name in connection with the PCR initiative allows you to mark the correct answer quickly.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the RBI decided to create a Public Credit Registry to consolidate credit information across lenders. Step 2: A High-level Task Force was constituted to provide recommendations on architecture, data sources, and implementation. Step 3: The RBI announced that this task force would be headed by Yeshwant M. Deosthalee. Step 4: Compare this recollection with the options given in the question. Step 5: Confirm that the name Yeshwant M. Deosthalee appears as option C, making it the correct choice.
Verification / Alternative check:
To cross-check mentally, you can recall that the formation of the Public Credit Registry and the name of its task force chair were widely reported in financial newspapers and RBI press releases. Other names in the options may have held important posts in government or finance, but they were not specifically linked to the PCR task force. Remembering the exact association between Deosthalee and the Public Credit Registry is enough to verify that this is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• S Venkitaraman: While he may have held important positions, he is not associated as the head of the RBI's PCR task force.
• G. Ambegaokar: This name appears in various administrative contexts, but not as the chair of the Public Credit Registry task force.
• R S Gujral: Also a respected bureaucrat, but not the person announced by RBI to head the PCR initiative.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates often confuse names of committee heads when preparing for banking exams because RBI frequently sets up different committees with different chairpersons. A typical mistake is to guess a more familiar name instead of specifically linking Yeshwant M. Deosthalee with the Public Credit Registry. To avoid confusion, it helps to make a brief list of important RBI committees and their heads while preparing, reinforcing the connection through repeated revision.

Final Answer:
The High-level Task Force on Public Credit Registry (PCR) formed by the Reserve Bank of India is headed by Yeshwant M. Deosthalee.