By Soniya:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched RBI Reelathon 2026, a unique awareness campaign aimed at educating college students about cyber-enabled financial frauds, responsible borrowing, and safe digital banking practices. The initiative was launched on June 16, 2026, at the RBI office in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and will engage students from around 150 colleges across the state.
The campaign is being conducted in multiple phases. During the first phase, students will participate in awareness sessions focusing on smart borrowing habits, cyber hygiene, and secure digital transactions. In the second phase, participants will create short videos or reels highlighting issues such as illegal loan apps, mule accounts, cyber financial frauds, fake job scams, and safe online banking practices.
A key theme of the campaign is the importance of the “golden hour” in cybercrime reporting—the crucial period immediately after a fraud occurs when timely reporting can help authorities freeze transactions and improve the chances of recovering lost funds.
The competition will conclude with a grand finale later in 2026. The top three winners will receive cash prizes of ₹75,000, ₹50,000, and ₹25,000, respectively. Outstanding awareness content will also be shared through the official social media platforms of the RBI, Kerala Police, banks, and partner institutions.
Through RBI Reelathon 2026, the central bank aims to strengthen financial literacy, promote cyber awareness, and encourage young citizens to become active participants in creating a safer digital financial ecosystem.
