Bad Loans of Public Sector Banks in India: A Panel Data Study

Abstract The soundness of the banking system is necessary for economic advancement and financial stability. In the contemporary era, the Indian banking system has suffered from the accumulation of substantial non-performing assets (NPAs), especially in the public sector banks (PSBs). This article examines the financial determinants of bad loans in the Indian PSBs with the help of panel data regression analysis. Panel dataset of 21 Indian PSBs for eight years from 2010 to 2017 is used for the study. For analysis, net non-performing assets (NNPAs) as a dependent variable and financial indicators as independent variable are used. Using the random effect model, it is found that credit–deposit ratio, loan maturity, and return on assets have a negative relationship with NNPAs. These factors have an association with a lower level of NPAs. Operating expenses and capital adequacy ratio have an insignificant effect on NNPAs. On the other hand, factors such as priority sector loans, collateral values, and non-interest income have a positive impact on NNPAs. These factors are an indication of a higher level of bad loans and are adding to the accumulation of NPAs in PSBs