The paper investigates the performance of Indian commercial banking sector during the post reform period 1992-2002. Several efficiency estimates of individual banks are evaluated using nonparametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Three different approaches viz., intermediation approach, value-added approach and operating approach have been employed to differentiate how efficiency scores vary with changes in inputs and outputs. The analysis links the variation in calculated efficiencies to a set of variables, i.e., bank size, ownership, capital adequacy ratio, non-performing loans and management quality. The findings suggest that medium-sized public sector banks performed reasonably well and are more likely to operate at higher levels of technical efficiency. A close relationship is observed between efficiency and soundness as determined by bank's capital adequacy ratio. The empirical results also show that technically more efficient banks are those that have, on an average, less nonperforming loans. A multivariate analysis based on the Tobit model reinforces these findings. D

No abstract

The paper investigates the performance of Indian commercial banking sector during the post reform period 1992-2004. The results indicate high levels of efficiency in costs and lower levels in profits, reflecting the importance of inefficiencies on the revenue side of banking activity. The decomposition of profit efficiency shows that a large portion of outlay lost is due to allocative inefficiency. The proximate determinants of profit efficiency appears to suggest that big state-owned banks performed reasonably well and are more likely to operate at higher levels of profit efficiency. A close relationship is observed between efficiency and soundness as determined by bank's capital adequacy ratio. The empirical results also show that the profit efficient banks are those that have, on an average, less non-performing loans.JEL classification: D61; G21; G34

This article contributes to the banking efficiency literature by measuring technical efficiency of banks in four different ownership groups in India during the reform period, 1992-1999. It employs the stochastic frontier function methodology for panel data. The results indicate that the efficiency of raising interest margin is time invariant while the efficiencies of raising other outputs-non-interest income, investments and credits are time varying. The state bank group and foreign banks are more efficient than their counterparts. The reform period witnessed a relatively high efficiency for augmenting investments, which is consistent with economic growth objective of the reform measures. However, there are still larger gaps between the actual and potential performances of banks.