Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Miscellaneous) Directions, 2025

RBI/DOR/2025-26/174 DOR.SOG(SPE).REC.No.93/13-04-001/2025-26

November 28, 2025

Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Miscellaneous) Directions, 2025

Table of Contents

Chapter I – Preliminary A. Short Title and Commencement B. Applicability C. Definitions

Chapter II – Role of the Board A. Board Approved Policies B. Key Responsibilities C. Reviews by the Board

Chapter III – Depositor Education and Awareness Fund A. Definitions B. Credits to the Fund C. Refunds and Interest D. Registration Guidelines E. Procedural Guidelines for Transfer and Claim F. Returns G. Disclosure in Notes to Accounts H. Audit I. Preservation of Records J. Furnishing of Information K. Contact Details L. Interpretation of the Provisions of the Scheme

Chapter IV – Services and Market Operations A. Sale of Gold / Silver / Platinum - Forward Contract B. Reporting of Corporate Bond Transactions C. Limits for Non-Option Derivative Contracts D. Deferment of Option Premium E. Camps and Campaigns for Periodic Updation of KYC

Chapter V – Regulatory Compliance and Legal Matters A. Implementation of Instructions Issued by RBI B. Legal Compliance C. Court Directives D. Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with United States of America (US) under Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) - Registration Requirements

Chapter VI – Financial Conduct and Prohibited Activities A. Donations or Contributions for Public / Charitable Purposes B. Prohibition on Acceptance of Deposits at the Instance of Private Financiers / Unincorporated Bodies C. Prohibition on Association with Prize Chit Schemes and Sale of Lottery Tickets

Chapter VII – Taxation and Accounting Related Matters A. Demand for Information by Income Tax Authorities

Chapter VIII – Human Resource and Capacity Building A. Training and Awareness B. Certifications

Chapter IX – Operational and Administrative Matters A. Mandatory Leaves and Staff Rotation B. Engagement of Expatriates by Foreign Banks C. Statement of Immovable Property

Chapter X – Repeal Provisions A. Repeal and Saving B. Application of Other Laws not Barred C. Interpretations

Annex I Annex II Annex III Annex IV Annex V Annex VI Annex VII Annex VIII Annex IX Annex X

In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 26A and Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and all other provisions / laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India (‘RBI’) in this regard, RBI being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby issues the Directions hereinafter specified.

Chapter I – Preliminary

A. Short Title and Commencement

1. These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Miscellaneous) Directions, 2025.

2. These Directions shall come into force with immediate effect.

B. Applicability

3. These Directions shall be applicable to Commercial Banks (hereinafter collectively referred to as 'banks' and individually as a 'bank').

For the purpose of these Directions, ‘Commercial Banks’ means banking companies (other than Small Finance Banks, Payment Banks, and Local Area Banks), corresponding new banks, and the State Bank of India, as defined respectively under clauses (c), (da), and (nc) of Section 5 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

Provided that,

• (1) directions contained in paragraph 35 pertaining to entering into forward contracts for underlying sale of Gold / Silver / Platinum shall be applicable only to commercial banks authorized to deal in gold;
• (2) directions contained in paragraph 36 relating to reporting of corporate bond transactions shall apply on to Primary Dealers;
• (3) directions contained in paragraph 65 relating to obtention of statement of immovable property from officer employees shall be applicable only to Private Sector Banks.

C. Definitions

4. In these Directions, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms herein shall bear the meanings assigned to them below:

• (1) 'Act' means the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949); and
• (2) ‘DICGC' means the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation established under Section 3 of the Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, 1961.

5. Additional definitions have been provided in the respective chapters as per the applicability.

6. All other expressions, unless defined in the corresponding chapter, shall have the same meaning as have been assigned to them under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, or the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereto, or Glossary of Terms published by the RBI, or as used in commercial parlance, as the case may be.

Chapter II – Role of the Board

A. Board Approved Policies

7. A bank shall have separate Board-approved policies relating to the following areas, as applicable:

• (1) making of donations, in line with instructions contained in paragraph 49 of these Directions;
• (2) courses / certifications required for specialised areas of operations as laid out in paragraph 59 and paragraph 60 of these Directions; and
• (3) list of sensitive positions to be covered under mandatory leave requirements in terms of paragraph 61 of these Directions.

B. Key Responsibilities

8. The Board of a bank shall fulfill the following responsibilities, if applicable:

• (1) extend facility of deferment of option premium only after conducting due diligence of users in accordance with its Board approved policy in this regard, as set out in paragraph 38 of these Directions; and
• (2) ensure that its directors are familiar with requisite techniques, technologies and concepts as detailed in paragraph 58 of these Directions.

C. Reviews by the Board

9. The Board of a bank shall review and update policies in respect of ‘mandatory leave' as set out in paragraph 61 of these Directions.

Chapter III – Depositor Education and Awareness Fund

A. Definitions

10. In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms herein shall bear the meanings assigned to them below:

• (1) ‘Committee’ means the Committee constituted under the Fund;
• (2) 'Fund' means the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund established by RBI under the Scheme notified vide Gazette Notification dated May 24, 2014, hereinafter referred to as the Scheme;
• (3) 'Liquidator' means liquidator of a bank appointed under any law for the time being in force;
• (4) 'Principal amount' means the amount, including interest, transferred by a bank to the Fund in terms of Section 26A of the Act;
• (5) 'Amount due' means any credit balances in any account or any deposit in a bank remaining unclaimed or inoperative for ten years or more;

B. Credits to the Fund

11. A bank shall credit to the Fund the credit balance in any of the following deposit account maintained with the bank which have not been operated upon for ten years or more, or any amount remaining unclaimed for ten years or more, which shall include:

• (1) savings bank deposit account;
• (2) fixed or term deposit account;
• (3) cumulative / recurring deposit account;
• (4) current deposit account;
• (5) other deposit account in any form or with any name;
• (6) cash credit account;
• (7) loan accounts after due appropriation by the bank;
• (8) margin money against issue of Letter of Credit / Guarantee etc., or any security deposit;
• (9) outstanding telegraphic transfers, mail transfers, demand drafts, pay orders, bankers cheques, sundry deposit accounts, vostro accounts, inter-bank clearing adjustments, unadjusted National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) credit balances and other such transitory accounts, unreconciled credit balances on account of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transactions, etc.;
• (10) undrawn balance amounts remaining in any prepaid card issued by the bank but not amounts outstanding against travellers cheques or other similar instruments, which have no maturity period;
• (11) rupee proceeds of foreign currency deposits held by the bank after conversion of foreign currency to rupees in accordance with extant foreign exchange regulations; and
• (12) such other amounts as may be specified by RBI from time to time.