The Reserve Bank of India has started issuing Master Directions on all regulatory matters beginning January 2016. The Master Directions consolidate instructions on rules and regulations framed by the Reserve Bank under various Acts including banking issues and foreign exchange transactions. The process of issuing Master Directions involves issuing one Master Direction for each subject matter covering all instructions on that subject. Any change in the rules, regulation or policy is communicated during the year by way of circulars/press releases. The Master Directions will be updated suitably and simultaneously whenever there is a change in the rules/regulations or there is a change in the policy. All the changes will get reflected in the Master Directions available on the RBI website along with the dates on which changes are made. Explanations of rules and regulations will be issued by way of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) after issue of the Master Directions in easy to understand language wherever necessary. The existing set of Master Circulars issued on various subjects will stand withdrawn with the issue of the Master Direction on the subject.

Banker and Debt Manager to Government
Jul 03, 2018
Master Directions on Relief/Savings Bonds	256 kb
Jul 04, 2017
Master Directions on Relief/Savings Bonds	294 kb
Jul 01, 2016
Master Direction – Operational Guidelines for Primary Dealers (Updated as on November 22, 2018)	669 kb
Co-operative Banking
Mar 23, 2021
Master Direction - Amalgamation of Urban Cooperative Banks, Directions, 2020	163 kb
May 12, 2016
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Co-operative Banks - Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on September 16, 2022)	296 kb
Commercial Banking
Jan 16, 2023
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies) Directions, 2023	310 kb
Apr 21, 2022
Master Direction – Credit Card and Debit Card – Issuance and Conduct Directions, 2022	339 kb
Mar 14, 2022
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Regulatory Framework for Microfinance Loans) Directions, 2022 (Updated as on July 25, 2022)	395 kb
Oct 26, 2021
Master Direction – Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy for Local Area Banks (Directions), 2021 (Updated as on March 31, 2022)	1707 kb
Sep 24, 2021
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Securitisation of Standard Assets) Directions, 2021 (Updated as on December 05, 2022)	740 kb
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Transfer of Loan Exposures) Directions, 2021 (Updated as on December 05, 2022)	851 kb
Aug 30, 2021
Master Direction on Financial Statements - Presentation and Disclosures (Updated as on December 13, 2022)	1897 kb
Aug 25, 2021
Master Direction - Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio of Commercial Banks (Directions), 2021 (Updated as on December 8, 2022)	1219 kb
Jul 20, 2021
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India [Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR)] Directions - 2021 (Updated as on April 06, 2022)	2074 kb
Feb 18, 2021
Master Direction on Digital Payment Security Controls	261 kb
Aug 02, 2019
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (‘Fit and Proper’ Criteria for Elected Directors on the Boards of PSBs) Directions, 2019 (Updated as on June 03, 2020)	258 kb
May 29, 2019
Master Direction - Know Your Customer (KYC) Direction, 2016 (Updated as on May 10, 2021)	659 kb
Jul 01, 2016
Master Directions on Frauds – Classification and Reporting by commercial banks and select FIs (Updated as on July 03, 2017)	232 kb
Jun 23, 2016
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Financial Statements of All India Financial Institutions - Presentation, Disclosure and Reporting) Directions, 2016	447 kb
May 26, 2016
Master Direction- Reserve Bank of India (Financial Services provided by Banks) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on August 10, 2021)	283 kb
May 12, 2016
Master Direction – Ownership in Private Sector Banks, Directions, 2016	72 kb
Apr 21, 2016
Master Direction – Amalgamation of Private Sector Banks, Directions, 2016	65 kb
Master Direction - Issue and Pricing of shares by Private Sector Banks, Directions, 2016	54 kb
Mar 03, 2016
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rate on Advances) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on June 10, 2021)	410 kb
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on September 16, 2022)	295 kb
Nov 19, 2015
Prior Approval for acquisition of shares or voting rights in Private Sector Banks: Directions, 2015	116 kb
Oct 22, 2015
Gold Monetization Scheme, 2015 (Updated as on August 04, 2022)	439 kb
Financial Inclusion and Development
Sep 04, 2020
Master Directions – Priority Sector Lending (PSL) – Targets and Classification (Updated as on October 20, 2022)	697 kb
Oct 17, 2018
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Relief Measures by Banks in Areas affected by Natural Calamities) Directions 2018 – RRBs	279 kb
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Relief Measures by Banks in Areas affected by Natural Calamities) Directions 2018 – SCBs	212 kb
Jul 24, 2017
Master Direction - Lending to Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Sector (Updated as on July 29, 2022)	1238 kb
Jul 05, 2017
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Relief Measures by banks in areas affected by Natural Calamities) Directions 2017	136 kb
Financial Market
Dec 12, 2022
Master Direction – Foreign Exchange Management (Hedging of Commodity Price Risk and Freight Risk in Overseas Markets) Directions, 2022	356 kb
Jun 01, 2022
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Variation Margin) Directions, 2022	304 kb
Feb 10, 2022
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Credit Derivatives) Directions, 2022	392 kb
Sep 16, 2021
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Market-makers in OTC Derivatives) Directions, 2021	256 kb
Jun 04, 2021
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Certificate of Deposit) Directions, 2021	268 kb
Apr 01, 2021
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Call, Notice and Term Money Markets) Directions, 2021 (Updated as on June 25, 2021)	251 kb
Jul 07, 2016
Master Direction on Money Market Instruments: Call/Notice Money Market, Commercial Paper, Certificates of Deposit and Non-Convertible Debentures (original maturity up to one year)	184 kb
Jul 05, 2016
Master Direction - Risk Management and Inter-Bank Dealings (Updated as on September 01, 2020)	551 kb
Foreign Exchange Management
Mar 26, 2019
Master Direction - External Commercial Borrowings, Trade Credits and Structured Obligations (Updated as on September 30, 2022) (Supersedes Master Direction - External Commercial Borrowings, Trade Credit, Borrowing and Lending in Foreign Currency by Authorised Dealers and Persons other than Authorised Dealers (Updated as on November 22, 2018))	837 kb
Jan 04, 2018
Master Direction – Foreign Investment in India (Updated up to March 17, 2022)	411 kb
Feb 23, 2017
Master Direction – Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS)	73 kb
Nov 17, 2016
Master Direction - Insurance (Updated as on December 07, 2021)	146 kb
Jan 04, 2016
Master Direction - Establishment of Branch Office (BO)/ Liaison Office (LO)/ Project Office (PO) or any other place of business in India by foreign entities (Updated as on May 18, 2021)	317 kb
Master Direction- Compounding of Contraventions under FEMA, 1999 (Updated as on May 24, 2022)	245 kb
Master Direction – Borrowing and Lending transactions in Indian Rupee between Persons Resident in India and Non-Resident Indians/ Persons of Indian Origin	140 kb
Master Direction - Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) (Updated as on August 24, 2022)	710 kb
Master Direction - Other Remittance Facilities (Updated as on November 6, 2018)	285 kb
Master Direction – Acquisition or Transfer of Immovable Property under Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (Updated as on September 01, 2022)	269 kb
Master Direction - Remittance of Assets (Updated as on April 28, 2016)	287 kb
Master Direction - Deposits and Accounts (Updated as on January 9, 2020)	553 kb
Master Direction – Import of Goods and Services (Updated as on November 21, 2022)	814 kb
Master Direction – Reporting under Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (Updated as on September 30, 2022)	2647 kb
Master Direction - Miscellaneous (Updated as on November 12, 2018)	190 kb
Master Direction – Opening and Maintenance of Rupee/Foreign Currency Vostro Accounts of Non-resident Exchange Houses (Updated as on December 22, 2022)	221 kb
Master Direction – Export of Goods and Services (Updated as on November 22, 2022)	379 kb
Master Direction - Money Changing Activities (Updated as on March 4, 2022)	267 kb
Issuer of Currency
Apr 01, 2022
Master Direction on Penal Provisions in deficiencies in reporting of transactions/ balances at Currency Chests	341 kb
Master Direction on Framework of Incentives for Currency Distribution & Exchange Scheme for bank branches including currency chests based on performance in rendering customer service to the members of public	252 kb
Apr 01, 2021
Master Direction on Levy of Penal Interest for Delayed Reporting / Wrong Reporting / Non-Reporting of Currency Chest Transactions and Inclusion of Ineligible Amounts in Currency Chest Balances	304 kb
Master Direction on “Currency Distribution & Exchange Scheme (CDES)” for bank branches including currency chests based on performance in rendering customer service to members of public	201 kb
Jul 01, 2019
Master Direction on Currency Distribution & Exchange Scheme (CDES) based on performance in rendering customer service to the members of public (Updated as on January 6, 2020)	372 kb
Master Direction on Levy of Penal Interest for Delayed Reporting / Wrong Reporting / Non-Reporting of Currency Chest Transactions and Inclusion of Ineligible Amounts in Currency Chest Balances (Updated as on October 03, 2019)	158 kb
Jul 05, 2018
Master Direction on Levy of Penal Interest for Delayed Reporting / Wrong Reporting / Non-Reporting of Currency Chest Transactions and Inclusion of Ineligible Amounts in Currency Chest Balances	73 kb
Master Direction on Currency Distribution & Exchange Scheme (CDES) based on performance in rendering customer service to the members of public	57 kb
Oct 12, 2017
Master Direction on Levy of Penal Interest for Delayed Reporting/Wrong Reporting/Non-Reporting of Currency Chest Transactions and Inclusion of Ineligible Amounts in Currency Chest Balances	99 kb
Jul 20, 2016
Master Direction on Levy of Penal Interest for Delayed Reporting/Wrong Reporting/Non-Reporting of Currency Chest Transactions and Inclusion of Ineligible Amounts in Currency Chest Balances	33 kb
Master Direction on Currency Distribution & Exchange Scheme (CDES) based on performance in rendering customer service to the members of public	55 kb
Non-banking
Feb 17, 2021
Master Direction – Non-Banking Financial Company – Housing Finance Company (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2021 (Updated as on December 27, 2022)	1189 kb
Oct 25, 2018
Master Direction - Fit and Proper Criteria for Sponsors - Asset Reconstruction Companies (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2018	146 kb
Oct 04, 2017
Master Directions - Non-Banking Financial Company – Peer to Peer Lending Platform (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2017 (Updated as on December 29, 2022)	610 kb
Jun 08, 2017
Master Direction - Information Technology Framework for the NBFC Sector	254 kb
Nov 10, 2016
Master Directions - Mortgage Guarantee Companies (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on December 29, 2022)	530 kb
Sep 29, 2016
Master Direction- Non-Banking Financial Company Returns (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016	148 kb
Master Direction - Non-Banking Financial Companies Auditor’s Report (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016	160 kb
Master Direction - Monitoring of Frauds in NBFCs (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016	236 kb
Sep 02, 2016
Master Direction- Non-Banking Financial Company - Account Aggregator (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on December 29, 2022)	920 kb
Sep 01, 2016
Master Direction - Non-Banking Financial Company – Non-Systemically Important Non-Deposit taking Company (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on December 29, 2022)	1292 kb
Master Direction - Non-Banking Financial Company - Systemically Important Non-Deposit taking Company and Deposit taking Company (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on December 29, 2022)	1318 kb
Aug 25, 2016
Master Direction - Non-Banking Financial Companies Acceptance of Public Deposits (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on May 02, 2022)	291 kb
Master Direction - Core Investment Companies (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on December 29, 2022)	795 kb
Master Direction - Exemptions from the provisions of RBI Act, 1934 (Updated as on April 01, 2022)	170 kb
Master Direction - Miscellaneous Non-Banking Companies (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016	97 kb
Master Direction - Standalone Primary Dealers (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on November 14, 2022)	867 kb
Master Direction - Residuary Non-Banking Companies (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on February 22, 2019)	385 kb
Payment and Settlement System
Aug 27, 2021
Master Directions on Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) (Updated as on November 12, 2021)	666 kb
Oct 11, 2017
Master Direction on Issuance and Operation of Prepaid Payment Instruments (Updated as on November 17, 2020)	604 kb
Jan 19, 2017
Master Directions on Access Criteria for Payment Systems (Updated as on July 28, 2021)	1359 kb