Master Directions

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 The existing set of Master Circulars issued on various subjects will stand withdrawn with the issue of the Master Direction on the subject.

Commercial Banking
Apr 01, 2025
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2025	202 kb
Mar 25, 2025
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy for Regional Rural Banks) Directions, 2025	521 kb
Jan 06, 2025
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Credit Information Reporting) Directions, 2025	1203 kb
Jul 30, 2024
Master Direction on Treatment of Wilful Defaulters and Large Defaulters	1035 kb
Jul 15, 2024
Master Directions on Fraud Risk Management in Commercial Banks (including Regional Rural Banks) and All India Financial Institutions	445 kb
Feb 27, 2024
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Filing of Supervisory Returns) Directions - 2024	2066 kb
Nov 07, 2023
Master Direction on Information Technology Governance, Risk, Controls and Assurance Practices	425 kb
Sep 12, 2023
Master Direction - Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio of Commercial Banks (Directions), 2023 (Updated as on April 01, 2025)	1050 kb
Jun 26, 2023
Master Direction on Minimum Capital Requirements for Operational Risk	1297 kb
Apr 10, 2023
Master Direction on Outsourcing of Information Technology Services	417 kb
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 (Updated as on March 07, 2024)	906 kb
Mar 14, 2022
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Regulatory Framework for Microfinance Loans) Directions, 2022 (Updated as on October 10, 2024)	507 kb
Oct 26, 2021
Master Direction – Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy for Local Area Banks (Directions), 2021 (Updated as on April 08, 2024)	1777 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 28, 2023)	855 kb
Aug 30, 2021
Master Direction on Financial Statements - Presentation and Disclosures (Updated as on July 03, 2025)	1663 kb
Aug 25, 2021
Master Direction - Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio of Commercial Banks (Directions), 2021 (Updated as on December 8, 2022)	2060 kb
Jul 20, 2021
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India [Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR)] Directions - 2021 (Updated as on December 16, 2024)	978 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 June 12, 2025)	880 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 (Updated as on July 03, 2025)	606 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	682 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	644 kb
Mar 03, 2016
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rate on Advances) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on September 12, 2023)	329 kb
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on June 07, 2024)	295 kb
Nov 19, 2015
Prior Approval for acquisition of shares or voting rights in Private Sector Banks: Directions, 2015	773 kb
Oct 22, 2015
Gold Monetization Scheme, 2015 (Updated as on March 25, 2025)	808 kb