UCB Capital Instruments: Preference Share Dividend Rules Tweaked
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/440 · issued 21 Apr 2009 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI partially modified preference share dividend/coupon payment rules for UCBs. Missed dividends on perpetual non-cumulative preference shares cannot be paid later. Unpaid coupons on perpetual cumulative and redeemable cumulative preference shares become a liability and can be paid in later years.
The rule, in the simplest words
UCBs issuing Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preference Shares (PNCPS) must pay dividends on time, or they are lost forever.
For Perpetual Cumulative Preference Shares (PCPS) and Redeemable Cumulative Preference Shares (RCPS), unpaid coupons become a liability and can be paid later, but only if the bank has enough profits and meets the regulatory minimum Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR).
Redeemable Non-Cumulative Preference Shares (RNCPS) cannot have deferred coupons paid later, even if the bank has enough profits and meets the regulatory minimum CRAR.
How it plays out — a real example
A co-operative bank branch officer in Indore, working for a Primary Cooperative Bank, must ensure that the bank pays dividends on time for its Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preference Shares. If the bank misses a dividend payment, it will be permanently lost to investors, and the officer must report this to RBI's Urban Banks Department Central Office. This helps maintain trust with investors and ensures the bank's compliance with RBI regulations.
What changed
RBI partially modified paragraphs (A) 2.7(b) & (c), (B) 2.8.1(d) & (e), and 2.8.2 of the July 2008 preference share guidelines. For Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preference Shares (PNCPS), missed dividends cannot be paid in future years even if profits and CRAR permit. For Perpetual Cumulative Preference Shares (PCPS) and Redeemable Cumulative Preference Shares (RCPS), unpaid coupons become a liability and may be paid later. For Redeemable Non-Cumulative Preference Shares (RNCPS), deferred coupons cannot be paid later.
What it means for you
UCBs issuing PNCPS must ensure dividend discipline—missed dividends are permanently lost to investors. For PCPS/RCPS, unpaid coupons accumulate as a liability, giving banks flexibility but increasing future obligations. All instances of non-payment or reduced payment must be reported to RBI's Urban Banks Department Central Office.
What you must do
Update your board-approved policy on preference share dividend/coupon payments to reflect these modified rules.
Ensure systems track missed dividends on PNCPS as permanently forgone, not as arrears.
For PCPS/RCPS, record unpaid coupons as a liability and plan for future payment subject to profit and CRAR conditions.
Report all instances of non-payment or reduced payment of dividend/coupon to RBI's Urban Banks Department Central Office.
Who it affects
All Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks issuing preference shares, Treasury and finance teams managing capital instruments, Compliance and reporting departments
❓ Common questions
Can we pay missed dividends on PNCPS in a later year if profits improve?
No. The modified guidelines clearly state that missed dividends on Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preference Shares are non-cumulative and cannot be paid in future years, even if adequate profit is available and CRAR is above the regulatory minimum.
What happens to unpaid coupons on PCPS or RCPS?
Unpaid or partly unpaid coupons on Perpetual Cumulative Preference Shares and Redeemable Cumulative Preference Shares become a liability. The bank may pay them in later years, provided it meets the required conditions (adequate profit and CRAR).
Do we need to report every instance of non-payment to RBI?
Yes. All instances of non-payment of dividend or coupon, or payment at a rate lower than prescribed, must be reported to the Chief General Manager-in-Charge of Urban Banks Department, Central Office, RBI, Mumbai.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
Instruments for Augmenting Capital Funds - UCBs
Please refer to the guidelines on issue of preference shares enclosed to our circular UBD.PCB.Cir.No.4 / 09.18.201 / 08-09 dated July 15, 2008.
2. It has been decided to partially modify Para (A) 2.7 (b) & (c) and Para (B) 2.8.1 (d) & (e) and Para 2.8.2 of the guidelines (Annex-1) which will read as follows:
A. Guidelines on Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preference shares (PNCPS) – Annex-1
2.7 Payment of Dividend
(b) The dividend shall not be cumulative, ie., dividend missed in a year will not be paid in future years, even if adequate profit is available and the level of CRAR conforms to the regulatory minimum. When dividend is paid at a rate less than the prescribed rate, the unpaid amount will not be paid in future years, even if adequate profit is available and the level of CRAR conforms to the regulatory minimum.
(c) All instances of non payment of dividend / payment of a dividend at a lesser rate than prescribed in consequence of conditions as at (a) above should be reported by the issuing banks to the Chief General Manager-in-Charge of Urban Banks Department, Central Office of the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai.
B. Guidelines on Perpetual Cumulative Preference Shares (PCPS) / Redeemable Non-cumulative Preference Shares (RNCPS) / Redeemable Cumulative Preference Shares (RCPS)
2.8 Payment of coupon
(d) In the case of PCPS and RCPS the unpaid / partly unpaid coupon will be treated as a liability. The interest amount due and remaining unpaid may be allowed to be paid in later years subject to the bank complying with the above requirements.
(e) In the case of RNPCS, deferred coupon will not be paid in future years, even if adequate profit is available and the level of CRAR conforms to the regulatory minimum. The bank can however pay a coupon at a rate lesser than the prescribed rate, if adequate profit is available and the level of CRAR conforms to the regulatory minimum.
2.8.2 All instances of non payment of interest / payment of interest at a lesser rate than prescribed rate should be notified by the issuing banks to the Chief General Manager-in-Charge of Urban Banks Department, Central Office of the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai.
3. Please acknowledge receipt to our Regional Office concerned.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/440 · issued 21 Apr 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
For PCPS/RCPS, record unpaid coupons as a liability and plan for future payment subject to profit and CRAR conditions.
💻 IT / Systems
Ensure systems track missed dividends on PNCPS as permanently forgone, not as arrears.
📜 Compliance
Update your board-approved policy on preference share dividend/coupon payments to reflect these modified rules.
Report all instances of non-payment or reduced payment of dividend/coupon to RBI's Urban Banks Department Central Office.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks issuing preference shares, Treasury and finance teams managing capital instruments, Compliance and reporting departments), your first concrete step on “UCB Capital Instruments: Preference Share Dividend Rules Tweaked” is: “Update your board-approved policy on preference share dividend/coupon payments to reflect these modified rules.” (RBI issued this 21 Apr 2009).
Action required: Update your board-approved policy on preference share dividend/coupon payments to reflect these modified rules.
Action required: Ensure systems track missed dividends on PNCPS as permanently forgone, not as arrears.
Action required: For PCPS/RCPS, record unpaid coupons as a liability and plan for future payment subject to profit and CRAR conditions.
Action required: Report all instances of non-payment or reduced payment of dividend/coupon to RBI's Urban Banks Department Central Office.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 05 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=4941&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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