HomeCirculars › RBI/2008-09/452

Savings Bank Interest to Be Calculated on Daily Product Basis from April 2010

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/452 · issued 24 Apr 2009 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI mandates scheduled commercial banks to calculate savings bank interest on a daily product basis from April 1, 2010, replacing the existing minimum balance method. This change leverages improved computerization in branches and aims to benefit depositors with fairer interest calculation.

What changed

Previously, interest on savings bank accounts was calculated on the minimum balance between the 10th and last day of each month. Now, from April 1, 2010, interest must be computed on the daily balance (daily product basis), as announced in the April 2009 Annual Policy Statement. The shift was enabled by satisfactory computerization levels in commercial bank branches.

What it means for you

Banks must update their core banking systems to calculate and credit interest daily, which may increase operational costs initially but aligns with depositor fairness. This change could slightly raise interest payouts for accounts with fluctuating balances, impacting net interest margins. Banks need to communicate the transition clearly to customers and ensure system readiness by the deadline.

Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.

What banks were required to do at the time

Who it affects

All scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs), Savings bank account holders, Bank IT and operations teams, Deposit operations and product management departments

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What is the daily product basis for savings interest?

Interest is calculated on the actual daily balance in the account, summed over the month, and then paid at the applicable rate. This replaces the old method of using the minimum balance between the 10th and last day of the month.

When does this change take effect?

The new calculation method is effective from April 1, 2010, as announced in the RBI Annual Policy Statement on April 21, 2009.

Why did RBI make this change?

RBI cited satisfactory computerization in commercial bank branches, making daily calculation feasible. The change addresses suggestions from banks and the Indian Banks' Association to move to a fairer method.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
Please refer to paragraph 88 of the Annual Policy Statement announced by Governor on April 21, 2009 ( extract enclosed ), in terms of which it has been proposed that payment of interest on savings bank accounts by scheduled commercial banks would be calculated on a daily product basis with effect from April 1, 2010. In terms of extant guidelines, as per paragraph 2.2B of the Master Circular dated July 1, 2008 on Interest Rates on Rupee Deposits held in Domestic, Ordinary Non-Resident (NRO) and Non-Resident (External) (NRE) Accounts , banks have been advised that in the case of savings deposits, interest should be calculated on the minimum balance to the credit of the deposit account during the period from the 10th to the last day of each calendar month and credited to the account only when it is Re.1/- or more. Several banks had suggested that interest on savings bank accounts may be calculated either on the minimum balances in the deposit accounts during the period from the first to the last day of each calendar month or on a daily product basis. The matter was referred to the Indian Banks' Association, which was of the view that payment of interest on a daily product basis would be feasible only when computerisation in banks is completed. 2. We advise that on a review, and in view of the present satisfactory level of computerisation in commercial bank branches, it is proposed that payment of interest on savings bank accounts by scheduled commercial banks would be calculated on a daily product basis with effect from April 1, 2010 . In order to ensure a smooth transition, banks may work out the modalities in this regard.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/452 · issued 24 Apr 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=4949&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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