HomeCirculars › RBI/2010-11/182

No-Frills Accounts for Student Scholarships

No longer current — replaced by Review of Extant Instructions – Withdrawal of Circulars (RBI/2024-25/73, CO.FIDD.PCD.BC.No.9/04.04.003/2024-25
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/182 · issued 26 Aug 2010 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI directs banks to open no-frills accounts for students from minority communities or other disadvantaged groups to receive government scholarships or other benefits, citing hardship from refusals. KYC norms must be followed.

What changed

RBI issued a directive on August 26, 2010, requiring scheduled commercial banks to open no-frills accounts for students from minority communities or other disadvantaged groups seeking government scholarships or other benefits. This followed a notice from the Ministry of Minority Affairs about banks refusing such accounts, causing hardship to applicants.

What it means for you

Banks must now proactively offer no-frills accounts to students from minority communities or other disadvantaged groups for scholarship or other government benefits, ensuring fair access. This references earlier priority sector lending guidelines for minority communities.

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, Branch managers and customer service teams, Minority community students and their families, Government scholarship disbursement agencies

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

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

What is a no-frills account?

A no-frills account is a basic savings account with low or no minimum balance requirements, designed to promote financial inclusion. RBI referenced this concept in a circular dated November 11, 2005.

Can banks refuse to open such accounts for students?

No, RBI has explicitly directed banks to open no-frills accounts for students from minority communities or other disadvantaged groups seeking government scholarships or other benefits. Refusal may cause hardship to applicants.

📜 This document’s life story (2 recorded events, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Superseded by Review of Extant Instructions – Withdrawal of Circulars (RBI/2024-25/73, CO.FIDD
Repealed by RBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #1613: RPCD.CO.FID.BC.No.2433/12.01.012/2010-11 — "Opening of No-Frills Accounts by Students for Availing various Government Scholarships" dated August 26, 2010”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/182 RPCD.CO.FID. BC.No. 2433 /12.01.012/2010-11 August  26, 2010 The Chaiman & Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer All Scheduled Commercial Banks Dear Sir, Opening  of No-Frills accounts by students for availing various Government Scholarships. It has been brought to our notice by the Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Minority Affairs that banks are not opening ‘no-frills’ accounts in favour of students from minority communities who wish to avail of the scholarships being awarded by the Ministry through the State/UT Governments. This is causing hardship to the applicants for scholarship schemes of the Government and is inviting criticism. 2. In this connection, we draw your attention to our circular DBOD.Leg.BC.44/09.07.005/2005-06 dated November 11, 2005 with regard to opening of no-frills accounts by Scheduled Commercial Banks . A reference is also invited to our Master Circular RPCD.SP.BC.No.4/09.10.01/2010-11 dated July 1, 2010 on Priority Sector Lending-Credit Facilities to Minority Communities wherein  it has been stated that care should be taken to see that minority communities secure, in a fair and adequate measure, the benefits flowing from various Government sponsored special programmes. 3. You are also advised to ensure opening of no-frills accounts or other accounts for students from minority communities or other disadvantaged groups, when they approach banks, for availing various scholarships or other benefits offered by the Government. However, while opening such accounts, KYC norms as appropriate may be followed for the purpose. Yours faithfully (Sushma Vij) Deputy General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/182 · issued 26 Aug 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 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=5966&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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