Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/269 · issued 10 Nov 2010 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI has consolidated all ACB review requirements into a single calendar, covering quarterly, half-yearly, and annual reviews. Banks must now follow this minimum checklist, with flexibility to add more reviews as needed.
The rule, in the simplest words
The bank's Audit Committee (a special group that checks if the bank is following rules) must now use one single checklist for all its meetings, instead of many different old lists.
Every three months (quarterly), the committee must check: loans to risky areas like stock market and real estate, customer identity rules (KYC/AML), bank housekeeping (like fixing old mistakes in accounts), and any big frauds over 1 crore rupees.
Every six months (half-yearly), the committee must review reports on internet banking scams and special reports (Ghosh and Jilani committee reports).
Once a year (annually), the committee must check the bank's accounting rules, deals with people connected to the bank, whether internal checks are good enough, and how the bank manages risks.
The committee must also watch the work of all auditors (people who check the bank's books) and help choose the main outside auditor.
How it plays out — a real example
Priya, a branch operations officer in Indore, prepares her quarterly report for the Audit Committee. She lists all loans given to real estate developers and stock market investors, checks that every customer's identity was verified, and reports a small fraud of ₹50,000 (which is under ₹1 crore, so it doesn't need special review). The committee uses her report to make sure the bank is safe and following RBI rules.
What changed
RBI has consolidated multiple circulars into one comprehensive calendar of reviews for the Audit Committee of the Board (ACB). The calendar outlines the critical minimum requirements, replacing earlier piecemeal instructions. Banks retain discretion to add more reviews as needed.
What it means for you
Banks must now ensure their ACB reviews cover the full consolidated list, including quarterly checks on sensitive sectors, KYC/AML compliance, housekeeping, and frauds. This streamlines compliance and ensures no critical review is missed. ACBs must also closely monitor concurrent, internal, and statutory audit work, and take an active role in statutory auditor appointments.
What you must do
Update your ACB charter to include all reviews listed in the consolidated calendar.
Ensure quarterly reviews cover exposure to sensitive sectors, KYC/AML, housekeeping, and frauds above Rs. 1 crore.
Assign ACB to monitor concurrent, internal, and statutory audit work and compliance with RBI inspection findings.
Prepare for half-yearly reviews of Ghosh and Jilani committee report status and internet banking phishing frauds.
Conduct annual reviews of accounting policies, related party transactions, internal audit adequacy, and risk management policies.
Who it affects
All Indian commercial banks, Audit Committees of the Board, Internal audit departments, Statutory auditors, Compliance teams
❓ Common questions
What is the key change in this circular?
RBI has consolidated all previous ACB review requirements into one comprehensive calendar, making it easier for banks to ensure they cover all mandatory reviews.
Can banks add more reviews beyond the calendar?
Yes, the calendar outlines critical minimum requirements, and bank Boards have discretion to prescribe additional reviews to suit their needs.
What quarterly reviews are now mandatory?
Quarterly reviews must cover exposure to sensitive sectors (capital market & real estate), KYC/AML compliance, housekeeping (suspense/sundry accounts), and frauds of Rs. 1 crore and above.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/269
DBS.ARS.BC. No.4/08.91.020/ 2010-11
November 10, 2010
The Chief Executives
All Indian Commercial Banks
Dear Sir/Madam,
Audit Committee of the Board of Directors – Calendar of Reviews
As you are aware, the norms regarding the constitution and functions of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (ACB), as also reviews to be submitted, had been prescribed vide our circular DoS.No.BC.14/Adm/919/16.13.100/95 dated September 26, 1995. Subsequently, in terms of circulars issued from time to time, a number of additional reviews have been prescribed to be placed before the ACB.
2. The instructions have now been consolidated and a comprehensive calendar of reviews to be placed before ACBs is given in the Annex . It is emphasized that the calendar outlines the critical minimum requirements of review and the bank Boards will have discretion to prescribe additional reviews to suit their requirements.
3. It is also emphasized that the ACB should monitor the work done by concurrent audit, internal audit, statutory audit and compliance of RBI inspection very closely and should take an active role in appointment of statutory auditors.
4. Hindi version of the circular follows.
Yours faithfully
(A Madasamy)
Chief General Manager
Encls: As above.
Annex
Calendar of Reviews
Quarterly
Exposure to sensitive sectors i.e. capital market & real estate.
KYC / AML Guidelines - (i) Review of implementation (ii) Review of compliance of concurrent audit reports with respect to adherence to KYC / AML guidelines at branches.
Review of housekeeping - particularly balancing and reconciliation of long outstanding entries Suspense / Sundries / Drafts payable / paid / Funds in Transit / Clearing / SGL / CSGL accounts
Review of compliance in respect of the Annual Financial Inspection conducted by RBI (ACB should review this on ongoing basis till the bank furnishes full compliance. ACB should closely monitor persisting deficiencies pointed out in RBI Inspection Reports )
Review of Audit plan and status of achievement thereof.
Review of significant Audit Findings of the following audits along with the compliance thereof - (i) LFAR (ii) Concurrent Audit (iii) Internal Inspection (iv) I.S.Audit of Data Centre (v) Treasury and Derivatives (vi) Management Audit at Controlling Offices / Head Offices (vii) Audit of Service Branches (viii) Currency Chest (ix) FEMA Audit of branches authorized to deal in foreign exchange, etc.
Compliance report on directives issued by ACB / Board / RBI.
Report on compliance of clause 49 and other guidelines issued by SEBI from time to time.
Report on compliance of regulatory requirement of Regulators in Host Countries in respect of overseas branches.
Review of Frauds (frauds of Rs.1 crore and above to be reviewed as and when reported).
Review of financial results for the quarter
Review of information on violations by various functionaries in the exercise of discretionary powers.
Information in respect of equity share holdings in borrower companies more than 30% of their paid up capital.
Half Yearly
Status of implementation of Ghosh and Jilani Committee reports
Detailed report on fraudulent transactions relating to Internet Banking through phishing attacks pointing out in particular the deficiencies in the existing systems and steps taken by the IT department to prevent such cases.
Annual
Change in accounting policy and practices which may have significant bearing on financial statements. A confirmation that accounting policies are in compliance with accounting standards and RBI guidelines.
Review of IS Audit Policy
Review of transactions with related parties
Review of accounting policies / systems of the bank with a view to ensuring greater transparency in the bank's accounts and adequacy of accounting standards.
Review of adequacy of the internal audit function, including the structure of the internal audit department, staffing and seniority of the official heading the department, reporting structure, coverage and frequency of internal audit.
Review of the bank's financial and risk management policies.
Review of annual accounts of the bank.
Appointment of statutory auditors and review of performance - both for domestic and overseas operations.
Penalties imposed / penal action taken against bank under various laws and statutes and action taken for corrective measures
Review of report on Revenue leakage detected by Internal / External Auditors and status of recovery thereof - reasons for undercharges and steps taken to prevent revenue leakage.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/269 · issued 10 Nov 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All Indian commercial banks, Audit Committees of the Board, Internal audit departments, Statutory auditors, Compliance teams), your first concrete step on “RBI Consolidates Audit Committee Review Calendar” is: “Update your ACB charter to include all reviews listed in the consolidated calendar.” (RBI issued this 10 Nov 2010).
Action required: Update your ACB charter to include all reviews listed in the consolidated calendar.
Action required: Ensure quarterly reviews cover exposure to sensitive sectors, KYC/AML, housekeeping, and frauds above Rs. 1 crore.
Action required: Assign ACB to monitor concurrent, internal, and statutory audit work and compliance with RBI inspection findings.
Action required: Prepare for half-yearly reviews of Ghosh and Jilani committee report status and internet banking phishing frauds.
Action required: Conduct annual reviews of accounting policies, related party transactions, internal audit adequacy, and risk management policies.
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
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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=6090&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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