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CIBIL gets RBI registration as credit information company

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/510 · issued 18 Apr 2012 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI granted a Certificate of Registration to Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited (CIBIL) on March 5, 2012, allowing it to operate as a credit information company. Regional Rural Banks must note this for their credit reporting and data sharing processes.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A credit & lending officer in Indore, Priya, receives a new borrower application. She now pulls a credit report from CIBIL, in addition to the other bureaus her bank already uses, to check the borrower's past repayment behavior. This helps her decide whether to approve the loan and at what interest rate, ensuring safer lending for her rural customers.

What changed

RBI issued a Certificate of Registration to CIBIL on March 5, 2012, authorizing it to carry on the business of credit information. This follows earlier registrations granted to Experian, Equifax, and High Mark in prior years.

What it means for you

RRBs now have an additional authorized credit information company to share borrower data with and access credit reports from. This expands the pool of credit bureaus, potentially improving credit assessment and risk management for rural lending.

What you must do

Who it affects

All Regional Rural Banks, Credit information companies, Borrowers of RRBs

❓ Common questions

What does this registration mean for RRBs?

RRBs can now legally share credit data with and obtain credit reports from CIBIL, enhancing their ability to assess borrower creditworthiness.

Is CIBIL the only new credit bureau registered?

No, RBI had previously registered Experian, Equifax, and High Mark. CIBIL is the latest addition to the list of authorized credit information companies.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2011-12/510 RPCD.CO RRB.BC No.71/03.05.33/2011-12 April 18, 2012 The Chairman All Regional Rural Banks Dear Sir/Madam, Grant of ‘Certificate of Registration’ – For carrying on the business of Credit Information – Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited Please refer to our circulars RPCD.CO.RRB.BC.No.62 /03.05.33 /2009-10 dated March 23, 2010 , RPCD. CO. RRB. BC. No.70 / 03.05.33 / 2009-10 dated April 19, 2010 and RPCD.CO.RRB.BC.No.36 /03.05.33 /2010-11 dated December 8, 2010 advising the issue of 'Certificate of Registration ' to Experian Credit Information Company of India Private Ltd., Equifax Credit Information Services Private Ltd. and High Mark Credit Information Services Private Ltd. respectively. 2. We further advise that, on March 5,2012, Reserve Bank of India has issued ‘Certificate of Registration’ to Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited to carry on the business of credit information. The address of the company is as follows: The Managing Director Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd. Hoechst House, 6th Floor 193, Backbay Reclamation Nariman Point Mumbai – 400 021 Please acknowledge receipt to our Regional Office concerned. Yours faithfully (C.D.Srinivasan) Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/510 · issued 18 Apr 2012. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All Regional Rural Banks, Credit information companies, Borrowers of RRBs), your first concrete step on “CIBIL gets RBI registration as credit information company” is: “Update your records to include CIBIL as a registered credit information company.” (RBI issued this 18 Apr 2012).

  1. Circular: RBI/2011-12/510 -- CIBIL gets RBI registration as credit information company
  2. Issued: 18 Apr 2012
  3. Action required: Update your records to include CIBIL as a registered credit information company.
  4. Action required: Ensure data sharing agreements with CIBIL comply with RBI guidelines.
  5. Action required: Train staff on using CIBIL reports for credit evaluation.
  6. Action required: Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your regional RBI office.
  7. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  8. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  9. 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.

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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=7144&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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