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RBI Finalises Securitisation Guidelines with Lock-in and Retention Norms

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/540 · issued 07 May 2012 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI issued final securitisation guidelines on May 7, 2012, mandating a minimum lock-in period and retention criteria for securitised loans originated and purchased by banks and NBFCs.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A gold‑loan officer named Ramesh in Indore is preparing a securitisation of gold‑backed loans. He must keep a minimum portion of those loans on his bank’s books for the required lock‑in period before selling the rest to investors, following the new rules. This keeps the bank’s interest aligned with the investors and gives customers confidence.

What changed

RBI finalised securitisation guidelines after a discussion paper in April 2010 and revised draft guidelines in September 2011. The guidelines introduce a minimum lock-in period and minimum retention requirements for securitised loans to align originator and investor interests. They also cover prudential treatment of direct assignment of cash flows and underlying securities.

What it means for you

Banks and NBFCs must now hold a minimum portion of securitised loans on their books for a specified period, reducing risk transfer without skin in the game. This strengthens market discipline and investor confidence. Lenders need to adjust their securitisation structures and pricing to comply with the new retention and lock-in rules.

What you must do

Who it affects

All scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs and Local Area Banks), All-India term lending and refinancing institutions (Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB, SIDBI), NBFCs involved in securitisation

❓ Common questions

What is the effective date of these securitisation guidelines?

The guidelines were issued on May 7, 2012, and are effective from that date, as per the circular.

Do these guidelines apply to direct assignment of cash flows?

Yes, Section B of the guidelines covers prudential treatment for transfer of standard assets through direct assignment of cash flows and underlying securities.

Will there be further guidance on credit enhancements?

Yes, the circular states that a separate circular will be issued in due course on reset of credit enhancements in securitisation transactions.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2011-12/540 DBOD.No.BP.BC-103/21.04.177/2011-12 May 07, 2012 The Chairman and Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of All Scheduled Commercial Banks (Excluding RRBs and Local Area Banks) and All-India Term Lending and Refinancing Institutions (Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB and SIDBI) Dear Sir, Revisions to the Guidelines on Securitisation Transactions Please refer to the paragraph 107 ( extract enclosed ) of the Monetary Policy Statement  2012-13 announced on April 17, 2012 on issuance of final guidelines on securitisation. With a view to developing an orderly and healthy securitisation market and ensuring greater alignment of the interests of the originators and the investors, it was considered necessary to prescribe a minimum lock-in-period and minimum retention criteria for securitised loans originated and purchased by banks and NBFCs. Accordingly, a discussion paper and draft guidelines on securitisation transactions were issued in April 2010 for public comments. After considering the feedback received and international developments during the intervening period, revised draft guidelines were issued for public comments in September 2011. Taking into account comments received from various stakeholders, the guidelines have now been finalised and are enclosed in Annex . These guidelines also cover prudential treatment of transfer of assets through direct assignment of cash flows and the underlying securities, if any. 2. The guidelines are organised in three Sections. Section A contains the provisions relating to securitisation of assets. A separate circular would be issued in due course on reset of credit enhancements in case of securitisation transactions. Section B contains stipulations regarding transfer of standard assets through direct assignment of cash flows. Section C enumerates the securitisation transactions which are currently not permissible in India. 3. All other guidelines on securitisation of assets including those contained in our ‘Master Circular on New Capital Adequacy Framework’ dated July 1, 2011 remain unchanged. Yours faithfully, (Deepak Singhal) Chief General Manager-in-Charge Encl.: as above Extract from Monetary Policy Statement 2012-13 Lock-in Period and Minimum Retention for Securitisation Exposures 107. With a view to developing an orderly and healthy securitisation market and ensuring greater alignment of the interests of the originators and the investors, it was considered necessary to prescribe a minimum lock-in-period and minimum retention criteria for securitised loans originated and purchased by banks and NBFCs. Accordingly, a discussion paper and draft guidelines on securitisation transactions were issued in April 2010 for public comments. After considering the feedback received and international developments during the intervening period, revised draft guidelines were issued for public comments in September 2011. Taking into account comments received from various stakeholders, it is proposed: to issue the final guidelines on securitisation by end-April 2012.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/540 · issued 07 May 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 scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs and Local Area Banks), All-India term lending and refinancing institutions (Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB, SIDBI), NBFCs involved in securitisation), your first concrete step on “RBI Finalises Securitisation Guidelines with Lock-in and Retention Norms” is: “Review the enclosed Annex for detailed lock-in period and minimum retention requirements.” (RBI issued this 07 May 2012).

  1. Circular: RBI/2011-12/540 -- RBI Finalises Securitisation Guidelines with Lock-in and Retention Norms
  2. Issued: 07 May 2012
  3. Action required: Review the enclosed Annex for detailed lock-in period and minimum retention requirements.
  4. Action required: Update internal securitisation policies and transaction documentation to comply with the new guidelines.
  5. Action required: Ensure all direct assignment of cash flows and underlying securities adhere to the prudential treatment outlined in Section B.
  6. Action required: Monitor for the separate circular on reset of credit enhancements in securitisation transactions.
  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=7184&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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