No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/58 · issued 01 Jul 2011 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI consolidated all exposure norms into a single Master Circular effective July 1, 2011, covering credit limits for individual/group borrowers, industry/sector caps, and capital market exposure. Banks must align internal policies with these updated guidelines.
What changed
RBI issued a new Master Circular replacing the July 2010 version, incorporating all instructions issued up to June 30, 2011. The circular consolidates and updates previous guidelines on credit exposure limits, sectoral caps, and capital market exposure for scheduled commercial banks.
What it means for you
Banks now have a single reference document for exposure norms, reducing ambiguity and ensuring uniformity. Compliance with these updated limits is mandatory; deviations could attract regulatory scrutiny. The circular reinforces RBI's focus on risk management and concentration risk mitigation.
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
Review and update internal exposure policies to align with the consolidated Master Circular.
Ensure credit exposure to individual/group borrowers and sectors stays within prescribed ceilings.
Monitor capital market exposure components and adhere to the defined limits.
Train credit and risk teams on the updated definitions and exemptions.
Maintain documentation for any exemptions claimed under the circular.
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs), Credit and risk management departments, Board-level committees overseeing exposure limits
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective July 1, 2011
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 00:35 IST
repealed_by — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
Status change: withdrawn03 Aug 2026, 04:00 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
Does this Master Circular replace all previous exposure norm circulars?
Yes, it consolidates and supersedes all instructions listed in Annex 4, effective from July 1, 2011.
Are Regional Rural Banks covered under this circular?
No, the circular explicitly excludes RRBs from its application.
What are the key areas covered under capital market exposure?
The circular details components like advances against shares, IPO financing, investments in VCFs, and margin trading, with specific limits and risk management requirements.
📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed byRBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2011-12/58
DBOD. No.Dir.BC.7/13.03.00/ 2011-12
July 1, 2011
Ashadha 10, 1933 (Saka)
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(excluding RRBs)
Dear Sir / Madam
Master Circular – Exposure Norms
Please refer to the Master Circular DBOD No. Dir. BC. 14/13.03.00/2010-11 dated July 1, 2010 consolidating the instructions / guidelines issued to banks till that date relating to Exposure Norms. The Master Circular has been suitably updated by incorporating the instructions issued up to June 30, 2011 and has also been placed on the RBI website ( http://www.rbi.org.in ). A copy of the Master Circular is enclosed.
Yours faithfully
(P.R.Ravi Mohan)
Chief General Manager
Encl: as above
Master Circular on Exposure Norms
CONTENTS
Para No.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/58 · issued 01 Jul 2011. 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=6546&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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