No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/113 · issued 05 Jul 2012 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI has relaxed dividend declaration rules for UCBs: banks meeting all five criteria (CRAR, net NPA <5%, no CRR/SLR default, full provisions, profit after adjustments) can declare dividend without prior approval. Those with net NPA between 5% and 10% may seek regional office permission.
What changed
RBI revised the criteria for UCBs to declare dividend without prior permission, replacing the earlier 2009 circular. Banks now need to comply with five specific parameters including CRAR norms, net NPA below 5%, no CRR/SLR default, full provisioning, and dividend from net profit after adjustments. UCBs with net NPA between 5% and 10% can approach the regional office for permission.
What it means for you
UCBs with strong asset quality and regulatory compliance can now distribute dividends more freely, reducing administrative burden. Banks with net NPA above 5% but below 10% still have a pathway via RBI approval, but those above 10% are effectively barred. This encourages better NPA management and provisioning discipline among urban co-operative banks.
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
Verify your UCB meets all five criteria: CRAR compliance, net NPA <5%, no CRR/SLR default, full provisions, and dividend from net profit after losses.
If net NPA is between 5% and 10%, prepare a detailed application to your regional RBI office for dividend permission.
Ensure all provisions as per prudential norms and last inspection report are fully made before declaring any dividend.
Maintain records of CRR/SLR compliance for the relevant year to avoid default issues.
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).
Can a UCB with net NPA above 10% declare dividend?
No. The circular allows dividend only if net NPA is below 5% (without permission) or between 5% and 10% (with RBI regional office approval). Banks with net NPA above 10% cannot declare dividend under this framework.
What happens if a UCB fails to meet CRR/SLR requirements during the year?
Any default in CRR/SLR during the year for which dividend is proposed disqualifies the bank from declaring dividend without prior permission, even if other criteria are met.
Is prior RBI approval needed for all UCBs declaring dividend?
No. UCBs that meet all five parameters (including net NPA below 5%) can declare dividend without prior permission. Only those with net NPA between 5% and 10% need to approach the regional office for approval.
📜 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)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #1258: UBD.BPD.(PCB).Cir.No.4/12.05.001/2012-13 — "Declaration of Dividend by UCBs" dated July 5, 2012”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/113
UBD.BPD. (PCB). Cir.No. 4/12.05.001/2012-13
July 5, 2012
The Chief Executive Officer,
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks
Madam / Dear Sir,
Declaration of dividend by UCBs
Please refer to our circular UBD.CO.BPD (PCB) Cir. No. 70 /12.05.001/2008-09 dated June 15, 2009 on the captioned subject advising the criteria for declaration of dividend by UCBs.
2. It has now been decided to revise the criteria for declaring dividend without prior permission of the Reserve Bank. Accordingly, UCBs may henceforth declare dividend subject to compliance with the following parameters:
i) Compliance with CRAR norms as prescribed by RBI .
ii) Net NPA of less than 5% after making all necessary provisions (including provisions required as per assessment made by RBI in the last inspection report).
iii) There is no default in CRR/SLR during the year for which dividend is proposed.
iv) All required provisions have been made for NPAs, investments and other assets as per prudential norms.
v) Dividend is paid out of the net profit and after making all statutory and other provisions and adjustment for accumulated losses in full.
3. UCBs complying with all the above parameters except net NPA, and desirous of declaring dividend may approach the respective Regional office of the Reserve Bank for permission for declaring dividend provided the Net NPA is less than 10%.
4. The criteria for declaration of dividend would be reviewed after three years from the date of this circular or earlier, if necessary.
5. Please acknowledge receipt of the circular to the Regional office concerned.
Yours faithfully
(A. Udgata)
Chief General Manager- in- Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/113 · issued 05 Jul 2012. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
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=7426&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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