Home › Circulars › RBI/2012-13/542

RRBs Must Acknowledge Form 15-G/15-H Submissions

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/542 · issued 24 Jun 2013 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI mandates RRBs to issue an acknowledgment upon receiving Form 15-G/15-H from depositors to prevent wrongful TDS deductions and improve customer service.

What changed

RBI observed that RRBs were deducting TDS even after customers submitted Form 15-G/15-H, often due to misplaced forms or poor tracking. To fix this, RBI now requires RRBs to provide a formal acknowledgment at the time of form submission.

What it means for you

This directive creates a clear audit trail for tax exemption claims, reducing customer complaints and legal risks for RRBs. Banks must update their branch procedures to ensure acknowledgments are issued systematically, or face regulatory scrutiny.

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

Who it affects

Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), RRB branch managers and staff, Depositors submitting Form 15-G/15-H

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

Why did RBI issue this circular?

RBI received complaints that RRBs were deducting TDS even after customers submitted Form 15-G/15-H, often due to misplaced forms or poor record-keeping.

What must RRBs do now?

RRBs must give a written acknowledgment to customers when they submit Form 15-G/15-H, ensuring accountability and preventing wrongful TDS deductions.

Does this apply to all banks?

No, this circular specifically applies to Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), as per the document reference RPCD.CO.RRB.BC.No. 78/03.05.33/2012-13.

📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed by RBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #1141: RPCD.CO.RRB.BC.No.78/03.05.33/2012-13 — "Acknowledgement by RRBs at the Time of Submission of Form 15-G / 15-H" dated June 24, 2013”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/542 RPCD.CO.RRB.BC.No. 78/03.05.33/2012-13 June 24, 2013 All Regional Rural Banks Dear Sir/Madam, Acknowledgement by RRBs at the time of submission of Form 15-G / 15-H As you are aware RRBs are not required to deduct TDS from depositors who submit declaration in Form 15-G/15-H under Income Tax Rules, 1962. However, it has been brought to our notice that despite submission of Form 15-G/15-H by customers, RRBs are deducting tax at source, at times, causing inconvenience to customers resulting in a number of complaints. Such instances arise because either the forms are misplaced or a track is not kept of forms received in the branches. 2. The matter has been examined. With a view to protect interest of the depositors and for rendering better customer service, RRBs are advised to give an acknowledgment at the time of receipt of Form 15-G/15-H. This will help in building a system of accountability and customers will not be put to inconvenience due to any omission on part of the banks. Yours faithfully, (A. Udgata) Principal Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/542 · issued 24 Jun 2013. 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=8056&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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