No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2023-24/115 · issued 17 Jan 2024 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI has revised eligibility norms for UCBs to be included in the Second Schedule of the RBI Act, aligning with the 2022 Revised Regulatory Framework. Only licensed Tier 3 and Tier 4 UCBs that are Financially Sound and Well Managed for two consecutive years can now apply.
What changed
The eligibility criteria for including UCBs in the Second Schedule have been updated to match the Revised Regulatory Framework for UCBs announced in July 2022. Now, only licensed Tier 3 and Tier 4 UCBs that meet the Financially Sound and Well Managed criteria and maintain minimum deposits required for Tier 3 categorization for two consecutive years are eligible. Additionally, applicants must have a CRAR at least 3% above the minimum requirement and no major regulatory or supervisory concerns.
What it means for you
This revision tightens the path for UCBs to gain Scheduled Bank status, linking it directly to financial soundness and tier classification. Banks that are not Tier 3 or 4, or fail to meet the FSWM criteria, will no longer qualify. For lenders, this raises the bar for regulatory recognition and may affect their access to certain privileges like borrowing from RBI or clearing house membership.
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
Assess your UCB's current tier classification and FSWM status against the new norms.
Ensure CRAR is maintained at least 3% above the minimum requirement for your tier.
Prepare documentation including board resolution and last three years' audited balance sheets for application.
Submit application to the concerned RBI Regional Office (or Central Office for Mumbai jurisdiction).
Who it affects
Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, Tier 3 and Tier 4 UCBs seeking Scheduled Bank status, RBI supervisory departments handling UCB applications
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-18 03:53 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).
What is the minimum CRAR requirement for a UCB to be eligible under these new norms?
The UCB must have a CRAR at least 3% higher than the minimum CRAR requirement applicable to it, based on the latest RBI inspection or audited financials.
Can a Tier 1 or Tier 2 UCB apply for inclusion in the Second Schedule under this circular?
No, only licensed Tier 3 and Tier 4 UCBs that meet the Financially Sound and Well Managed criteria and have maintained minimum Tier 3 deposits for two consecutive years are eligible.
What documents are needed to apply for Second Schedule inclusion?
You need a board resolution authorizing the application and naming authorized officials, plus the bank's published balance sheets for the last three years.
📜 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 #141: DoR.REG/LIC.No.72/16.05.000/2023-24 — "Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 - Norms for Inclusion" dated January 17, 2024”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2023-24/115
DoR.REG/LIC.No.72/16.05.000/2023-24
January 17, 2024
Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks
Madam / Dear Sir,
Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 – Norms for inclusion
Please refer to our circular UBD.CO.BPD(PCB).No.20/16.05.000/2013-14 dated September 27, 2013 on the captioned subject.
2. Subsequent to release of the Revised Regulatory Framework for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) on July 19, 2022 , revised categorization norms for UCBs for regulatory purposes was notified vide circular DOR.REG.No.84/07.01.000/2022-23 dated December 01, 2022 and the criteria for classifying a UCB as Financially Sound and Well Managed (FSWM) have been revised vide circular DOR.REG.No.85/07.01.000/2022-23 dated December 01, 2022 .
3. It has now been decided to revise the eligibility norms for inclusion of UCBs in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 to bring them in conformity with the Revised Regulatory Framework.
4. In this regard, Government of India notification F.No.3/16/2023-AC dated September 04, 2023 has been published in Gazette of India on September 23, 2023 notifying that licensed Tier 3 and Tier 4 Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, fulfilling the criteria stipulated for Financially Sound and Well Managed Urban Co-operative Banks by the Reserve Bank of India, subject to maintenance of minimum deposits required for categorisation as a Tier 3 Urban Co-operative Bank for two consecutive years, would be the eligible financial institutions for the purpose of sub-clause (iii) of clause (a) of sub-section (6) of section 42 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 ( copy enclosed ).
5. Such eligible UCBs satisfying the following criteria shall be considered for inclusion in the Second Schedule:
CRAR of at least 3 per cent more than the minimum CRAR requirement applicable to the UCB; and
No major regulatory and supervisory concerns.
6. The information at 5(a) shall be based on the assessed financials and findings of RBI inspection report or audited financial statements, whichever is latest. Such eligible UCBs may submit their application for inclusion in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 to the concerned Regional Office of Department of Supervision (in case of UCBs under jurisdiction of Mumbai office, the application should be sent to Department of Supervision, RBI, Central Office) of the Reserve Bank along with the following documents (two sets):
Copy of resolution passed by the Annual General Body/Board of Directors to make an application to RBI for inclusion in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and containing the name(s) of bank official(s) authorized to correspond with RBI in this regard; and
Major financial details of the bank together with copies of the published balance sheet for the last three years.
7. These instructions are issued under clause (a) of sub-section (6) of section 42 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
8. The revised instructions shall come into force from the date of issue of the circular. The circular UBD.CO.BPD(PCB).No.20/16.05.000/2013-14 dated September 27, 2013 will thus stand repealed.
Yours faithfully,
(Manoranjan Padhy)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2023-24/115 · issued 17 Jan 2024. 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=12601&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.
Help us keep this accurate
Found an inaccuracy or have an improvement? Tell us. Every report is reviewed by our team before any change is made — nothing goes live unverified.
Public beta — plain-English informational summaries. Always verify against the official RBI source (circular number cited on every page) before making compliance, credit, treasury, audit, or operational decisions. · Join our WhatsApp channel ↗
BANKPULSE · FREE DAILY BRIEF
Get RBI updates for your role
Every important RBI update, decoded in plain English — for your career, exams & financial awareness.
We collect only your email, name and role, used solely to send your brief — never sold or shared. Withdraw anytime via the unsubscribe link in any email. Independent platform, not affiliated with the RBI. Information, not legal advice.
REPORT AN ERROR · BETA
Spotted an error? Earn 500 BankPulse Credits
Help us stay accurate. If your correction is verified true and approved by our founder, you earn 500 BankPulse Credits — redeemable when the platform monetises.
Reviewed by a human before any credit is awarded. We never change the site from crowd input without verification.
WANT A NEW FEATURE · BETA
What would make BankPulse more useful for you?
Tell us what to build next — a tool, a data view, a role page, anything. We read every suggestion.
Thank you — your ideas directly shape what we build.