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SFB CRR/SLR Fortnight Definition Changed to Calendar Dates

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Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2025-26/149 · issued 11 Dec 2025 · ~3 min read
Quick answerFrom December 15, 2025, SFBs must align CRR/SLR maintenance and reporting with a new fortnight definition: 1st-15th and 16th-last day of each month. Single Form A replaces provisional/final returns, submitted electronically via CIMS with digital signatures. Transition period December 13-15, 2025, requires CRR/SLR maintenance based on NDTL as on November 28, 2025, with minimum 100% CRR.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A treasury officer in Indore, Priya, updates her bank's calendar: from December 15, 2025, she knows the CRR/SLR fortnight runs from the 1st to the 15th, then 16th to month-end. She trains her team to submit a single Form A online via CIMS with two digital signatures, replacing the old provisional and final reports, making her work simpler and faster.

What changed

The definition of 'fortnight' for CRR and SLR purposes has shifted from 'the period from Saturday to the second following Friday, both days inclusive' to 'the period from the first day to the fifteenth day of each calendar month or sixteenth day to the last day of each calendar month, both days inclusive'. References to 'Friday' in specific paragraphs (6(18), 9, 21, 23, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33, 39, Annex I, Annex II) are substituted with 'day' or 'last day of the fortnight'. The provisional/final Form A return structure is abolished in favor of a single fortnightly Form A and monthly Form VIII, both submitted electronically on CIMS with new return codes.

What it means for you

Small Finance Banks must overhaul their internal CRR/SLR computation and reporting schedules to match the new calendar fortnight, effective December 15, 2025. The elimination of provisional and final returns reduces administrative burden but requires strict adherence to electronic submission with dual digital signatures. Banks need to update their systems and train staff on the revised CIMS return codes and timelines.

What you must do

Who it affects

Small Finance Banks, Compliance and reporting teams at SFBs, IT departments managing CIMS submissions, Auditors and internal control functions

❓ Common questions

When does the new fortnight definition take effect?

The new definition of fortnight (1st-15th and 16th-last day of each month) comes into effect from December 15, 2025, as per the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, notified in the Gazette of India dated December 08, 2025.

What happens to the old provisional and final Form A returns?

They are abolished. From December 15, 2025, SFBs must submit a single Form A return fortnightly, and Form VIII monthly, both electronically on CIMS with digital signatures. No hard copies are accepted.

Are there any changes to reporting deadlines?

Yes. References to 'Friday' in specific paragraphs are replaced with 'day' or 'last day of the fortnight'. The words 'provisional' and 'final' are deleted, and the 20-day final return deadline is removed. The last day of each fortnight becomes the reference point for reporting.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
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The Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025 has amended various provisions, including the section 42 of Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and the sections 18 and 24 of Banking Regulation Act 1949, relating to maintenance of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR). 3. Pursuant to the enactment of the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, the definition of ‘Fortnight’ has been amended from “the period from Saturday to the second following Friday, both days inclusive” to “the period from the first day to the fifteenth day of each calendar month or sixteenth day to the last day of each calendar month, both days inclusive”. As notified in the Gazette of India dated December 08, 2025, the enactment date of the stated definition of fortnight is December 15, 2025. Consequently, the CRR and SLR maintenance and reporting in their returns i.e., Form A and Form VIII respectively, also stand revised to align with the amended definition of the fortnight. 4. Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and pursuant to Section 42 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and Sections 18 and 24 of Banking Regulation Act, 1949, as amended from time to time, and all other provisions / laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India in this regard, the Reserve Bank being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby, issues the Amendment Directions hereinafter specified. 5. These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Small Finance Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Amendment Directions, 2025. 6. The provisions shall come into effect from December 15, 2025, except paragraph 7 (viii) (2), which shall be effective from December 12, 2025. 7. These Amendment Directions modify the Reserve Bank of India (Small Finance Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025 as under: (i) In paragraph 6 (14), the definition of ‘Fortnight’ shall be redefined as ‘Fortnight’ means the period from the first day to the fifteenth day of each calendar month or sixteenth day to the last day of each calendar month, both days inclusive. (ii) In paragraphs 6 (18), 9, 21, 23, 24, 25 the words ‘Friday' shall be substituted with ‘day'. (iii) In paragraph 31, the words ‘each alternate Friday and’ shall be substituted with ‘last day of each fortnight’, the word 'seven' shall be substituted with 'five' and the word 'provisional' shall be deleted. (iv) In paragraph 32, the words 'reporting Friday' shall be substituted with ‘last day of each fortnight’ and the words ‘that Friday' shall be substituted with ‘last day of such fortnight’. (v) In paragraph 33, the words ‘final’ and 'within 20 days from expiry of the relevant fortnight' shall be deleted. (vi) The paragraph 35 shall be deleted. (vii) A paragraph 38 shall be substituted with following paragraph: “Under the new reporting structure, as amended vide Banking Laws (Amendment) Act 2025, there shall be no Provisional or Final or Special Form A return. The banks are required to submit single Form A return. The new versions of Form A and Form VIII returns are available on the Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) portal with new return codes. The banks are required to submit fortnightly Form A return from December 15, 2025 and monthly Form VIII return from December 2025 on the CIMS portal. Form A and Form VIII are not to be submitted in hard copy / paper returns by the banks. The banks have to submit these returns in electronic form on CIMS portal using digital signatures of two authorised officials. While submitting these returns, banks have to ensure that the same is compliant with the prevalent IT laws of the country.” (viii) Two new paragraphs shall be inserted after paragraph 38, namely: 1. “38 A. The maintenance of CRR and SLR during the fortnight December 16-31, 2025 and the first fortnight of January 2026 (i.e., January 1-15, 2026) is to be done by the banks, based on the Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) as on November 28, 2025 and December 15, 2025, respectively. From the subsequent fortnights starting from January 16, 2026, the maintenance shall be done, as presently applicable, i.e., based on the NDTL as on the last day of the second preceding fortnight”. 2. “38 B. During the transition period of three days i.e., December 13-15, 2025, the maintenance of CRR and SLR is to be done by the banks, based on the Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) as on November 28, 2025. Further, the banks shall maintain minimum CRR of not less than hundred per cent of the required CRR during the transition period.The banks shall also submit Form A return for December 12, 2025, as per the extant reporting structure. Further, the banks are advised to submit Form VIII return of December 2025 on CIMS portal, both with old and new return codes.” (ix) In paragraph 39, the words 'alternate Fridays' shall be substituted with ‘last day of each fortnight' and 'such Fridays' / 'such Friday' shall be substituted with ‘such day'. (x) In Annex I (Form A), the word ‘Friday’ / ‘that Friday’ shall be substituted with ‘last day of the fortnight’ / ‘last day of that fortnight’. (xi) In Annex II (Form VIII), the ‘First alternate Friday’, ‘Second alternate Friday’, ‘Third alternate Friday’ shall be substituted with ‘15th day of the Month’ and ‘Last day of the Month’. the word ‘Friday’ shall be substituted with ‘day’ / ‘last day of the fortnight’ (xii) In paragraph 28(3)(iii), the word ‘State Development Loans (SDLs) of the’ shall be substituted with ‘State Government Securities of the respective’. Yours faithfully, (Manoranjan Padhy) Chief General Manager 2026 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2025 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2024 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2023 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2022 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2021 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2020 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2019 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2018 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2017 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December Archives 2016 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2015 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2014 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2013 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2012 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2011 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2010 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2009 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2008 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2007 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2006 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2005 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2004 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2003 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2002 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2001 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2000 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1999 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1998 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1997 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1996 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1995 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1994 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1993 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1992 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1991 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December Top Back to previous page More Links : Bank Holidays Banking Glossary Citizen's Charter Complaints Contact Us COVID-19 Measures E-LMS Events FAQs Financial Education Forms IFSC/MICR Codes Important Websites Opportunities @ RBI RBI Clarifications RBI Kehta Hai RBI’s Vision and Values (1257 kb)--> Right to Information Act Tenders Follow RBI RSS Twitter YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn © Reserve Bank of India. 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Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2025-26/149 · issued 11 Dec 2025. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Who does what — compliance checklist
💻 IT / Systems
  • Ensure all Form A (fortnightly) and Form VIII (monthly) returns are submitted electronically on CIMS portal using digital signatures of two authorized officials, with no hard copies.
  • Train compliance and IT teams on the new CIMS return codes and electronic submission requirements, including IT law compliance.
📜 Compliance
  • Update internal CRR/SLR maintenance calendars to reflect the new fortnight definition (1st-15th and 16th-last day) from December 15, 2025.
  • Replace references to 'Friday' in specific reporting processes as per the Amendment Directions (e.g., in paragraphs 6(18), 9, 21, 23, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33, 39, Annex I, Annex II) with 'day' or 'last day of the fortnight'.
  • Eliminate provisional, final, and special Form A returns; only single Form A returns are required from December 15, 2025.
  • Note the transition period December 13-15, 2025: maintain CRR/SLR based on NDTL as on November 28, 2025, with minimum 100% CRR, and submit Form A for December 12, 2025, as per extant structure, and Form VIII for December 2025 with both old and new return codes.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (Small Finance Banks, Compliance and reporting teams at SFBs, IT departments managing CIMS submissions, Auditors and internal control functions), your first concrete step on “SFB CRR/SLR Fortnight Definition Changed to Calendar Dates” is: “Update internal CRR/SLR maintenance calendars to reflect the new fortnight definition (1st-15th and 16th-last day) from December 15, 2025.” (RBI issued this 11 Dec 2025).

  1. Circular: RBI/2025-26/149 -- SFB CRR/SLR Fortnight Definition Changed to Calendar Dates
  2. Issued: 11 Dec 2025
  3. Action required: Update internal CRR/SLR maintenance calendars to reflect the new fortnight definition (1st-15th and 16th-last day) from December 15, 2025.
  4. Action required: Ensure all Form A (fortnightly) and Form VIII (monthly) returns are submitted electronically on CIMS portal using digital signatures of two authorized officials, with no hard copies.
  5. Action required: Replace references to 'Friday' in specific reporting processes as per the Amendment Directions (e.g., in paragraphs 6(18), 9, 21, 23, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33, 39, Annex I, Annex II) with 'day' or 'last day of the fortnight'.
  6. Action required: Eliminate provisional, final, and special Form A returns; only single Form A returns are required from December 15, 2025.
  7. Action required: Train compliance and IT teams on the new CIMS return codes and electronic submission requirements, including IT law compliance.
  8. Action required: Note the transition period December 13-15, 2025: maintain CRR/SLR based on NDTL as on November 28, 2025, with minimum 100% CRR, and submit Form A for December 12, 2025, as per extant structure, and Form VIII for December 2025 with both old and new return codes.
  9. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  10. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  11. 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=13225&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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