{"what_this_is":"The machine-readable twin of the BankPulse page for one RBI rulebook. Same points, same dates, same paragraph references as the page a person reads. RBI's own wording is not reproduced here: each point names the RBI paragraph, the character offset into the text BankPulse read and the sha256 of that text, so the claim can be checked against RBI's own document.","schema_version":1,"release_id":"d653cdb0a5","generated_at":"2026-09-15T00:33:59.117975+00:00","id":"mc12828","title":"Master Circular - Exposure Norms and Statutory / Other Restrictions - UCBs","document_kind":"Circular","page":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828","status":"In force","importance":{"code":"FYI","label":"FOR INFORMATION","weight":"For information","why":"General RBI update: no desk rule matched — read the source if it touches your work","layer":"bankpulse_inference"},"applies_to":{"shown":"Urban co-operative banks","class_code":"ALL","from":"Opening paragraphs","layer":"bankpulse"},"dates":{"prid":"mc12828","mode":"four_dates_v1","published":{"label":"Published","value":"Apr 01, 2025","stated":true,"why":"The day RBI put this document out."},"effective":{"label":"Starts to apply","value":"","stated":false,"why":"Not stated separately in this document. Read the rule itself before you assume a start date."},"transition":{"label":"Time to get ready","value":"","stated":false,"why":"Cannot be worked out until the day it starts to apply is known."},"deadline":{"label":"Last date to act","value":"","stated":false,"why":"No date to act by was found in this document. Other dates may sit inside single paragraphs."},"sources":{"published":"doc_date in data/highlights/mc12828.json","effective":"none held","transition":"none held","deadline":"none held"}},"rbi_source":{"url":"https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_ViewMasterCirculars.aspx?Id=12828&Mode=0","document_date":"Apr 01, 2025","read_by_bankpulse":"2026-08-28 10:32:39 UTC","text_sha256":"ddb6a2f3435d40ccd42943e9d4fad0697bf95a730f77d8b082c96bb6a4804a7f","word_count":8088,"standing_last_checked":"RBI publishes no live index for this kind of document. Standing follows RBI’s consolidation circular of 28 November 2025."},"counts":{"points_shown":30,"points_naming_an_rbi_paragraph":30,"points_stored":30,"actions":0,"amendments":0},"points":[{"n":1,"claim":"mc12828-8faeacbc","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"THE CORE IDEA","heading":"Nothing new inside","plain_english":"It consolidates instructions issued up to March 31, 2025 and adds nothing new.","rbi_paragraph":"Opening paragraphs","rbi_char_offset":2410,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p1","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":2,"claim":"mc12828-218730d4","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Fifteen per cent to one","plain_english":"Exposure to one borrower cannot exceed 15 per cent of Tier-I capital.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.1.1","rbi_char_offset":9612,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":"Suppose Tier-I capital is ₹200 crore. Exposure to one borrower may not exceed 15 per cent of that, which is ₹30 crore. A group of connected borrowers may go to 25 per cent, or ₹50 crore.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p2","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":3,"claim":"mc12828-e15d43ea","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Twenty-five to a group","plain_english":"Exposure to a connected group cannot exceed 25 per cent of Tier-I capital.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.1.1","rbi_char_offset":9717,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":"Suppose Tier-I capital is ₹200 crore. Exposure to a group of connected borrowers may not exceed 25 per cent of that. That is ₹50 crore for the group taken together.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p3","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":4,"claim":"mc12828-e1d43cd2","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Half in small loans","plain_english":"At least 50 per cent of all loans must be small value loans.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.3","rbi_char_offset":11587,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":"Suppose total loans and advances are ₹400 crore. At least 50 per cent of that must be small value loans. That is ₹200 crore.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p4","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":5,"claim":"mc12828-6f553282","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"THE CORE IDEA","heading":"What small value means","plain_english":"A small value loan stays within 25 lakh rupees or 0.4 per cent of Tier-I capital, whichever is higher.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.3","rbi_char_offset":11685,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":"Suppose Tier-I capital is ₹200 crore. 0.4 per cent of that is ₹80 lakh, which is higher than ₹25 lakh. So a small value loan here runs to ₹80 lakh, and the ceiling of ₹3 crore per borrower still applies.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p5","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":6,"claim":"mc12828-85cbf1df","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Three crore per borrower","plain_english":"The small value route is capped at 3 crore rupees for one borrower.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.3","rbi_char_offset":11785,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p6","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":7,"claim":"mc12828-e88f9cb0","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"KEY DATES","heading":"The glide path","plain_english":"The small loan share had to reach 40 per cent by March 2025 and 50 by March 2026.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.3","rbi_char_offset":12529,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":"The share of small value loans had to reach 40 per cent first, then 50 per cent. A bank at 45 per cent has cleared the first step and not the second.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p7","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":8,"claim":"mc12828-09b870de","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"A quarter for homes","plain_english":"Housing loans to individuals outside priority sector cannot cross 25 per cent of total loans.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.4.2","rbi_char_offset":13123,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":["housing-loan"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":"Suppose total loans and advances are ₹1,000 crore. Housing loans to individuals outside the priority sector may not exceed 25 per cent of that. That is ₹250 crore.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p8","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":9,"claim":"mc12828-f8551a9e","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Five for real estate","plain_english":"Other real estate exposure cannot cross five per cent of total loans and advances.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.4.3","rbi_char_offset":13339,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":["housing-loan"],"bankpulse_example":"Suppose total loans and advances are ₹1,000 crore. Real estate lending other than housing loans to individuals may not exceed five per cent of that. That is ₹50 crore.","anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p9","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":10,"claim":"mc12828-7b3b26a4","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Unsecured by bank size","plain_english":"The unsecured cap per borrower rises with deposits, from 1 lakh to 5 lakh rupees.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 4.1","rbi_char_offset":15481,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p10","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":11,"claim":"mc12828-054ba7af","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Weak banks, half that","plain_english":"A bank below 9 per cent CRAR gets lower caps, from 0.25 lakh to 2 lakh rupees.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 4.1","rbi_char_offset":15567,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p11","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":12,"claim":"mc12828-e3cdca79","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Ten per cent unsecured","plain_english":"Total unsecured lending cannot exceed 10 per cent of total assets.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 4.2.1","rbi_char_offset":15816,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p12","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":13,"claim":"mc12828-70e84eff","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Inclusion banks, thirty-five","plain_english":"A bank with 90 per cent priority loans may, with RBI approval, go to 35 per cent unsecured.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 4.2.2","rbi_char_offset":16452,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p13","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":14,"claim":"mc12828-ea2d562b","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"No loan on own shares","plain_english":"A bank cannot lend against the security of its own shares.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 5.2","rbi_char_offset":19906,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p14","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":15,"claim":"mc12828-cdacce54","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"No quiet write-offs","plain_english":"A debt owed by a director or his firm cannot be remitted without RBI's prior approval.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 5.3","rbi_char_offset":20129,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Board","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p15","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":16,"claim":"mc12828-da7babd2","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"No director loans","plain_english":"Loans to directors, their relatives or their firms are barred outright.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.1.1","rbi_char_offset":20732,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Board","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p16","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":17,"claim":"mc12828-f2782e9b","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Nor stand as surety","plain_english":"A director or relative also cannot stand as guarantor for a bank loan.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.1.1","rbi_char_offset":21169,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Board","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p17","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":18,"claim":"mc12828-c774ad07","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"No stockbroker finance","plain_english":"Credit to stockbrokers against shares, bonds or deposits is prohibited, secured or not.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.6.1","rbi_char_offset":27908,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["advance-against-securities","deposit-account"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p18","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":19,"claim":"mc12828-402fe037","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Only leasing finance firms","plain_english":"Finance to finance companies is barred except hire purchase and leasing firms.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.8.1","rbi_char_offset":31317,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p19","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":20,"claim":"mc12828-14c33d83","page_group":"Must know","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Farming for members only","plain_english":"Agricultural finance goes to full members directly, never through an agency.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.10","rbi_char_offset":36409,"weight":"MUST KNOW","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":["agriculture-loan"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p20","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":1,"claim":"mc12828-695639c6","page_group":"Do it","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"No intermediary lending","plain_english":"Lending to groups must be direct; intermediaries are not permitted.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.11.2","rbi_char_offset":37088,"weight":"DO IT","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p21","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":2,"claim":"mc12828-d6d2c63e","page_group":"Do it","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Groups, four times savings","plain_english":"A self help group's loan should not exceed four times its savings.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.11.5","rbi_char_offset":37583,"weight":"DO IT","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["microfinance"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p22","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":3,"claim":"mc12828-efa1618e","page_group":"Do it","stored_section":"WHO SHOULD ACT","heading":"Statutory dues first","plain_english":"A borrower must declare that provident fund and other statutory dues are paid.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.12.2","rbi_char_offset":38645,"weight":"DO IT","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p23","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":1,"claim":"mc12828-71aacc66","page_group":"Background","stored_section":"WHO IT APPLIES TO","heading":"Who is covered","plain_english":"This master circular binds every primary urban co-operative bank.","rbi_paragraph":"Opening paragraphs","rbi_char_offset":1886,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p24","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":2,"claim":"mc12828-5967d91e","page_group":"Background","stored_section":"THE CORE IDEA","heading":"Credit and investment both","plain_english":"The exposure counts loans and advances together with non-SLR investment.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 3.1.1","rbi_char_offset":9464,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p25","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":3,"claim":"mc12828-572cd3c8","page_group":"Background","stored_section":"IMPACT","heading":"Void if remitted","plain_english":"A remission made against that bar is void and has no effect.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 5.4","rbi_char_offset":20518,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p26","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":4,"claim":"mc12828-e10d5a73","page_group":"Background","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Four narrow exceptions","plain_english":"Staff loans and loans against government paper, deposits or insurance in their own name stay allowed.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.1.2","rbi_char_offset":21813,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["deposit-account"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p27","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":5,"claim":"mc12828-7fb43e00","page_group":"Background","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Nominal member ceilings","plain_english":"Loans to nominal members carry small fixed ceilings that rise with the bank's deposits.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.2","rbi_char_offset":25617,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["consumer-durable-loan"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p28","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":6,"claim":"mc12828-4e61e418","page_group":"Background","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"Not on others' deposits","plain_english":"Advances against another bank's fixed deposit receipts are to be avoided.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.3","rbi_char_offset":25987,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"Branch","team":null,"products_covered":["deposit-account"],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p29","layer":"bankpulse"},{"n":7,"claim":"mc12828-a44d5188","page_group":"Background","stored_section":"WHAT CHANGES","heading":"No bridge loans","plain_english":"Bridge loans and interim finance pending market fund raising are prohibited.","rbi_paragraph":"Para 6.5","rbi_char_offset":27385,"weight":"BACKGROUND","role":"All staff","team":null,"products_covered":[],"products_excluded":[],"bankpulse_example":null,"anchor":"https://bankpulse.ai/rule/mc12828#p30","layer":"bankpulse"}],"actions":[],"amendments":[],"layers":{"rbi_source":"Facts taken from RBI's own document.","bankpulse":"BankPulse's plain-English summary of RBI's document.","bankpulse_inference":"BankPulse's own inference, not stated by RBI."},"rbi_wording_not_included":"By design. BankPulse never republishes RBI's exact sentences. Use rbi_paragraph with rbi_source.url to read RBI's own words.","terms":"BankPulse's plain-English summaries are BankPulse's own work. The underlying regulation is the Reserve Bank of India's. Always check the RBI document named in rbi_source before acting."}