Executive Summary:
The Reserve Bank of India issued the Regulatory Framework for Microfinance Loans Directions, 2022, effective from April 1, 2022. These directions regulate microfinance loans provided by Regulated Entities (REs) to households with annual income up to ₹3,00,000. The framework covers various aspects of microfinance lending, including loan definitions, income assessment, limits on repayment obligations, pricing, borrower conduct, and qualifying asset criteria for NBFC-MFIs. Certain not-for-profit companies engaged in microfinance activities were required to register as NBFC-MFIs within three months of the circular's issuance if they met specific asset size criteria.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Applicability and Definitions:**
* Applies to all Commercial Banks (excluding Payments Banks), Small Finance Banks, Local Area Banks, Regional Rural Banks, Primary Urban Cooperative Banks, State Cooperative Banks, District Central Cooperative Banks, and Non-Banking Financial Companies (including Microfinance Institutions and Housing Finance Companies), collectively referred to as Regulated Entities (REs).
* Defines a microfinance loan as a collateral-free loan to a household with an annual household income up to ₹3,00,000. The loan shall not be linked with a lien on the deposit account of the borrower.
* REs shall have a board-approved policy to provide the flexibility of repayment periodicity on microfinance loans as per borrower’s requirement.
* **Income Assessment and Indebtedness:**
* Requires REs to have a board-approved policy for assessing household income, with an indicative methodology provided.
* Mandates REs to submit household income information to Credit Information Companies (CICs) and ascertain reasons for any divergence.
* Limits monthly loan repayment obligations of a household to a maximum of 50% of the monthly household income, considering all outstanding loans.
* Requires REs to use CIC data and other sources to ensure compliance with indebtedness limits.
* **Loan Pricing and Transparency:**
* REs must have a board-approved policy regarding the pricing of microfinance loans, including a well-documented interest rate model.
* Interest rates and charges should not be usurious and are subject to supervisory scrutiny by the Reserve Bank.
* Prohibits prepayment penalties on microfinance loans and specifies that penalties for delayed payment should be applied only to the overdue amount.
* Requires REs to prominently display minimum, maximum, and average interest rates on microfinance loans.
* Any change in interest rate or any other charge shall be informed to the borrower well in advance and these changes shall be effective only prospectively.
* **Key Facts Statement (KFS):**
* Requires REs to provide a KFS to all prospective borrowers in a standardized format with a unique proposal number.
* Mandates that the KFS include a computation sheet of the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) and the amortization schedule of the loan.
* Any fees, charges, etc. which are not mentioned in the KFS, cannot be charged by the REs to the borrower at any stage during the term of the loan, without explicit consent of the borrower.
* **Borrower Conduct and Recovery:**
* Requires REs to implement a fair practices code (FPC) based on these directions, displayed in all offices and on the website, in a language understood by the borrower.
* Mandates a standard loan agreement and the provision of a loan card to borrowers with key loan details and grievance redressal information.
* Requires training for staff on appropriate behavior towards customers and necessary inquiries regarding income and existing debt.
* Outlines responsibilities for outsourced activities, emphasizing that REs remain accountable for compliance.
* Provides guidelines for loan recovery, prohibiting harsh methods and requiring a dedicated grievance redressal mechanism.
* Specifies due diligence and authorization requirements for recovery agents.
* **Qualifying Assets Criteria for NBFC-MFIs:**
* Aligns the definition of qualifying assets of NBFC-MFIs with the definition of microfinance loans.
* Revises the minimum requirement of microfinance loans for NBFC-MFIs to 75% of total assets.
* Revises the maximum limit on microfinance loans for NBFCs other than NBFC-MFIs to 25% of total assets.
* **Exemption for Not-for-Profit Companies:**
* Aligns the definition of microfinance loans for not-for-profit companies with the revised definition.
* Withdraws exemptions from certain sections of the RBI Act, 1934 for not-for-profit companies with an asset size of ₹100 crore and above.
* Requires affected companies to register as NBFC-MFIs and adhere to applicable regulations, including submitting a registration application and a board-approved plan for compliance.
* **Net Owned Fund (NOF) Requirement:**
* Existing NBFCMFIs shall adhere to the NOF glidepath indicated under paragraph 3.1 a of the Circular dated October 22, 2021 on Scale Based Regulation SBR: A Revised Regulatory Framework for NBFCs
Impact Analysis:
* **Regulated Entities (REs):**
* *Impact:* REs must comply with the new directives, impacting their lending practices, income assessment procedures, loan pricing, and borrower engagement. They need to update their board-approved policies, implement new systems for data reporting to CICs, and ensure staff training.
* *Action Required:* Review and update internal policies and procedures to align with the new directions, implement systems for income assessment and data reporting, train staff on compliance, and ensure adherence to fair practices and recovery guidelines.
* **Non-Banking Financial Company - Microfinance Institutions (NBFC-MFIs):**
* *Impact:* NBFC-MFIs are affected by the revised definition of qualifying assets and the minimum requirement for microfinance loans. They need to adjust their asset allocation and ensure compliance with the 75% threshold.
* *Action Required:* Re-evaluate their asset portfolio to meet the revised qualifying asset criteria and ensure compliance with the minimum microfinance loan requirement.
* **Not-for-Profit Companies Engaged in Microfinance Activities:**
* *Impact:* Companies with assets above ₹100 crore that were previously exempt now need to register as NBFC-MFIs and comply with associated regulations.
* *Action Required:* Apply for registration as an NBFC-MFI within three months of the circular's issuance and submit a board-approved plan for compliance with NBFC-MFI regulations if not currently compliant.
* **Microfinance Borrowers:**
* *Impact:* Borrowers benefit from increased transparency in loan pricing, protection against usurious interest rates and prepayment penalties, and fair treatment during loan recovery. The limit on repayment obligations helps prevent over-indebtedness.
* *Action Required:* Understand their rights and responsibilities as borrowers, review loan agreements and Key Fact Statements carefully, and report any instances of unfair practices to the RE's grievance redressal mechanism.
Key Entities Referenced
Reserve Bank of India: The central bank of India, responsible for regulating the banking sector and monetary policy.
Banking Regulation Act, 1949: An act of the Parliament of India to regulate banking companies
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934: An act that governs the Reserve Bank of India.
National Housing Bank Act, 1987: An act to establish the National Housing Bank
Small Finance Banks: A type of bank in India that caters to the financial needs of small businesses, farmers, and the unorganized sector.
Regional Rural Banks: Government backed regional banks in India operating at a state level.
NonBanking Financial Companies: Financial institutions that provide banking services without meeting the legal definition of a bank, including Microfinance Institutions and Housing Finance Companies.
Microfinance Loans Directions, 2022: A policy document outlining regulations for microfinance loans issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
RBI/DOR/2021-22/89
DoR.FIN.REC.95/03.10.038/2021-22 March 14, 2022
(Updated as on October 10, 2024)
(Updated as on July 25, 2022)
All Commercial Banks (including Small Finance Banks,
Local Area Banks and Regional Rural Banks) excluding Payments Banks
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks/ State Co-operative Banks/
District Central Co-operative Banks
All Non-Banking Financial Companies (including Microfinance Institutions
and Housing Finance Companies)
Madam/ Dear Sir,
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Regulatory Framework for Microfinance
Loans) Directions, 2022
Please refer to paragraph 8 of the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies
announced as a part of the Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement for 2020-21 dated
February 5, 2021, regarding review of the regulatory framework for microfinance.
2. A consultative document on regulation of microfinance loans was issued for public
comments on June 14, 2021. Based on the feedback received, it has now been decided
to put in place the directions for microfinance loans which are enclosed.
3. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) on these directions are available at following link:
Reserve Bank of India - Frequently Asked Questions (rbi.org.in)
Yours faithfully,
(J.P. Sharma)
Chief General Manager
िविनयमन िवभाग , केंद्रीय कायार्लय ,िद्वतीय तल ,मु� भवन, शहीद भगत िसंह रोड ,फोटर्, मुंबई -400001
Department of Regulation, Central Office, 2nd Floor, Main Building, Shaheed Bhagat Road, Fort, Mumbai-400 001
Email: cgmicdor@rbi.org.in
िह�ी आसान है, इसका प्रयोग बढाइए।DoR.FIN.REC.95/03.10.038/2021-22 March 14, 2022
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Regulatory Framework for Microfinance
Loans) Directions, 2022
In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 21, Section 35A and Section 56 of the
Banking Regulation Act, 1949; Chapter IIIB of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; and
Sections 30A and Section 32 of the National Housing Bank Act, 1987, the Reserve Bank,
being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby,
issues the directions hereinafter specified.
1. Short Title and Commencement
1.1 These directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Regulatory Framework
for Microfinance Loans) Directions, 2022.
1.2 These directions shall be effective from April 01, 2022, subject to stipulations as at
paragraphs 5.3 and 9.3.
2. Applicability
2.1 The provisions of these directions shall apply to the following entities:
(i) All Commercial Banks (including Small Finance Banks, Local Area Banks, and
Regional Rural Banks) excluding Payments Banks;
(ii) All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks/ State Co-operative Banks/ District Central
Co-operative Banks; and
(iii) All Non-Banking Financial Companies (including Microfinance Institutions and
Housing Finance Companies).
2.2 The entities mentioned at points 2.1(i) to 2.1(iii) above are hereafter referred to as
‘Regulated Entities (REs)’ for the purpose of these directions.
23. Definition of Microfinance Loan
3.1 A microfinance loan is defined as a collateral-free loan given to a household having
annual household income up to ₹3,00,000. For this purpose, the household shall mean
an individual family unit, i.e., husband, wife and their unmarried children.
3.2 All collateral-free loans, irrespective of end use and mode of application/ processing/
disbursal (either through physical or digital channels), provided to low-income
households, i.e., households having annual income up to ₹3,00,000, shall be considered
as microfinance loans.
3.3 To ensure collateral-free nature of the microfinance loan, the loan shall not be linked
with a lien on the deposit account of the borrower.
3.4 The REs shall have a board-approved policy to provide the flexibility of repayment
periodicity on microfinance loans as per borrowers’ requirement.
4. Assessment of Household Income
4.1 Each RE shall put in place a board-approved policy for assessment of household
income. An indicative methodology for assessment of household income is provided in
Annex I.
4.2 Self-regulatory organisations (SROs) and other associations/ agencies may also
develop a common framework based on the indicative methodology. The REs may adopt/
modify this framework suitably as per their requirements with approval of their boards.
4.3 Each RE shall mandatorily submit information regarding household income to the
Credit Information Companies (CICs). Reasons for any divergence between the already
reported household income and assessed household income shall be specifically
ascertained from the borrower/s before updating the assessed household income with
CICs.
5. Limit on Loan Repayment Obligations of a Household
5.1 Each RE shall have a board-approved policy regarding the limit on the outflows on
account of repayment of monthly loan obligations of a household as a percentage of the
3monthly household income. This shall be subject to a limit of maximum 50 per cent of the
monthly household income.
5.2 The computation of loan repayment obligations shall take into account all outstanding
loans (collateral-free microfinance loans as well as any other type of collateralized loans)
of the household. The outflows capped at 50 per cent of the monthly household income
shall include repayments (including both principal as well as interest component) towards
all existing loans as well as the loan under consideration.
5.3 Existing loans, for which outflows on account of repayment of monthly loan obligations
of a household as a percentage of the monthly household income exceed the limit of 50
per cent, shall be allowed to mature. However, in such cases, no new loans shall be
provided to these households till the prescribed limit of 50 per cent is complied with.
5.4 Each RE shall provide timely and accurate data to the CICs and use the data available
with them to ensure compliance with the level of indebtedness. Besides, the RE shall also
ascertain the same from other sources such as declaration from the borrowers, their bank
account statements and local enquiries.
6. Pricing of Loans
6.1 Each RE shall put in place a board-approved policy regarding pricing of microfinance
loans which shall, inter alia, cover the following:
(i) A well-documented interest rate model/ approach for arriving at the all-inclusive
interest rate;
(ii) Delineation of the components of the interest rate such as cost of funds, risk premium
and margin, etc. in terms of the quantum of each component based on objective
parameters;
(iii) The range of spread of each component for a given category of borrowers; and
(iv) A ceiling on the interest rate and all other charges applicable to the microfinance
loans.
6.2 Interest rates and other charges/ fees on microfinance loans should not be usurious.
These shall be subjected to supervisory scrutiny by the Reserve Bank.
46.3 Deleted1
6.4 Deleted1
6.5 Deleted1
6.6 There shall be no pre-payment penalty on microfinance loans. Penalty, if any, for
delayed payment shall be applied on the overdue amount and not on the entire loan
amount.
6.7 Each RE shall prominently display the minimum, maximum and average interest rates
charged on microfinance loans in all its offices, in the literature (information booklets/
pamphlets) issued by it and details on its website. This information shall also be included
in the supervisory returns and subjected to supervisory scrutiny.
6.8 Any change in interest rate or any other charge shall be informed to the borrower well
in advance and these changes shall be effective only prospectively.
6.9 As part of their awareness campaigns, SROs/ other industry associations may publish
the range of interest rates on microfinance loans charged by their members operating in
a district. SROs/ other industry associations may also sensitize their members against
charging of usurious interest rates.
6.10 RBI would also make available information regarding interest charged by REs on
microfinance loans.
6A. Key Facts Statement (KFS)2
6A.1 Definitions for the purpose of this para:
(a) Key Facts of a loan agreement between an RE/a group of REs and a borrower are
legally significant and deterministic facts that satisfy basic information required to assist
the borrower in taking an informed financial decision.
1 Repealed vide circular DOR.STR.REC.13/13.03.00/2024-25 dated April 15, 2024
2 Inserted vide circular DOR.STR.REC.13/13.03.00/2024-25 dated April 15, 2024
5(b) Key Facts Statement (KFS) is a statement of key facts of a loan agreement, in simple
and easier to understand language, provided to the borrower in a standardised format.
(c) Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the annual cost of credit to the borrower which
includes interest rate and all other charges associated with the credit facility.
(d) Equated Periodic Instalment (EPI) is an equated or fixed amount of repayments,
consisting of both the principal and interest components, to be paid by a borrower towards
repayment of a loan at periodic intervals for a fixed number of such intervals; and which
result in complete amortisation of the loan. EPIs at monthly intervals are called EMIs.
Other words and expressions not defined above, but used in this para, shall have the
same meaning as assigned to them under the Master Direction on Interest Rate on
Advances (2016) as updated from time to time or any other relevant regulation issued by
the Reserve Bank.
6A.2 REs shall provide a KFS to all prospective borrowers to help them take an informed
view before executing the loan contract, as per the standardised format given in the
Annex IA. The KFS shall be written in a language understood by such borrowers.
Contents of KFS shall be explained to the borrower and an acknowledgement shall be
obtained that he/she has understood the same.
6A.3 Further, the KFS shall be provided with a unique proposal number and shall have a
validity period of at least three working days for loans having tenor of seven days or more,
and a validity period of one working day for loans having tenor of less than seven days.
Explanation: Validity period refers to the period available to the borrower, after being
provided the KFS by the RE, to agree to the terms of the loan. The RE shall be bound by
the terms of the loan indicated in the KFS, if agreed to by the borrower during the validity
period.
6A.4 The KFS shall also include a computation sheet of annual percentage rate (APR),
and the amortisation schedule of the loan over the loan tenor. APR will include all charges
which are levied by the RE. Illustrative examples of calculation of APR and disclosure of
6repayment schedule for a hypothetical loan are given in Annex II and Annex III
respectively.
6A.5 Charges recovered from the borrowers by the REs on behalf of third-party service
providers on actual basis, such as insurance charges, legal charges etc., shall also form
part of the APR and shall be disclosed separately. In all cases wherever the RE is involved
in recovering such charges, the receipts and related documents shall be provided to the
borrower for each payment, within a reasonable time.
6A.6 Any fees, charges, etc. which are not mentioned in the KFS, cannot be charged by
the REs to the borrower at any stage during the term of the loan, without explicit consent
of the borrower.
6A.7 The KFS shall also be included as a summary box to be exhibited as part of the loan
agreement.
7. Guidelines on Conduct towards Microfinance Borrowers
7.1 General
7.1.1 A fair practices code (FPC) based on these directions shall be put in place by all
REs with the approval of their boards. The FPC shall be displayed by the RE in all its
offices and on its website. The FPC should be issued in a language understood by the
borrower.
7.1.2 There shall be a standard form of loan agreement for microfinance loans in a
language understood by the borrower.
7.1.3 Each RE shall provide a loan card to the borrower which shall incorporate the
following:
(i) Information which adequately identifies the borrower;
(ii) Simplified factsheet on pricing;
(iii) All other terms and conditions attached to the loan;
(iv) Acknowledgements by the RE of all repayments including instalments received and
the final discharge; and
7(v) Details of the grievance redressal system, including the name and contact number of
the nodal officer of the RE.
7.1.4 All entries in the loan card should be in a language understood by the borrower.
7.1.5 Issuance of non-credit products shall be with full consent of the borrowers and fee
structure for such products shall be explicitly communicated to the borrower in the loan
card itself.
7.2 Training of Staff
7.2.1 Each RE shall have a board-approved policy regarding the conduct of employees
and system for their recruitment, training and monitoring. This policy shall, inter alia, lay
down minimum qualifications for the staff and shall provide necessary training tools to
deal with the customers. Training to employees shall include programs to inculcate
appropriate behavior towards customers. Conduct of employees towards customers shall
also be incorporated appropriately in their compensation matrix.
7.2.2 Field staff shall be trained to make necessary enquiries regarding the income and
existing debt of the household.
7.2.3 Training, if any, offered to the borrowers shall be free of cost.
7.3 Responsibilities for Outsourced Activities
7.3.1 Outsourcing of any activity by the RE does not diminish its obligations and the onus
of compliance with these directions shall rest solely with the RE.
7.3.2 A declaration that the RE shall be accountable for inappropriate behaviour by its
employees or employees of the outsourced agency and shall provide timely grievance
redressal, shall be made in the loan agreement and also in the FPC displayed in its office/
branch premises/ website.
7.4 Guidelines related to Recovery of Loans
7.4.1 Each RE shall put in place a mechanism for identification of the borrowers facing
repayment related difficulties, engagement with such borrowers and providing them
necessary guidance about the recourse available.
87.4.2 Recovery shall be made at a designated/ central designated place decided mutually
by the borrower and the RE. However, field staff shall be allowed to make recovery at the
place of residence or work of the borrower if the borrower fails to appear at the
designated/ central designated place on two or more successive occasions.
7.4.3 RE or its agent shall not engage in any harsh methods towards recovery. Without
limiting the general application of the foregoing, following practices shall be deemed as
harsh:
(i) Use of threatening or abusive language
(ii) Persistently calling the borrower and/ or calling the borrower before 9:00 a.m. and
after 6:00 p.m.
(iii) Harassing relatives, friends, or co-workers of the borrower
(iv) Publishing the name of borrowers
(v) Use or threat of use of violence or other similar means to harm the borrower or
borrower’s family/ assets/ reputation
(vi) Misleading the borrower about the extent of the debt or the consequences of non-
repayment
7.4.4 Each RE shall have a dedicated mechanism for redressal of recovery related
grievances. The details of this mechanism shall be provided to the borrower at the time
of loan disbursal.
7.5 Engagement of Recovery Agents
7.5.1 Recovery agents shall mean agencies engaged by the RE for recovery of dues from
its borrowers and the employees of these agencies.
7.5.2 The REs shall have a due diligence process in place for engagement of recovery
agents, which shall, inter alia, cover individuals involved in the recovery process. REs
shall ensure that the recovery agents engaged by them carry out verification of the
antecedents of their employees, which shall include police verification. REs shall also
decide the periodicity at which re-verification of antecedents shall be resorted to.
7.5.3 To ensure due notice and appropriate authorization, the RE shall provide the details
of recovery agents to the borrower while initiating the process of recovery. The agent shall
9also carry a copy of the notice and the authorization letter from the RE along with the
identity card issued to him by the RE or the agency. Further, where the recovery agency
is changed by the RE during the recovery process, in addition to the RE notifying the
borrower of the change, the new agent shall carry the notice and the authorization letter
along with his identity card.
7.5.4 The notice and the authorization letter shall, among other details, also include the
contact details of the recovery agency and the RE.
7.5.5 The up-to-date details of the recovery agencies engaged by the RE shall also be
hosted on the RE’s website.
8. Qualifying Assets Criteria
8.1 Under the earlier qualifying assets criteria3, a Non-banking Financial Company -
Microfinance Institution (NBFC-MFI) is required to have minimum 85 per cent of its net
assets4 as ‘qualifying assets’. The definition of ‘qualifying assets’ of NBFC-MFIs is now
being aligned with the definition of ‘microfinance loans’ given at paragraph 3 above. The
minimum requirement of microfinance loans for NBFC-MFIs also stands revised to 75 per
cent of the total assets.
8.2 Under the earlier guidelines, an NBFC that does not qualify as an NBFC-MFI, cannot
extend microfinance loans exceeding 10 per cent of its total assets. The maximum limit
on microfinance loans for such NBFCs (i.e., NBFCs other than NBFC-MFIs) now stands
revised to 25 per cent of the total assets.
3 In order to be classified as a ‘qualifying asset’, a loan is required to satisfy the following criteria:
(i) Loan which is disbursed to a borrower with household annual income not exceeding ₹1,25,000 and ₹2,00,000 for
rural and urban/semi-urban households, respectively;
(ii) Loan amount does not exceed ₹75,000 in the first cycle and ₹1,25,000 in subsequent cycles;
(iii) Total indebtedness of the borrower does not exceed ₹1,25,000 (excluding loan for education and medical
expenses);
(iv) Minimum tenure of 24 months for loan amount exceeding ₹30,000;
(v) Collateral free loans without any prepayment penalty;
(vi) Minimum 50 per cent of aggregate amount of loans for income generation activities; and
(vii) Flexibility of repayment periodicity (weekly, fortnightly or monthly) at borrower’s choice.
4 Net assets have been defined as total assets other than cash, bank balances and money market instruments.
109. Exemption for ‘Not for Profit’ Companies engaged in Microfinance Activities
9.1 The definition of microfinance loans for ‘not for profit’ companies (registered under
Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013) is now aligned with the revised definition of
microfinance loans viz., collateral-free loans to households with annual household income
up to ₹3,00,000, provided the monthly loan obligations of a household does not exceed
50 per cent of the monthly household income.
9.2 Exemptions from Sections 45-IA5, 45-IB6 and 45-IC7 of the RBI Act, 1934 have been
withdrawn for those ‘not for profit’ companies engaged in microfinance activities that have
asset size of ₹100 crore and above.
9.3 ‘Not for profit’ companies that are not eligible for the exemptions mentioned at
paragraph 9.2 above, are required to register as NBFC-MFIs and adhere to the
regulations applicable to NBFC-MFIs. Such companies shall submit the application for
registration as an NBFC-MFI to the Reserve Bank within three months of the issuance of
this circular. Those companies that currently do not comply with the regulations
prescribed for NBFC-MFIs, shall submit a board-approved plan, with a roadmap to meet
the prescribed regulations, along with their application for registration.
10. Net Owned Fund (NOF) Requirement
Existing NBFC-MFIs shall adhere to the NOF glidepath indicated under paragraph 3.1 (a)
of the Circular dated October 22, 2021 on ‘Scale Based Regulation (SBR): A Revised
Regulatory Framework for NBFCs’ as given below:
NBFCs Current NOF By March 31, 2025 By March 31, 2027
NBFC-MFI ₹5 crore (₹2 crore in ₹7 crore (₹5 crore in ₹10 crore
NE Region) NE Region)
5 45-IA: Requirement of registration as an NBFC
6 45-IB: Maintenance of a certain percentage of outstanding deposits in approved securities by deposit taking NBFCs
7 45-IC: Transfer of 20 per cent of net profit to reserve fund
11Annex I
(cf. Para 4.1 of these Directions)
Indicative Methodology for Household Income Assessment
1. For undertaking the income assessment of a low-income household, information
related to following parameters may be captured by the lender:
(i) Parameters to capture household profile
a) Composition of the household
i. Number of earning members
ii. Number of non-earning members
b) Type of accommodation (owned/ rented, etc.)
c) Availability of basic amenities (electricity, water, toilet, sewage, LPG connection, etc.)
d) Availability of other assets (land, livestock, vehicle, furniture, smartphone, electronic
items, etc.)
(ii) Parameters to capture household income
a) Primary source of income
i. Sector of work (Agriculture & allied activities, trading, manufacturing, services, etc.)
ii. Nature of work (Self-employed or salaried, regular or seasonal, etc.)
iii. Frequency of income (daily/ weekly/ monthly)
iv. Months/ days of employment over last one year
v. Self-reported monthly income
vi. Average monthly income (to be derived from (iv) & (v) above)
b) Other sources of income
i. Remittance
ii. Rent/ Lease
iii. Pension
iv. Government transfer
v. Scholarship
vi. Others (specify details)
12c) The income assessment as above may be carried out for all earning members with
respect to all sources (primary or secondary) of income. While assessing income of
all members from all sources, it may be ensured that there is no double counting of
income such as counting of salary income of one migrant member also as remittance
income for the household.
d) While the income computation may be done on a monthly basis, the income
assessment for all members and sources may be carried out over a period of minimum
one year to ascertain the stability of the household income.
(iii) Parameters to capture household expenses
a) Regular monthly expenses (food, utilities, transport, house/ shop rent, clothing, regular
medical costs, school/ college fees, etc.)
b) Irregular expenses over last one year (medical expenses, house renovation, purchase
of household goods, functions, etc.)
2. Self-reported income at 1(ii) above may be corroborated with the profile of household
at 1(i) and household expenses at 1(iii). Further, household income may also be verified
from other sources (bank account statements of the borrowers, group members, other
references in the vicinity, etc.).
13Annex IA
(cf. Para 6A.2 of these Directions)
Key Facts Statement
Part 1 (Interest rate and fees/charges)
1 Loan proposal/ account No. Type of Loan
2 Sanctioned Loan amount (in Rupees)
Disbursal schedule
(i) Disbursement in stages or 100% upfront.
3
(ii) If it is stage wise, mention the clause of loan
agreement having relevant details
4 Loan term (year/months/days)
5 Instalment details
Type of instalments Number of EPIs EPI (₹) Commencement of repayment, post sanction
6 Interest rate (%) and type (fixed or floating or hybrid)
7 Additional Information in case of Floating rate of interest
Reference Benchmark Spread (%) (S) Final rate (%) Reset Impact of change in the reference
Benchmark rate (%) (B) R = (B) + (S) periodicity8 benchmark
(Months) (for 25 bps change in ‘R’, change in:9)
B S EPI (₹) No. of EPIs
8 Fee/ Charges10
Payable to the RE (A) Payable to a third party through RE (B)
Amount (in ₹) or
One-time/ One-time/ Amount (in ₹) or Percentage
Percentage (%)
Recurring Recurring (%) as applicable11
as applicable5
(i) Processing fees
(ii) Insurance charges
(iii) Valuation fees
(iv) Any other (please specify)
9 Annual Percentage Rate (APR) (%)12
10 Details of Contingent Charges (in ₹ or %, as applicable)
(i) Penal charges, if any, in case of delayed payment
(ii) Other penal charges, if any
8 Fixed reset, other than on account of changes in credit profile
9 Please refer circular ‘Reset of Floating Interest Rate on Equated Monthly Instalments (EMI) based Personal Loans’
dated August 18, 2023.
10 REs may disclose the amount net of any taxes such as GST
11 Mention frequency, where recurring
12 Please refer to the illustration in Annex II
14(iii) Foreclosure charges, if applicable
(iv) Charges for switching of loans from floating to fixed rate and vice versa
(v) Any other charges (please specify)
Part 2 (Other qualitative information)
1 Clause of Loan agreement relating to
engagement of recovery agents
2 Clause of Loan agreement which details
grievance redressal mechanism
3 Phone number and email id of the nodal
grievance redressal officer13
4 Whether the loan is, or in future maybe, subject
to transfer to other REs or securitisation (Yes/ No)
5 In case of lending under collaborative lending arrangements (e.g., co-lending/ outsourcing),
following additional details may be furnished:
Name of the originating RE, Name of the partner RE along
Blended rate of interest
along with its funding proportion with its proportion of funding
6
In case of digital loans, following specific disclosures may be furnished:
(i) Cooling off/look-up period, in terms of RE’s
board approved policy, during which borrower
shall not be charged any penalty on
prepayment of loan
(ii) Details of LSP acting as recovery agent and
authorized to approach the borrower
13 RE may furnish generic email id, provided a response is made within 1 working day
15Annex II
(cf. Para 6A.4 of these Directions)
Illustrative Factsheet on computation of APR for Microfinance Loans
Sr. Parameter Details
No.
1 Sanctioned Loan amount (in Rupees) (Sl no. 2 of the KFS 20,000
template – Part 1)
2 Loan Term (in years/ months/ days) (Sl No.4 of the KFS
template – Part 1)
a) No. of instalments for payment of principal, in case of non- -
equated periodic loans
b) Type of EPI Monthly
Amount of each EPI (in Rupees) and 970
nos. of EPIs (e.g., no. of EMIs in case of monthly 24
instalments)
(Sl No. 5 of the KFS template – Part 1)
c) No. of instalments for payment of capitalised interest, if any -
d) Commencement of repayments, post sanction (Sl No. 5 of 30 days
the KFS template – Part 1)
3 Interest rate type (fixed or floating or hybrid) (Sl No. 6 of the Fixed
KFS template – Part 1)
4 Rate of Interest (Sl No. 6 of the KFS template – Part 1) 15%
5 Total Interest Amount to be charged during the entire tenor 3,274
of the loan as per the rate prevailing on sanction date (in
Rupees)
6 Fee/ Charges payable14 (in Rupees) 400
A Payable to the RE (Sl No.8A of the KFS template-Part 1) 240
B Payable to third-party routed through RE (Sl No.8B of the 160
KFS template – Part 1)
7 Net disbursed amount (1-6) (in Rupees) 19,600
8 Total amount to be paid by the borrower (sum of 1 and 5) 23,27415
(in Rupees)
9 Annual Percentage rate- Effective annualized interest rate 17.07%
(in percentage)16 (Sl No.9 of the KFS template-Part 1)
14 Where such charges cannot be determined prior to sanction, REs may indicate an upper ceiling
15 The difference in repayment amount calculated from the total of instalments given under the detailed repayment
schedule i.e., ₹23,280 (=970*24) vis-à-vis the amount of ₹23,274 (₹20,000 (loan amount) + ₹3,274 (Interest charges)
mentioned under (8) is due to rounding off the instalment amount of ₹969.73 to ₹970 under the detailed repayment
schedule
16 Computed on net disbursed amount using IRR approach and reducing balance method
1610 Schedule of disbursement as per terms and conditions Detailed
schedule to be
provided
11 Due date of payment of instalment and interest DDMMYYYY
17Annex III
(cf. Para 6A.4 of these Directions)
Illustrative Repayment Schedule under Equated Periodic Instalment for the
hypothetical loan illustrated in Annex II
Instalment Outstanding Principal Principal Interest Instalment
No. (in Rupees) (in Rupees) (in Rupees) (in Rupees)
1 20,000 720 250 970
2 19,280 729 241 970
3 18,552 738 232 970
4 17,814 747 223 970
5 17,067 756 213 970
6 16,310 766 204 970
7 15,544 775 194 970
8 14,769 785 185 970
9 13,984 795 175 970
10 13,189 805 165 970
11 12,384 815 155 970
12 11,569 825 145 970
13 10,744 835 134 970
14 9,909 846 124 970
15 9,063 856 113 970
16 8,206 867 103 970
17 7,339 878 92 970
18 6,461 889 81 970
19 5,572 900 70 970
20 4,672 911 58 970
21 3,761 923 47 970
22 2,838 934 35 970
23 1,904 946 24 970
24 958 958 12 970
18