40 Important RBI Circulars for RBI Grade B Exam 2025
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When it comes to the RBI Grade B exam, one area that often confuses aspirants is the RBI Circulars. Many aspirants ask which ones they must read? The RBI website is full of notifications, guidelines, and circulars, and it’s impossible to cover everything. But the reality is that circulars are super important. They highlight the focus areas of RBI at a given point in time. And from these focus areas, questions are framed, both in Phase 1 (objective) and Phase 2 (descriptive). In fact, around 4 to 5 questions can directly come from circular-based themes. That’s why ignoring them is risky. In this blog, I’ll share the 40 most important RBI circulars you should focus on for the 2025 exam. Read carefully, note them down, and cover at least their summaries. That much is enough to give you an edge.

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What are RBI Circulars?

RBI circulars are official instructions released by the Reserve Bank of India. They guide banks and financial institutions on how to operate within the rules. These circulars act as the backbone of the financial system, setting standards for monetary stability, digital lending, KYC norms, and more. They make sure every institution follows a uniform and transparent framework.

Main Components of RBI Circulars

Here are the main aspects of RBI Circulars:

Regulatory Framework: Issued under laws like the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and the Payment & Settlement Systems Act, 2007, they carry statutory weight.

Consolidation and Updates: Older rules are compiled and updated into a single Master Circular to keep instructions clear and consistent.

Focus Areas: The topics reflect RBI’s priorities, like financial inclusion, risk management, customer protection, and digital innovation.

Impact on the Financial Sector: Circulars affect lending policies, mergers, foreign investment, and even technology standards across banks.

Application: They apply to all financial institutions, like commercial, cooperative, and rural banks.

Importance for Stakeholders: For bankers, they are the rulebooks. For students and aspirants, they show where the RBI’s focus lies and often become sources for exam questions.

RBI Important Circulars for RBI Grade B Exam 2025

RBI circulars are purposeful. Each addresses a specific theme, like KYC, Digital Lending, Priority Sector Lending, or Urban Cooperative Banks. These themes can reappear in varied forms in the exam. That’s why studying a curated list is far more productive than aimlessly navigating RBI’s website.

Master the circulars below, and you’ll have built a strong base for Phase 1 and Phase 2.

RBI Master Circulars & Directions (2025)
No.Master Circular/DirectionDate of Release
1Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator (PA)Sep 15, 2025
2Reserve Bank of India (Co-Lending Arrangements) Directions, 2025Aug 06, 2025
3Reserve Bank of India (Non-Fund Based Credit Facilities) Directions, 2025Aug 06, 2025
4Reserve Bank of India (Investment in AIF) Directions, 2025Jul 29, 2025
5Master Circular – Credit facilities to Scheduled Castes (SCs) & Scheduled Tribes (STs)Jun 16, 2025
6Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Electronic Trading Platforms) Directions, 2025Jun 16, 2025
7Master Direction on Framework of incentives for Currency Distribution & Exchange Scheme for bank branches including currency chestsApr 25, 2025
8Master Directions – Compounding of Contraventions under FEMA, 1999Apr 22, 2025
9Master Direction on Penal Provisions in reporting of transactions / balances at Currency ChestsApr 01, 2025
10Master Direction – Scheme of Penalties for bank branches and currency chests for deficiency in rendering customer service to the members of publicApr 01, 2025
11Master Direction on Counterfeit Notes, 2025 – Detection, Reporting and MonitoringApr 01, 2025
12Master Direction – Facility for Exchange of Notes and CoinsApr 01, 2025
13Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2025Apr 01, 2025
14Master Circular on SHG-Bank Linkage ProgrammeApr 01, 2025
15Master Circular – Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)Apr 01, 2025
16Master Circular – Credit facilities to Scheduled Castes (SCs) & Scheduled Tribes (STs)Apr 01, 2025
17Master Circular – Lead Bank SchemeApr 01, 2025
18Master Circular – Disbursement of Government Pension by Agency BanksApr 01, 2025
19Master Circular on Conduct of Government Business by Agency Banks – Payment of Agency CommissionApr 01, 2025
20Master Circular on Board of Directors – UCBsApr 01, 2025
21Master Circular – Basel III Capital RegulationsApr 01, 2025
22Master Circular- Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy – Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs)Apr 01, 2025
23Master Circular – Guarantees, Co-Acceptances & Letters of Credit – UCBsApr 01, 2025
24Master Circular – Guarantees and Co-acceptancesApr 01, 2025
25Master Circular – Prudential norms on Income Recognition, Asset Classification and Provisioning pertaining to AdvancesApr 01, 2025
26Master Circular- Income Recognition, Asset Classification, Provisioning and Other Related Matters – UCBsApr 01, 2025
27Master Circular – Bank Finance to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)Apr 01, 2025
28Master Circular – Housing FinanceApr 01, 2025
29Master Circular – Housing Finance for UCBsApr 01, 2025
30Master Circular – Exposure Norms and Statutory / Other Restrictions – UCBsApr 01, 2025
31Master Circular – Management of Advances – UCBsApr 01, 2025
32Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy for Regional Rural Banks) Directions, 2025Mar 25, 2025
33Master Directions – Reserve Bank of India (Priority Sector Lending – Targets and Classification) Directions, 2025Mar 24, 2025
34Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Access Criteria for NDS-OM) Directions, 2025Feb 07, 2025
35Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Non-resident Investment in Debt Instruments) Directions, 2025Jan 07, 2025
36Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Credit Information Reporting) Directions, 2025Jan 06, 2025
37Reserve Bank of India (Access Criteria for NDS-OM) Directions, 2024October 18 2024
38Master Directions on Cyber Resilience and Digital Payment Security Controls for non-bank Payment System OperatorsJuly 30, 2024
39Master Direction on Treatment of Wilful Defaulters and Large DefaultersJuly 30, 2024
40
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Credit Information Reporting) Directions, 2025
July 24, 2024

Note: You can access all the PDFs of the RBI Circulars [here] and the directions [here].

If you find covering all the circulars a daunting task, and are searching for the best resources to not only go through RBI Circulars and directions but also the entire syllabus, you can opt for our courses, especially The Foundation Course. These courses systematically and thoroughly cover the circulars.

Grab the Best Courses to Cover Essential Circulars – Click here

Takeaway

Circulars are not just official notifications, they are windows into RBI’s priorities. Covering them helps you catch the themes that RBI is focusing on. From KYC to Digital Lending, from Urban Cooperative Banks to Basel III, these topics are potential question-makers. Don’t skip them. Even a quick read of their summaries can fetch you precious marks in both objective and descriptive papers.

In short, paying attention to circulars and government schemes can give you important extra marks that make a real difference in your overall score.

FAQs

Do I need to read all RBI circulars from the website?

These 40 circulars listed above are good to get started with. But a better way to cover all the circulars in a condensed form is via the foundation course. Cover their summaries instead of reading every detail.

Can circular-based questions appear in both Phase 1 and Phase 2?

Yes. In Phase 1, they come as direct MCQs. In Phase 2, they may appear as descriptive themes like “Discuss RBI’s approach to Digital Lending.”

How much time should I give to these 40 circulars?

About 5 to 6 days are enough. Spend 2 to 3 hours daily and prepare short notes. Focus on major themes like KYC, PSL, Basel III, and Digital Lending.

Are circulars included in RBI PracticeMock’s course content?

Yes. The circulars are covered month-wise if you are already enrolled in the RBI Grade B course. There is no need to download them separately from the RBI website.

What’s the best way to revise circulars before the exam?

Make one-page notes for each major theme. Before the exam, quickly flip through these summaries instead of revisiting the long documents.

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By Asad Yar Khan

Asad specializes in penning and overseeing blogs on study strategies, exam techniques, and key strategies for SSC, banking, regulatory body, engineering, and other competitive exams. During his 3+ years' stint at PracticeMock, he has helped thousands of aspirants gain the confidence to achieve top results. In his free time, he either transforms into a sleep lover, devours books, or becomes an outdoor enthusiast.

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