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The banking system of India — the RBI, types of banks, key rates and important terms — a high-yield quick reference for competitive exams. For detailed notes see Banking Awareness.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Central Bank | Reserve Bank of India (RBI); established 1 April 1935; nationalised 1949 |
| RBI headquarters | Mumbai |
| Currency issuer | RBI (except the ₹1 note, issued by the Ministry of Finance) |
| Largest public sector bank | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| First bank of India | Bank of Hindustan (1770) |
| Rural credit apex bank | NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development) |
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Public Sector Banks | SBI, PNB, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank |
| Private Sector Banks | HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak Mahindra |
| Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) | Serve rural & agricultural credit needs |
| Small Finance Banks | Ujjivan, Equitas, Jana — for small borrowers |
| Payments Banks | India Post Payments Bank, Airtel Payments Bank — deposits & payments (no lending) |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Repo Rate | Rate at which RBI lends to commercial banks |
| Reverse Repo Rate | Rate at which RBI borrows from banks |
| CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) | Share of deposits banks keep with the RBI in cash |
| SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio) | Share of deposits kept in liquid assets by banks |
| NPA | Non-Performing Asset — generally a loan whose interest or instalment is overdue for more than 90 days |
| NEFT / RTGS / IMPS / UPI | Electronic fund-transfer systems |
Current policy rates change with each RBI monetary policy review — see Current Affairs for the latest figures. Practise: General Awareness questions for bank exams · Banks list: Indian Banks