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Vision Statement:

“The Reserve Bank of


India is committed to
pursue the public interest
and common good as
a leading central bank
Reserve Bank of India: that is recognised for its
credible, transparent and
An Overview proactive policies.”
Origins & Evolution

The origin of the Reserve Bank can be traced to 1926, when the Royal Commission
on Indian Currency and Finance—also known as the Hilton-Young Commission—
recommended the creation of a central bank to separate the control of currency and
Bank can be
Royal Commission
credit from the government and to augment banking facilities throughout the country.
nance—also The Reserve Bank of India Act of 1934 established the Reserve Bank as the banker to
ng Commission—
n of a central bank the central government and set in motion a series of actions culminating in the start of
currency and operations in 1935. Since then, the Reserve Bank’s role and functions have undergone
nt and to augment
out the country. numerous changes keeping pace with the changing nature of the Indian economy.
Act of 1934
ank as the banker
t and set in motion
ating in the start of
then, the Reserve
have undergone
e nature of the
ged.

Today’s RBI bears some resemblance to the


original institution, although our mission
has expanded along with our deepened,
broadened and increasingly globalised
economy.

As Reserve Bank commences operations today I take [the]


opportunity to…express my confidence that this great
undertaking will contribute largely to the economic well
being of India and…its people.
- Excerpt from telegram sent by Viceroy to Mr Osborne Smith,
first Governor of the Reserve Bank, 1935

From ensuring stability of interest rates and exchange rates to providing liquidity and
an adequate supply of currency and credit for the real sector; from ensuring banking
penetration and safety of depositors’ funds to promoting and developing financial
institutions and markets, and maintaining the stability of the financial system through
continued macro-financial surveillance, the Reserve Bank plays a crucial role in the
economy. Its decisions touch the daily life of all Indians and help chart the country’s
current and future economic and financial course.

Over the years, the Bank’s specific roles and functions have evolved. However, there have
been certain constants, such as the integrity and professionalism with which the Reserve
Bank discharges its mandate.

To know more, refer to ‘History of the Reserve Bank of India’ - a definitive account of the organisation’s
evolution and journey - released by the Bank in multiple volumes.

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Our Balance Sheet – Then and now!

Our
1935Balance
: Sheet – Then and now!

RESERVE BANK OF INDIA


(Amount in ₹ billion )
Liabilities Assets
Notes Held in the Banking 0.215 Gold Coin and Bullion 0.445
Department
Foreign Securities 0.662
Rupee Coin 0.571
Notes in Circulation 1.718 Government of India Rupees 0.255
Securities
Banking Department’s Liabilities (Capital 0.455 Banking Department’s Assets 0.455
Paid Up, Reserve fund, Govt. and Bank deposits etc,) (Balance held abroad, Investments etc.)
Total Liabilities 2.39 Total Assets 2.39

2019 : 1935

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

The main components of Reserve Bank’s income are ‘Interest Receipts’, which forms the major portion and
‘Other income’ including (i) Discount (ii) Exchange- Domestic and Foreign Sources (iii) Commission (iv)
Amortization of Premium/Discount on Foreign and Rupee Securities (v) Profit /Loss on Sale and
Redemption of Foreign and Rupee Securities (vi) Depreciation on rupee securities inter portfolio transfer
(vii) Rent Realised (viii) Profit or loss on sale of Bank’s property and (ix) Provisions no longer required and
Miscellaneous Income. The Bank’s total income in 2018-19 stood at ₹1,930.36 billion 2020
Income and Expenditure
The
Themain components
Reserve Bank incursof Reserve Bank’s
expenditure income
in the course are ‘Interest
of performing Receipts’,
its statutory whichbyforms
functions way ofthe
agency
charges/commission, printing of notes, expenditure on remittance of currency besides staff related and
major portion and ‘Other income’ including (i) Discount (ii) Exchange- Domestic
other expenses. The total expenditure of the Bank in 2018-19 stood at ₹170.45 billion.
and
Foreign Sources (iii) Commission (iv) Amortization of Premium/Discount on Foreign and
Rupee
InsteadSecurities (v) Profit
of July-June, /Lossaccounting
the Bank’s on Sale and yearRedemption of Foreignfrom
would be April-March and2021
Rupee Securities
onwards!
(vi) Depreciation on rupee securities inter portfolio transfer (vii) Rent Realised (viii) Profit
or loss on sale of Bank’s property and (ix) Provisions no longer required and Miscellaneous
Income. The Bank’s total income in 2019-20 stood at ₨1,496.72 billion.

The Reserve Bank incurs expenditure in the course of performing its statutory functions
by way of agency charges/commission, printing of notes, expenditure on remittance of
currency besides staff related and other expenses. The total expenditure of the Bank in
2019-20 stood at ₨925.40 billion.

Instead of July-June, the Bank’s accounting year would henceforth be from April to March.

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Presence
PRESENCE

The Reserve Bank of India has regional offices (ROs) including Sub-offices at 31 locations
Thespread
Reserve Bank
across the of India has Regional Offices (ROs) including sub-offices at 31 locations
country.
spread across the country.

Organisational Structure
Some numbers

ROs – 31: Total staff as on April 1, 2020: ….Class I, …..Class III; ….Class IV
CODs – 28 Total staff as on April 1, 2020: ….Class I, …..Class III; ….Class IV

The Bank’s total staff strength comprises around 13,000 full time employees working
different locations across the country.

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Functions & Working
A. Regulation, Supervision and Enforcement
Legal Framework:
The regulatory and supervisory activities of the Bank derive authority from various provisions contained in the BR Act,
1949 & BR Act (AACS), 1949, RBI Act, 1934, the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1975, SARFAESI Act, 2002 and other related
statutes in order to protect depositors’ interests, to ensure safety and soundness of the banking system and to safeguard
financial stability.
Organisational Set-up:
Viewing the different entities within its domain in a unified manner and in order to derive regulatory / supervisory
synergies, the Bank has set up two new Departments – the Department of Regulation (DoR) and the Department of
Supervision (DoS) in 2019 thereby bringing commercial banks, cooperative banks and NBFCs under a single umbrella.

Regulation: The Department of Supervision: The Department Enforcement: Recognising the need
Regulation exercises regulatory powers of Supervision is responsible for for effective enforcement of supervisory
over Commercial banks, Small Finance enforcement of rules and regulations policies, a separate Enforcement
Banks, Payments Banks, Cooperative at individual entity level that are Department (EFD) was set up in 2017.
Banks, All India Financial Institutions, formulated by the regulator to govern The Department is responsible for
Regional Rural Banks, Local Area Banks their behaviour. In banking supervision, developing sound policy framework for
and select categories of Non-Banking from a compliance-based approach, the enforcement, identifying actionable
Financial Companies. framework has evolved into a risk-based violations on the basis of bank
The tools used for regulation are or risk-focused approach with Basel’s examination reports, both onsite and
statutory and prudential regulation, Core Principles for Effective Banking offsite, and market intelligence reports
other regulatory guidelines and moral Supervision serving as the benchmark. The and conduct further investigations/
suasion. Broadly the banking regulation dual control issue in Urban Cooperative verifications.
strategies relate to ex ante strategies such Banks has been addressed through setting
as entry regulations, activity regulations, up of Task Force (TAFCUBS) in all States
prudential regulations, governance while strengthening of offsite capacities is
regulations, conduct regulations and playing a key role in supervision of NBFCs.
information regulations and ex post
regulations such as resolution policies.

Focus Areas:
Job roles for officers in
Grade ‘B’:
ƒ Policy formulation, Onsite
and Offsite Supervision,
Data Collection and
Analysis thereof
ƒ Processing risk
assessment report,
Preparing and Issuing
SCNs for enforceable
violations

Want to know about 5 key attributes of a good supervisory framework? Read IMF Staff Position Note titled,
“The Making of Good Supervision: Learning to Say ‘No’ “

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B. Financial Markets & Foreign Exchange
Legal Framework:
FMRD & FMOD Chapter III D, Section 45U, 45W RBI Act, 1934
IDMD Government Securities Act, 2006/Rules 2007, Public Debt Act, 1944/ Rules 1947
DEIO RBI Act, 1934
FED Schedule 3, Sections 6-11 and 15 of FEMA , 1999.
Organisational Set-up:
FMRD: Set up with a mandate to regulate, FED: Main objective of the Foreign FMOD: The Financial Markets Operation
develop and oversee financial markets, Exchange Department is to facilitate Department conducts operations in the
Financial Markets Regulation Department external trade and payments and promote money market, government securities
looks after regulation, development, orderly development and conduct of and forex markets. As a part of this
oversight and surveillance of the money, foreign exchange market in India. FED responsibility, FMOD also undertakes
government securities, foreign exchange works in line with the stipulations analysis of various market segments and
markets and related derivative markets; as under FEMA 1999 and compounding of provides inputs to the top management
also of Financial benchmarks for interest contraventions thereof. for informed decision making.
rates and foreign exchange markets.
DEIO: The Department of External
IDMD: The main activities of the Internal Investment & Operations is responsible
Debt Management Department include for managing the Bank’s reserves. It also
managing the Government’s debt in a risk undertakes certain foreign exchange
efficient and cost-effective manner, and transactions on behalf of the Government
building a robust institutional framework and plays a role in international co-
of primary dealers (PDs). operation arrangements involving foreign
exchange reserves.

Focus Areas:
Financial Markets Departments are committed to further developing and deepening the money, G-secs, foreign exchange and
especially the interest rate and currency derivative markets and ensuring effective liquidity management and FX operations.
There is an enhanced thrust on ramping up IT infrastructure for effective monitoring and surveillance e.g. Public Registry,
Integrated Market Surveillance System etc. FED aims at rationalisation of cross-border borrowing and lending regulations,
improving information management in the context of foreign investment inflows while facilitating outward flows.

Job roles for officers in Grade ‘B’:

FMRD FED FMOD


ƒ Market regulation and development- ƒ Examination of applications/ ƒ Market development-Data collection,
Data collection, analysis & research requests for exchange analysis & research
ƒ Oversight/ Surveillance reports transactions. ƒ Open & Special Market operations
ƒ Secretarial support to FMCC, RBI-SEBI TC ƒ Correspondence ƒ Analysis of LAF, MSF, MSS, REER,
with Governments / NEER etc.
DEIO Departments/Ministries.
ƒ Data collection and analysis ƒ Policy notes on Regulations/ IDMD
ƒ IT infrastructure & Back office work, Directions ƒ Conducting auctions on behalf of
preparation of reports/publications Central and State Governments.
ƒ Handling operations ƒ Regulation of primary dealers
ƒ Providing inputs for policy making
ƒ Back office work, preparation of
reports/publications

The Impossible Trinity is a concept in International Economics which states that it is impossible to have all
three of the following at the same time: a fixed foreign exchange rate, free capital movement
(absence of capital controls) and an independent monetary policy. Figure it out for yourself!

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C. Banking, Payments, Financial Inclusion & Currency Management
Legal Framework:
DGBA Core Banking Functions as per Sections 20-21 & 21A RBI Act, 1934
DPSS Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007/Regulations 2008
DCM Chapter-III, Section 22-26, RBI Act, 1934
FIDD Section 17, RBI Act, 1934, Section 26A, BR Act, 1949
Organisational Set-up:
FIDD: Financial Inclusion DGBA: The Department DPSS: The Department of DCM: The Department of
and Development of Government and Bank Payment and Settlement Currency Management
Department formulates Accounts discharges System undertakes looks after design, demand,
policies for financial the core central banking regulation and supervision logistics and issue of
inclusion through supply function of acting as of the payment and banknotes and circulation
side intervention for credit Banker to the Government settlement systems and of coins. The department
flow to productive sectors of and Banker to banks. Main matters related therewith is committed to ensuring
the economy viz. Agriculture functions include arranging under the Payment and availability of banknotes
and Micro, Small and & monitoring Government Settlement Systems Act, and extending coins related
Medium Enterprises (MSME), business, authorization & 2007. It also works as service. DCM operates
demand side interventions oversight of agency banks, secretariat to the Board for through Issue Departments
by promoting financial etc. DGBA operates through Regulation and Supervision at Regional Offices.
education and financial General Banking divisions at of Payment & Settlement
literacy and strengthening Regional Offices. System (BPSS).
the institutional
arrangement for effective Focus Areas:
implementation. The DGBA: E-Kuber Integration with Governments/ Treasuries, Internal Accounting Review and
Department has presence at monitoring
Regional level also. DPSS: E-Kuber Module expansion, Enterprise Access Management, Next-gen NEFT 24X7,
Cyber security
DCM: Capacity enhancement, Indigenisation of Banknotes, Varnished banknotes-field trial, etc.
FIDD: Strengthening Credit flow to Priority Sectors, better implementation of Lead Bank
Scheme, deepening of financial literacy and financial inclusion drive

Job roles for officers in Grade ‘B’:

FIDD DGBA DPSS DCM


ƒ Drafting/ revising ƒ Policy related work for ƒ Policy formulation ƒ Demand -Supply
Priority Sector Opening of Current for regulation and Analysis of Currency in
Guidelines, preparing Accounts for Banks & supervision of Circulation, preparation
and implementing Governments , Internal regulated entities of Weekly Statement of
National Strategy for Accounting, etc. such as PPIs, Wallets, Accounts for Issue Dept.
Financial Inclusion, ƒ Appointments/ Payment Banks etc. ƒ Review of Security and
Development of MSME. performance of Agency ƒ Monitoring logistics.
ƒ Interactions with Banks. developments ƒ Custodian of Vault in
Governments/Industries/ ƒ Weekly Statement of including innovations, Issue Departments,
SCBs, etc. accounts for Issue and frauds, etc. Managing sections such
ƒ Nodal officer for Lead Banking departments. ƒ Oversight of SWIFT as Resource, Remittance,
Bank Schemes in ROs. India, ensuring smooth Accounts, etc.
operations of NEFT/
RTGS/Cheques, etc.

India has been at the forefront in the field of Payments & Settlement. To find out more, refer to BIS
paper (106) titled- “The design of digital financial structure : Lessons from India”.

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D. Monetary Policy, Research & Financial Stability
Legal Framework:
Preamble to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, “...to regulate the issue of Bank notes and keeping of reserves with a
view to securing monetary stability in India and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its
advantage; to have a modern monetary policy framework to meet the challenge of an increasingly complex economy, to
maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth”.

Organisational Set-up:
MPD: Monetary Policy Department acts DSIM: The mandate of Department of FSU: The Financial Stability Unit was set
as a secretariat for the Monetary Policy Statistics & Information Management up keeping in view both international and
Committee (MPC) and assists the MPC in is to manage comprehensive statistical domestic initiatives for resolving financial
formulation of monetary policy. systems relating to monetary, banking, crises and strengthening international
corporate and external sector; conduct financial architecture. FSU provides the
DEPR: Department of Economic & Policy structured surveys and carry out Secretariat to the Sub-Committee of the
Research undertakes policy supportive specialised statistical analysis and Financial Stability Development Council.
research on macroeconomic issues forecasting.
specifically in the areas of monetary INTD: International Department is
policy, financial markets, forecasting of responsible for international financial
macroeconomic variables, etc. diplomacy, Bank’s participation in
formulation of global regulatory
standards and international economic
Focus Areas: cooperation. It also looks after Bank’s
MPD: Refining liquidity forecasting framework and its operating aspects, spatial external services and relations including
study of inflation, Monetary Policy transmission, analysis of sectoral credit flows on matters of technical cooperation with
DEPR: Big data applications for improving inflation and growth projections, other Central Banks.
payments system innovations and currency demand; global liquidity and impact
of trade policy measures determinants of total factor productivity; supply chain and food inflation dynamics
DSIM: Public Credit Registry , Centralised Information Management System (CIMS), Central Information System for
Banking Infrastructure (CISBI) , metadata driven data maintenance and dissemination system
INTD & FSU: Finance track under G20, Article IV 2019 with IMF, FSB’s annual monitoring exercise, Analytical policy briefs
at BIS and CGFS meetings, SAARCFINANCE

Job roles for officers in Grade ‘B’:

MPD DSIM DEPR INTD & FSU


ƒ Providing technical ƒ Collecting, processing ƒ Research on ƒ Research oriented work
inputs to the MPC such and analysing granular macroeconomic issues on global economic
as growth and inflation data; Conducting and primary statistics cooperation, managing
projections; Preparing research and statistical and indicators; exposure visits, etc.
Monetary Policy Report studies Publishing various
(MPR); Organising pre- ƒ Technical support to reports viz., the Annual
policy consultations other departments. Report and the Report
with stakeholders. on Trend and Progress
of Banking in India;
Organising Memorial
Lectures, Conferences,
etc.

Want to know more about evolution of monetary policy making in India? Go through our
Governor’s speech titled, ‘Seven Ages of India’s Monetary Policy’ delivered on January 24, 2020.

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E. Governance, Human Resource, Support & Customer Service
Organisational Set-up:
HRMD: Human Resource CEPD: Consumer Education RMD: Risk Monitoring DIT: Department of
Management Department and Protection Department Department has been Information Technology is
facilitates the Bank’s acts as a nodal point constituted for implementation responsible for all IT related
functioning by creating for all external service of Enterprise-wide Risk services to the Bank and the
an enabling environment , related complaints against Management System in the banking sector. It provides
building trust and enhancing RBI & regulated entities, Bank. The department has broad policy guidelines
efficiency through effective enforcing ethical behaviour separate divisions looking after in critical areas, such as
HR policies. and spreading consumer operational risk and financial Information security and
awareness. risk. other related areas.

CSBD: Corporate Strategy Premises Department:


and Budget Department The Department’s
is responsible for responsibility is to create and
formulation of Bank’s maintain premises related
budget , expenditure infrastructure. It frames
rules, corporate strategy, policies and guidelines on
Business Continuity physical infrastructure,
Policy, management of acquisition, maintenance,
superannuation funds, etc. consolidation, etc.

Job roles for officers in Grade ‘B’:


HRMD CEPD RMD DIT CSBD Premises
Evolving and Overseeing Providing Providing Data Collection, Department:
Implementing the grievance inputs to Risk inputs for policy Collation of Planning and
policies on redressal Management matters such as responses preparation of
Recruitment, mechanism, Committee IT Architecture for Budget estimations ,
Placement , Administering (RMC) and and Information Preparation, capital budget
Promotions, Banking Audit & Risk Security, etc. providing inputs and general
Employee Ombudsman Management and their for strategy insurance,
Wellness, Training Scheme, Works Sub-Committee; implementation; framework, BCP, handling tax
& Development, related to Working on support services expenditure and accounting
Performance Banking Codes Risk Tolerance for IT applications rules, actuarial related queries
appraisal, and Standards Framework; and IT projects study of the of ROs & CODs,
Mobility , Board of India, Modelling such as RTGS, Bank’s liabilities, works related
Wage structure handling queries Credit Risk & PDO, NDS, etc; liaising work to E-tenders
and Welfare through RIA, Operational Risk; Maintenance with other for the Bank’s
measures; CPGRAMS, Monitoring Risk of Data Centres departments. properties such
maintaining HR Parliamentary Dashboards for and Local Area as preparation of
database, etc. Questions, etc. Risk Reporting. Networks. estimates, RFQs,
Data collection
& compilation,
etc.

Departments such as Inspection Department, Secretary’s Department, Department of Communication, Legal Department
and Rajbhasha Department also extend important support services that are vital for smooth functioning of the Bank.

The Bank’s Economic Capital Framework (ECF) -developed in 2014-15 to provide an objective, rule-based,
transparent methodology for determining the appropriate level of risk provisions - was reviewed recently.
For details, visit ‘Reports’ section of the Bank’s website, https://rbi.org.in

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Opportunities For Learning
Approach: At RBI, learning is facilitated at all levels and in different ways. The Bank has adopted the following approach
for catering to the training needs of its staff:

On-the-job learning | Mentoring schemes | In-house training | Demand-Driven Training | Individual study

Infrastructure: The Bank is committed to providing state of the art training infrastructure to all its employees in every
stage of their career as given below:

Key T&D schemes available for officers:


Scholarship Scheme Scholarship for pursuing higher studies abroad for candidates selected after a
rigorous process.
Incentive Scheme for Higher Edu- Employees are encouraged to take up specialised educational courses. The fees are
cation - Bridging the Skill Gaps reimbursed.
Structured e-learning Available on Learning Management System platform on the Bank’s intranet and
include basic as also advanced modules on a host of areas.

As one progresses in the organisation, mandatory trainings and Leadership courses are also arranged
for at appropriate levels.

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Some Useful Resources
Central Library: The Bank’s Central Library at Mumbai subscribes to a host of online subject databases, electronic journals,
e-books and online news updates. The Library also offers information services and technical support to training colleges
and libraries attached to other offices of the Bank.

RBI Archives: The Archives at Pune preserves invaluable records of the Reserve Bank of India as part of its archival
resources and makes them available for reference and research to the present and future generations.

Database on Indian Economy: The Bank has set up a public website viz., ‘Database on Indian Economy’ (DBIE) for data
dissemination. The DBIE can be accessed through the URL- https://dbie.rbi.org.in

Major Publications
Annual Half-yearly Quarterly Bi-monthly Monthly Weekly Reports, Work-
ing Papers, etc.
• Annual Report • Financial Sta- • Variation • Survey of • RBI Bulletin • Weekly • Various
• Report on bility Report to Foreign Professional • Monetary Statistical Committee
Trend and • Monetary Exchange Forecasters & Credit Supplement Reports, Re-
Progress of Policy Report Reserves on Macro- Information search Papers,
Banking in • Report on • Surveys - economic Review etc.
India Foreign Consumer Indicators
Exchange Confidence,
Reserves Inflation
• Occasional Expectation,
Papers Industrial
Outlook,
Capacity
Utilisation

For further reference, please visit the Bank’s website. In particular, the following documents may be perused:
• Annual Report: RBI website homepage->Publications->Annual
• RBI Functions and Working: RBI website homepage->Publications->Occasional

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