Special Story nBFC
CA Bhavesh Vora
Prudential Norms for Non-banking Financial
(Non-Deposit Accepting or Holding) Companies
Background
Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs),
forms an integral part of Indian inancial system,
providing various financial services. In recent
times, activities of NBFCs have undergone
variety of changes through inancial innovation.
NBFC initially gets incorporated under Indian
Companies Act, 1956 and later on obtains
Certificate of Incorporation from RBI. As
compared to Banks, replace with such companies
have greater lexibility and can undertake higher
risks and tailor make the services to suit the
requirements of clients. At present, NBFCs in
India has become prominent in wide range
of services such as Bill discounting, factoring,
investment activities, hire-purchase finance,
lease inance, loans, loans against securities, loan
against gold, precious metals, etc. With increase
in activities, it is also important to regulate
and effectively monitor the functioning of such
NBFCs. The RBI, having considered necessary in
the public interest and being satisied that for the
purpose of enabling them to regulate the credit
system to advantage of the country, has laid
down the prudential norms.
The prudential norms directions were issued
by RBI u/s 45JA of the Reserve Bank of India
Act, 1934. The directions issued in 2007 vide
Notification No. DNBS.192/ DG (VL)-2007
and DNBS.193/ DG (VL)-2007 dated February
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22, 2007 supersede Non-Banking Financial
Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank)
Directions, 1998 contained in Notification
No. DFC. 119/DG(SPT)/98 dated January
31, 1998.
RBI has recently announced draft guidelines
in respect of NBFC sector which also includes
aspects relating to various prudential norms.
The same is being covered in separate article,
and hence this article is based on extant
regulations pertaining to prudential norms for
NBFCs.
This article covers some of the important
provisions stipulated under the prudential
norms-
I. Accounting guidelines
II. Asset Classification and provisioning
requirements for standard and Non-
Performing assets
III. Disclosure in Balance sheet
IV. Accounting year to be followed
V. Concentration of credit/investments
VI. Other Compliance Aspects
299
 Prudential norms for non-banking Financial (non-deposit accepting or Holding) companies
I. Accounting Guidelines
Some of the Accounting related aspects includes
Income Recognition criteria, Accounting of
Investments, asset classiication and provisioning
requirements.
RBI has prescribed that Income recognition should
be based on recognised accounting principles,
however Accounting Standards and Guidance
Notes from ICAI will be followed as far as
they are not inconsistent with any of the RBI
directions.
Income like interest /discount /any other
charges on NPAs shall be recognised only
when actually realised, RBI also requires that
income recognised before asset becoming NPA
should be reversed in the financial year in
which such asset becomes NPA. The directions
requires NBFCs to recognise income from
dividends on shares of corporate bodies and
units of mutual funds on cash basis, unless the
company has declared the dividend in AGM
and right of the company to receive the same
has been established, in such cases, it can be
recognized on accrual basis. Income from bonds
and debentures of corporate bodies and from
government securities/bonds may be taken
into account on accrual basis provided it is
paid regularly and is not in arrears. Income
on securities of corporate bodies or public
sector undertakings may be taken into account
on accrual basis provided the payment of
interest and repayment of the security has been
guaranteed by Central Government.
accounting of investments
Investing is one of the core activities of NBFCs,
hence RBI requires the Board of Directors to
Frame investment policy of the company and
implement the same. The policy should include
criteria laid down by the board for classiication
of investments into long-term and short term.
The investments need to be classified into
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current or long term at the time of making
each investment. There can be no inter-class
transfer of investments on ad hoc basis later
on. Inter class transfer should be done at the
beginning of half year and with the approval of
the board. The directions also speciies various
valuation guidelines in respect of quoted and
unquoted current investments leaving the Long
term Investments to be valued as per ICAI
Accounting Standards.
It requires quoted current investments to be
grouped into speciied categories and valuation
of each category to be done at aggregate
cost or aggregate market value whichever is
lower. Depreciation should be provided and
appreciation (if any) should be ignored category-
wise and not scrip-wise.
Unquoted equity shares in the nature of current
investments shall be valued at cost or break-up
value, whichever is lower. RBI has prescribed
that fair value for the break-up value of the
shares may be replaced, if considered necessary.
Where the balance sheet of the investee company
is not available for two years, such shares shall
be valued at one rupee only.
Breakup value means the equity capital and
reserves as reduced by intangible assets and
revaluation reserves, divided by the number of
equity shares of the investee company.
II. Asset classification and
provisioning requirements
The following categories are defined in
the regulations mainly based on period of
outstanding of the interest and principal.
(i) Standard assets;
(ii) Sub-standard assets;
(iii) Doubtful assets; and
(iv) Loss assets
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Broad Provisioning Requirements are depicted in the table below.

assets Explanation period provision on provision on Security
loan Balance
Standard Standard asset means the asset in respect It is regular asset 0.25% of all
Assets of which, no default in repayment of and does not standard
principal or payment of interest is orm part of NPA assets
perceived and which does not disclose
any problem nor carry more than normal
risk attached to the business
NPA An asset, in respect of which, interest/ 6 months
installment/reimbursement has remained
overdue for a period of six months or more
Sub- Asset classiied as NPA for a period not Non-performing 10% of the No speciic provisions
standard exceeding 18 months; assets for a outstanding regarding security
assets Asset where terms of agreement regarding period of 18 amount
interest/principal were renegotiated or months or
rescheduled or restructured after commen- Renegotiated
cement of operations, until the expiry of loans up to one
one year of satisfactory performance under year of satisactory
the renegotiated or rescheduled or performance of
restructured terms new terms.
Doubtful Doubtful asset means: Remains sub 100% over To the extent of loan
assets (a) a term loan, or standard asset realisable which is covered by value
(b) a lease asset, or for period of value of of realizable securities, the
(c) a hire purchase asset, or 18 months and Securities following provisioning is
(d) any other asset, above required based on the
which remains a sub-standard asset for a period the asset (the
period exceeding 18 months underlying loan) has been
considered doubtful
Up to - one year 20%
One - three years 30%
More than three years
50%
Loss As identiied by Company, Auditor or RBI Period not 100% write
assets (Period is not speciied) or Potential threat speciied off in the
of Non Recoverability due to erosion in the books
value of securities or non-availability of
security or any fraudulent act or omission
on the part of the borrower.
The class of assets referred to above shall not be upgraded merely as a result of rescheduling/
renegotiation/restructuring, unless it satisies the conditions required for the upgradation. The
condition is that the assets should show satisfactory performance under the restructured and/or
rescheduled and/or renegotiated terms at least for a year.

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 Prudential norms for non-banking Financial (non-deposit accepting or Holding) companies
III. Disclosure in the balance sheet
The directions specify certain disclosure
requirements in the balance sheet. Disclosure of
provisions created without netting them from
the income or against the value of assets. The
provisions shall be distinctly indicated under
separate heads of account as (i) Provisions for
bad and doubtful debts; and (ii) Provisions for
depreciation in investments. Provisions shall not
be appropriated from the general provisions and
loss reserves held. Provisions shall be debited
to the profit and loss account. The excess of
provisions, if any, held under the heads general
provisions and loss reserves may be written
back without making adjustment against the
provisions.
Every non-banking financial company shall
append a schedule to its balance sheet and give
the particulars as set out in format provided in
the prudential norms.
The following disclosure requirements are
applicable only to systemically important (Asset
Size more than ` 100 crores) non-deposit taking
non-banking inancial company -
Capital to Risk Assets Ratio (CRAR)
Exposure to real estate sector, both direct
and indirect; and
To limits on lending
Single borrower/party 15% of owned funds
Single group of borrowers/parties 25% of owned funds
Infrastructure
Loan/Investment
Single Borrower Additional 5%
Single Group of Borrowers
(Only if the additional loan/ Additional 10%
investment is infrastructure
Loan/investment)
For Infrastructure Finance 25% of Owned funds
Company
Single Borrower
Single Group of Borrowers 40% of Owned funds
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Maturity pattern of assets and liabilities."
The formats for the above disclosures are also
speciied by RBI.
IV. Accounting Year to be followed
Every non-banking financial company shall
prepare its balance sheet and profit and loss
account as on March 31 every year. Prior
approval of RBI is needed, before approaching
Registrar of Companies, if the company wants
to extend the date as per provisions of the
Companies Act, 1956. In case extension is
granted, the company has to file proforma
balance sheet and the statutory returns
pertaining to March 31.
The balance sheet needs to be inalised within a
period of three months from the date to which
it pertains.
V. Concentration of credit/
investment
Systemically important non-deposit taking non-
banking inancial company cannot invest and/
or lend to a single borrower/investee or single
group of borrowers/investee beyond speciied
limits laid down by RBI. The limits are given as
a percentage of its owned funds.
limits on investment Combined limits on
in shares lending & investment
15% of owned funds 25% of owned funds
25% of owned funds 40% of owned funds
Additional 5% Additional 5%
Additional 10% Additional 10%
30% of Owned funds
50% of Owned funds
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Provided that the ceiling on the investment December 30 of that year. Such certiicate shall
in shares of another company shall not be also indicate the asset / income pattern of the
applicable to a systemically important non- non-banking financial company for making
deposit taking non-banking inancial company in it eligible for classification as Asset Finance
respect of investment in the equity capital of an Company, Investment Company or Loan
insurance company up to the extent speciically Company.
permitted, in writing, by the Reserve Bank of
India. (b) Information in regard to change of
Asset Finance Company may in exceptional address, directors, auditors, etc. to be
circumstances, exceed the above ceilings submitted
on credit / investment concentration to a Communicate within one month from the
single party or a single group of parties by 5 per occurrence of any change in the postal address,
cent of its owned fund, with the approval of its telephone number/s and fax number/s of the
Board. registered/corporate office, the names and
residential addresses of the directors of the
Any systemically important non-deposit taking company, the names and the oficial designations
non-banking financial company not accessing of its principal officers, the names and office
public funds, either directly or indirectly, and address of the auditors of the company, and the
not issuing guarantees (which may require specimen signatures of the oficers authorised to
access to public funds when the guarantees sign on behalf of the company
devolve) may make an application to the
Bank for an appropriate alteration in the above (c) loans against non-banking financial
limits. companys own shares prohibited
Explanation : "Public funds" for the purpose of No non-banking financial company shall lend
the proviso shall include funds raised either against its own shares.
directly or indirectly through public deposits,
Commercial Papers, debentures, inter-corporate (d) loans against security of single product -
deposits and bank inance. Gold jewellery
NBFCs cannot lend against collateral of gold
The NBFCs also need to formulate policy in jewellery in excess of 60 per cent of its value and
respect of exposures to a single party / a single all NBFCs shall disclose in their balance sheet
group of parties. the percentage of such loans (gold loans) to their
total assets.
VI. Other Compliances NBFCs cannot grant any advance against bullion
(a) Submission of a certiicate from Statutory / primary gold and gold coins. NBFCs primarily
auditor to the Bank engaged in lending against gold jewellery (such
Every non-banking financial company shall loans comprising 50 percent or more of their
submit a Certiicate from its Statutory Auditor inancial assets) shall maintain a minimum Tier
that it is engaged in the business of non-banking l capital of 12 per cent by April 1, 2014.
financial institution along with the asset /
income pattern, requiring it to hold a Certiicate (e) NBFCs not to be partners in partnership
of Registration under Section 45-IA of the RBI irms
Act. The same needs to be submitted within No NBFC shall contribute to the capital of a
one month from the date of finalisation of the partnership firm or become a partner of such
balance sheet and in any case not later than irm.

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 Prudential norms for non-banking Financial (non-deposit accepting or Holding) companies
(f) Demand or call loans
In case the NBFC provides Demand Loan or
call loans (a type of loan where both the parties
are free to call back or pay back loan as per
their will, subject to agreement of the loan
and minimum notice period decided in the
agreement) Board of Directors need to Frame
policy for granting call/demand loans and
implement the policy to stipulate various aspects
as specified in the prudential norms such as
Rate of Interest, Cutoff date for review of the
loans, period of the loan, reasons if no interest is
stipulated or when moratorium is granted.
(g) Constitution of audit Committee by non-
banking inancial companies
NBFC with assets of ` 50 crore and above as per
its last audited balance sheet shall constitute an
Audit Committee, consisting of not less than
three members of its Board of Directors.
Audit Committee as required under Section
292A of the Companies Act, 1956 shall be the
Audit Committee for the purposes of this
paragraph and it will have same powers,
functions and duties as laid down in section
292A of the Companies Act, 1956.
(h) Requirement as to capital adequacy
Every systemically important NBFC shall
maintain minimum capital ratio consisting of
Tier I and Tier II capital which shall not be
The world is a beautiful book,
but of little use to him who cannot read it.
The remedy for wrongs is to forget them.
The Chamber's Journal January 2013
:34
less than fifteen per cent of its aggregate risk
weighted assets on balance sheet and of risk
adjusted value of off-balance sheet items.
The total of Tier II capital, at any point of time,
shall not exceed one hundred per cent of Tier I
capital.
Calculation of Tier I, Tier II and Risk weighted
assets has been specified in the regulations,
Risk Weights for various on balance sheet
items and off balance sheet items also have been
speciied.
Exemptions
The Reserve Bank of India may, if it considers it
necessary for avoiding any hardship or for any
other just and suficient reason, grant extension
of time to comply with or exempt any non-
banking financial company or class of non-
banking inancial companies, from all or any of
the provisions of these directions either generally
or for any specified period, subject to such
conditions as the Reserve Bank of India may
impose.
As mentioned in the opening part of this article
that RBI has proposed substantial changes
in regulations pertaining to aspects such as
`registration conditions, continuity, disclosure
requirements and functioning of NBFCs, one will
have to apply the relevant part of the guidelines
once enacted.
2
Goldoni
Syrus
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