ALL TN Comp Exams Prep

The Website contains more than 2,00,000 questions. For each test, new questions are loaded.

October 01, 2025 India Implements Major Regulatory Changes Across Banking, Pensions, and Railways from October 1, 2025

India has rolled out several significant regulatory changes effective October 1, 2025, impacting banking, pension systems, railway reservations, and online gaming. These reforms aim to enhance transparency, improve efficiency, and bolster consumer protection across various sectors, with some key banking and financial changes taking effect immediately or in the coming days.

Beginning October 1, 2025, a series of pivotal regulatory changes have come into effect across India, influencing banking, pension schemes, railway services, and the digital landscape. These updates are designed to streamline operations, increase security, and provide greater flexibility for citizens and financial institutions alike.

Banking and Financial Sector Reforms:

  • RBI Cheque Clearing Reform: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is transitioning from the batch clearing method to a continuous clearing method for cheques, with settlement on realisation. This change, aimed at faster settlements and quicker access to funds, will be implemented in two phases, starting October 4, 2025, and concluding by January 3, 2026.

  • National Pension System (NPS) Overhaul: Non-government subscribers to the NPS now have enhanced flexibility. From October 1, 2025, they are permitted to invest up to 100% of their funds in equities under a single NPS plan and can diversify across multiple schemes using a single Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN). The deadline for eligible Central Government employees to switch from UPS to NPS was September 30, 2025.

  • HDFC Bank Imperia Customer Criteria: HDFC Bank has revised the eligibility standards for retaining its Imperia programme status. New criteria apply from October 1, 2025, for customers who joined on or before June 30, 2025.

  • PNB Service Charge Modifications: Punjab National Bank (PNB) has updated various service costs, including those for lockers, standing instruction (SI) failures, nomination charges, and stop payment instructions, effective October 1, 2025. Locker prices, in particular, have seen significant increases in many categories.

  • Bank Locker Agreements: Customers are now required to renew or update their bank locker agreements in accordance with new RBI guidelines by October 1, 2025, enhancing safety and accountability in locker operations.

Railway and Digital Sector Changes:

  • IRCTC Online Reservation Guidelines: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has implemented new guidelines for the online reservation of general tickets booked via its website or app. These revised guidelines apply to Aadhaar-authenticated users.

  • Online Gaming Regulation: The Promotion & Regulation of Online Gaming Act has come into force, banning real-money betting and gambling applications. The new regulation permits only e-sports and skill-based games, aiming to protect youth from gambling addiction and foster safer online engagement.

  • UPI Transactions: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has discontinued the Person-to-Person (P2P) "collect request" (pull transaction) feature to strengthen UPI security and reduce fraud risks.

These comprehensive changes reflect India's ongoing efforts to modernize its financial infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.

Back to All Articles