If you often deposit cheques in the bank, here’s some good news. Till now, cheque clearance used to take 2–3 days, but this delay will soon end.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a big change—starting October 2025, cheque clearance will happen in real-time. This means the money will reach your account within a few hours.
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What is the New System?
RBI has officially named this system Continuous Clearing and Settlement on Realization.
Once you deposit a cheque, it will be scanned instantly and sent to the clearing house.
The cheque will then be processed in real-time.
The opposite bank must verify the payment immediately.
When Will it be Implemented?
Phase 1 – From October 4, 2025
Cheques deposited between 10 am to 4 pm will be processed the same day.
Banks must inform customers about payment status by 7 pm.
If the bank does not respond, the cheque will be treated as accepted automatically and settled that day itself.
Phase 2 – From January 3, 2026
The process will become even faster.
Cheques must be cleared within 3 hours of depositing.
Once cleared, the money will reach the customer’s account within 1 hour.
Benefits for Customers
Customers will no longer have to wait for days to access their money.
Traders and people dependent on daily cash flow will get major relief.
Benefits for Banks
Real-time clearance will reduce settlement risks for banks.
The overall banking system will become more efficient and reliable.