Has RBI Prohibited Black Ink on Cheques? Government’s Clarification

A social media post claiming that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has prohibited the use of black ink on cheques has been debunked by the government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB). The PIB clarified that the claim is false, with no such directive issued by the RBI.

In a post shared on platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the PIB Fact Check account stated, “It is being claimed on social media that RBI has prohibited black ink on cheques. This claim is fake. RBI has not prescribed specific ink colours for writing cheques.”

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The clarification also addressed concerns by referencing RBI’s FAQs on cheques, last updated in October 2022. These FAQs explain the workings of the Cheque Truncation System (CTS), a process that eliminates the physical movement of cheques by transmitting electronic images and relevant data between banks. This system speeds up cheque clearance, reduces costs, and ensures security through digital encryption and verification protocols.

According to the FAQs, customers are advised to use image-friendly, permanent ink to prevent tampering and facilitate clear image capture during electronic processing. However, the RBI has not specified any mandatory colour for writing cheques. Cheques with alterations, except for corrections in dates, are not accepted under CTS, and fresh cheque leaves must be used in such cases.

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Only CTS-2010 standard cheques are valid for clearing under the system, as they include mandatory security features such as watermarks, invisible bank logos, and standardised field placements. These features help banks scrutinise and verify cheques more effectively during the clearing process.

The FAQs further explain that the Positive Pay System (PPS) has been introduced for cheques of ₹50,000 and above to reduce fraud. Under this system, banks cross-verify cheque details before processing payments.

The RBI has implemented CTS across the country, consolidating cheque processing into three grids—Chennai, Mumbai, and New Delhi. Plans for a unified “One Nation, One Grid” system are also underway to streamline operations further and enable faster clearance of outstation cheques.

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The government has urged citizens to rely on official channels for accurate information and avoid being misled by unverified claims circulating online.