Jana Small Finance Bank applies to RBI for transition to universal bank

Jana Small Finance Bank has applied to the RBI for voluntary transition to a universal bank, meeting key financial criteria including NPAs below regulatory thresholds for two years

Jana Small Finance Bank on Monday said it had submitted an application to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for voluntary transition from a small finance bank to a “universal bank”.

 

The lender closed FY25 with gross non-performing assets (NPAs) and net NPA ratios below 3 per cent and 1 per cent respectively for two consecutive years, a prerequisite for applying to the RBI for voluntary transition into a universal bank.

 

Jana SFB joins AU Small Finance Bank and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank in the list of small finance banks seeking a universal banking licence from the RBI, after the central bank announced new rules in 2024 for SFBs’ conversion into universal banks. While AU SFB applied in September last year, Ujjivan SFB applied in February.

 

As per RBI guidelines, only listed small finance banks (SFBs) are eligible to apply for a universal banking licence. To qualify, they must have a minimum net worth of Rs 1,000 crore, scheduled bank status, and a satisfactory operational track record of at least five years. Additionally, they should have been consistently profitable, with gross non-performing assets below 3 per cent and net NPAs under 1 per cent over the past two financial years.

 

Jana SFB reported a GNPA ratio of 2.5 per cent at the end of FY25, and a net NPA ratio of 0.9 per ceSubrata Panda