RBI changes loan rules: New norms likely to boost policy transmission, benefit existing borrowers, say experts Earlier, the spread charged to a borrower could be altered once every three years. The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) decision to allow banks to reduce the spread component on loans offered before three years will benefit existing customers and further aid monetary policy transmission , experts said. To benefit existing borrowers, the RBI, on Monday, said, “…the other spread components may be reduced by banks for a loan category earlier than three years for customer retention, on justifiable grounds, in a non-discriminatory manner, and in terms of the bank’s policy”. The new norms will take effect on October 1. Spread refers to the additional percentage that lenders add to the benchmark interest rate, such as the external benchmark rate or the marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) by banks, when determining the final lending rate to a borrower. Banks typicall...