Cheque truncation is a mode of clearing cheques electronically. It involves settlement and clearing of cheques between banks without the physical exchange of any paperwork or the instrument itself. The purpose of a cheque truncation system was to quicken the pace at which cheques are cleared. This system has significantly influenced the time taken in processing a cheque-based transaction, with completion within a few minutes.
Cheque truncation, already in use in a majority of nations throughout the world, was introduced in India in 2006. This article will tell you everything you need to know about cheque truncation in detail. Read on to know more about this essential system of clearing cheques quickly.
As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), truncation is the process of interrupting the flow of a physical cheque. A drawer issues the cheque en route to the paying bank branch at some point. So instead, the clearing house sends an electronic image of the cheque to the paying branch.
Cheque Truncation System (CTS) is a method of clearing cheques electronically. Instead of physically processing the cheque as it travels to the paying bank branch. RBI has taken this move to expedite cheque clearance.
Major services such as RTGS and NEFT are available to enable inter-bank and customer payments online and in near-real-time. Still, cheques remain the country’s most popular payment mode. This is why the RBI has aimed to improve the cheque clearing cycle’s efficiency.
This mechanism was implemented to expedite the clearance of cheques. It stops the flow of actual cheques from a drawer to the drawee branch. This reduces the associated costs of moving physical cheques. It further minimizes the time required for collecting. It even adds beauty to the cheque processing procedure.
As mentioned above, CTS not only speeds up the transactions involving cheques, but also helps the bank to keep a timely record of all such transactions. Due to the lack of physical paperwork in this system, banks are able to streamline their records in a better way, without worrying about misplacing documents.
Let us look at the process that takes place while clearing a cheque using the cheque truncation system:
CTS cheque was created to address the shortcomings of the previous cheque clearing system. It took several days to clear. Cheques deposited at the collection bank were moved physically to the drawee bank to credit the money to the drawer’s account. This time-consuming process resulted in cheque-clearing delays.
To overcome this delay, the check truncation system was implemented. The electronic image of the cheque is delivered to the payee bank, which then submits it to the RBI for ultimate settlement. The entire cheque clearance process is finished on the same day or the next working day.
Every bank in India uses the CTS system. The goal is to gradually move away from the paper-based system. The CTS system has been effective in resolving logistical challenges. Because data transmission is digital, it reduces operational risk. The CTS system is available at multiple clearing locations regardless of the bank. It is a countrywide network. The procedure brings uniformity and standardization to the system that handles transactions. For verification, it employs MICR and watermarks.
The RBI implemented the Cheque Truncation System (CTS) to expedite clearing cheques. Cheque truncation ensures efficiency, security, transparency, and faster credit of funds for both the consumer and the bank. The CTS system is an excellent complement to the Digital India plan. Wait times for cheque processing have been reduced thanks to the technology.
Ans: The grid-based strategy is the new approach envisioned as part of the countrywide rollout. The entire cheque traffic in the country was previously cleared through 66 MICR Cheque Processing sites. With this technique, they are consolidated into three grids – New Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai. Each grid provides clearing and processing services to all banks within its jurisdiction. Therefore, banks, branches, and clients in tiny/rural places under the grid jurisdiction would benefit. Regardless of whether there is a formal system for cheque clearing or not.
Ans: The CTS system reduces transaction turnaround times. The physical movement of instruments takes a significant amount of time. The paper-based system was also susceptible to mistakes. The CTS system was able to save operational time and increase efficiency. It eliminates the time spent in transit. The method also reduced the possibility of fraud during transactions.
Ans: By using Public Key Infrastructure. It is used for securing the
integrity,
non-repudiation, and
validity
-of data and images from the presenting bank to the paying bank via the Clearing House. CTS complies with the criteria of the IT Act of 2000. The presenting bank is now required to sign the photos and data from the point of origin. PKI is used throughout the cycle, including the capturing system, presenting bank, clearing house, and paying bank.
Ans: Cheque imaging can be done using a variety of technology choices. Cheque images might be in black and white, grayscale, or colour. These each have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. Black and white photos are small in image size, but they do not reflect all of the fine details of the cheques. Coloured photos are excellent but require more storage and network capacity. Grayscale photos are in the middle. In India, CTS uses a combination of grayscale and black-and-white imagery. Each cheque must be photographed in three different ways: front Gray Scale, front Black & White, and back Black & White.
Ans: Speed clearing speeds up the cheque collection process compared to outstation cheque collection. But it still requires the presence of the paying bank branch at the clearing house location. Grid-based CTS, on the other hand, is a superior system. Moreover, as it covers a greater geographical region, the chances of a paying bank not having a presence in the grid location are rare.
Inside the grid jurisdiction, all cheques that are drawn on branches of a bank are considered and cleared as local cheques under the grid-based Cheque Truncation System clearing. Therefore, cheque collection charges, considering Speed Clearing Charges, shall not be applied if the collecting and paying banks are present within the same CTS grid, even if they are in separate cities.
Disclaimer: Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme-related documents carefully.
This article has been prepared on the basis of internal data, publicly available information and other sources believed to be reliable. The information contained in this article is for general purposes only and not a complete disclosure of every material fact. It should not be construed as investment advice to any party. The article does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of the information, and disclaims all liabilities, losses and damages arising out of the use of this information. Readers shall be fully liable/responsible for any decision taken on the basis of this article.
Scheduled Bank – Know Its Types and Functions
Banks play an essential role in a country’s financial ecosystem. These financial institutions ass... Read More »What is Bancassurance: Its Services, Types, Models and Importance
Bancassurance means a partnership between a bank and an insurance company that allows the insurance... Read More »17 Different Types of Loans and Their Features
Loans can be broadly categorised into secured and unsecured loans based on whether they requir... Read More »What is Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) in Banking and How Does it Impact the Economy?
All commercial banks in India maintain a specific percentage of total bank deposits as per the guid... Read More »Account Payee Cheque – How to Write and Encash?
An Account Payee Cheque is a very secure mode of payment. It is only used to deposit money into the... Read More »What is Merchant Banking – Its Uses and Services Provided?
Large businesses and high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) have different financial requirements and th... Read More »Payment Aggregator – Features, Types, Working, Example and Risks
Digital payments have become the most preferred and used payment method. And, it has led to the ris... Read More »What is Cheque Leaf – Purpose, Features and Types
Before the advent of electronic payment systems, bank cheques were the most popular form of non-cas... Read More »4 Important Factors That Affect Your Credit Score
Did you know the lucrative interest rate on loans by banks and NBFCs are usually meant for creditwo... Read More »What is Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs) and How Does it Work?
Investors can buy collateralized debt obligations or CDOs and depend on the assets within them to u... Read More »What is FCNR Account In Banking – Benefits, Eligibility and Documents Required
FCNR, full form Foreign Currency Non-Resident Bank (B), allows NRIs (Non-resident Indians) to inves... Read More »What are Prepaid Expenses – Journal Entry, Example and Benefits
Accounting tools are essential to forming a financial statement of a company that complies with com... Read More »Top 10 Chit Fund Schemes in India in 2023
Chit funds are one of the most popular return-generating saving schemes in India. It is a financial... Read More »10 Best Gold ETFs to Invest in India in February 2023
Gold ETFs or Gold Exchange Traded Funds are passively managed funds that track the price of physica... Read More »Top 10 Demat Accounts in India [Lowest Brokerage Charges]
A Demat account was created to eliminate the time-consuming and inconvenient procedure of purchasin... Read More »20 Best Index Funds in India to Invest in 2023 (Updated on 31st Jan)
What is an Index Fund? An index fund is a type of mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that... Read More »Best Arbitrage Mutual Funds to Invest in India: Returns and Taxation
Arbitrage funds are hybrid mutual fund schemes that aim to make low-risk profits by buying and sell... Read More »Best SIP Mutual Funds To Invest In India (2023) – Its Types And Taxation
A Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) is a convenient way to invest a fixed sum in mutual funds. For i... Read More »10 Best Corporate Bond Funds in India 2023 – With Returns
Corporate bond funds are debt funds that invest at least 80% of the investment corpus in companies ... Read More »10 Best Banks for Savings Account in India (2023)
A savings account keeps your money safe, and lets you earn interest every quarter. There are many b... Read More »All information is subject to specific conditions | © 2023 Navi Technologies Ltd. All rights are reserved.
Start Small. Dream Big.
Start your Investment Journey with just ₹10