30 November 2008
The Basic Statistical Returns (BSR) System introduced in December 1972 has been in force for almost three decades. The improvements in the system are effected from time to time. To provide guidance for filling in the BSR-1 and 2 returns, the Reserve Bank brought out the first Handbook of Instructions in September 1972. Consequent upon the improvements in the BSR system, the Handbook was revised in January 1978, January 1984, January 1990, and March 1996. Following the recent developments in banking scenario and to have uniform coding system for occupation/activity classification in line with National Industrial Classification NIC-1998, it is felt necessary to introduce a few revisions with effect from March 2002 survey. The present edition, sixth in the line, provides for these amendments in the system. As suggested by the Government of India to adopt a uniform classification system in order to keep the data comparable, nationaly as well as internationaly, the Reserve Bank of India had appointed an Informal Group on Coding System for Banking Statistics to look into the feasibility and adaptability of NIC-1998 for BSR and similar information systems in the banks. The new activity coding system in BSR is based on the recommendations of the Informal Group. The revision also aims at bringing about improvement in the quality of data reported by the banks. The periodicity of BSR survey will remain yearly as hitherto and reference date of BSR-1 and BSR-2 will continue to be 31st March so as to coincide with the accounting year of the banks. However, in order to get more exhaustive and useful information, it has been decided to collect certain additional information through BSR-1 and BSR-2.
30 November 2008
An important revision in BSR-1 Part A return is the introduction of the new activity classification system recommended by the Informal Group of Coding System for Banking Statistics (2001). This system is on the lines of the National Industrial Classification (NIC) -1998. The revised system is a 5-digit coding system where the first 3 digits are similar to NIC group except for a few special cases and the other 2 digits represent subgroups, freely coded as per requirements of banking statistics. Some new ‘type of account’ codes and ‘organisation’ codes have also been added.