RBI calls claim that old chequebooks will stop working after December 31 false and misleading

A message is spreading rapidly on social media claiming that old chequebooks will become useless after December 31. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has called the claim completely false.

According to the viral post, old chequebooks should be replaced by December 31, 2026, and the use of new chequebooks will be mandatory from January 1, 2027. The post mentions several changes in the new chequebooks, including an alpha-numeric code, a new MICR number, a UV code and RBI-linked security features.

The message also claims that old chequebooks will not be accepted for amounts above Rs 50,000. People are advised to apply for a new chequebook through a bank branch or a mobile banking app. After reading this, many people wondered what the actual rule was.

The RBI posted an image of the message on its official X account and marked it clearly as "fabricated", that is, fake. In its post of November 7, 2026, it said it had come to its notice that a message was circulating on social media. The message says that the standard Cheque Truncation System (CTS) chequebooks currently in use will change from December 31, 2026, and that new chequebooks with better security standards will come into force from January 1, 2027.

The RBI added that it was clarified that the Reserve Bank is not currently taking any such step on CTS chequebooks. The message is therefore contrary to facts and misleading. The RBI has asked the public to rely in such matters only on information that the Reserve Bank issues from time to time.

The RBI also said that a piece of information or a claim does not become true merely because it has gone viral on social media. Such claims should be believed only after official confirmation. Where possible, people should stick to official information in such matters.

Before using a cheque, therefore, the right course is to check information issued by the RBI rather than a viral message.