What is Marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR)?

MCLR is the minimum interest rate below which no bank is permitted to lend money.

What is Marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR)?

About Marginal cost of funds-based lending rate:

  • It is the minimum interest rate below which no bank is permitted to lend money.
  •  It is determined by banks internally, depending upon the loan repayment time.
  • The Reserve Bank of India introduced the MCLR methodology for fixing interest rates on 1 April 2016.
  •  It replaced the base rate structure, which had been in place since July 2010.  
  • The rate is determined internally by the bank depending on the period left for the repayment of a loan.
  • MCLR is calculated based on four components Marginal cost of fund, Negative carry on account of cash reserve ratio, Operating costs, Tenor premium

What is the difference between MCLR and base rate

  • MCLR is an advanced version of the base rate.
  • The base rate is based on the average cost of funds, but MCLR is based on the marginal or incremental cost of money.
  •  MCLR depends on the repo rates changed by RBI while Base Rate does not depend on the repo rates changed by RBI. 

 


 Q1) What is base rate?

Base rate is the minimum rate set by the Reserve Bank of India below which banks are not allowed to lend to its customers.

Source: Why SBI, BoB, IOB have raised MCLR by up to 15 bps, and what its impact could be

 

Latest UPSC Exam 2026 Updates

Last updated on January, 2026

→ Check out the latest UPSC Syllabus 2026 here.

→ Join Vajiram & Ravi’s Interview Guidance Programme for expert help to crack your final UPSC stage.

UPSC Mains Result 2025 is now out.

UPSC Notification 2026 is scheduled to be released on January 14, 2026.

UPSC Calendar 2026 has been released.

UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24th May, 2026 & UPSC Mains 2026 will be conducted on 21st August 2026.

→ The UPSC Selection Process is of 3 stages-Prelims, Mains and Interview.

→ Prepare effectively with Vajiram & Ravi’s UPSC Prelims Test Series 2026 featuring full-length mock tests, detailed solutions, and performance analysis.

→ Enroll in Vajiram & Ravi’s UPSC Mains Test Series 2026 for structured answer writing practice, expert evaluation, and exam-oriented feedback.

→ Join Vajiram & Ravi’s Best UPSC Mentorship Program for personalized guidance, strategy planning, and one-to-one support from experienced mentors.

UPSC Result 2024 is released with latest UPSC Marksheet 2024. Check Now!

UPSC Toppers List 2024 is released now. Shakti Dubey is UPSC AIR 1 2024 Topper.

→ Also check Best UPSC Coaching in India

Vajiram Content Team
Vajiram Content Team
UPSC GS Course 2026
UPSC GS Course 2026
₹1,75,000
Enroll Now
GS Foundation Course 2 Yrs
GS Foundation Course 2 Yrs
₹2,45,000
Enroll Now
UPSC Mentorship Program
UPSC Mentorship Program
₹85000
Enroll Now
UPSC Sureshot Mains Test Series
UPSC Sureshot Mains Test Series
₹19000
Enroll Now
Prelims Powerup Test Series
Prelims Powerup Test Series
₹8500
Enroll Now
Enquire Now