A viral message on social media claims that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has changed cheque-writing rules. According to the post, from 1 January 2025, cheques written in black ink will not be accepted. It says cheques must only be filled out in blue or green ink, supposedly to stop tampering. The post also claims this news was reported in The Times of India on 14 January 2025.
What the Fact-Check Reveals
This claim is completely false. The RBI has not released any new rules about what ink colour must be used for writing cheques. The official RBI website clearly says there are no prescribed ink colours for cheques. The Government of India’s official fact-check unit, PIB Fact Check, also confirmed that the viral message is fake.
No Evidence in the Media or from RBI
Fact-checkers searched the internet and the Times of India website but found no such news report published on 14 January 2025, or on any other date. The RBI’s press releases and circulars also do not mention any new guideline about ink colours. In fact, the RBI’s 2022 FAQ on cheques says that no specific ink colours are required, but people should avoid using multiple colours when writing a cheque, as that could make it invalid.
The RBI has not issued any new rules about the ink colour for cheques. You can still use black ink. The viral message going around is not true.
