Skip to main content

Competitive and Non-Competitive Bidding for G-Sec

An investor can subscribe to government securities by placing competitive or non-competitive bids in the auctions.

What is Government Security (G-Sec)?

Government Security (G-Sec) is a tradeable instrument issued by the Central Government or the State Governments. 

G-Secs carry practically no risk of default and, hence, are called risk-free gilt-edged instruments.

What are the types of bidding for G-Secs?

G-Secs are issued through auctions. An investor, depending upon his eligibility, may bid in an auction under either of the following categories –

  • Competitive Bidding
  • Non-Competitive Bidding

What is Competitive Bidding?

  • In a competitive bidding, an investor bids at a specific price / yield and is allotted securities if the price / yield quoted is within the cut-off price / yield. 
  • Competitive bids are made by well-informed institutional investors such as banks, financial institutions, PDs, mutual funds, and insurance companies. 
  • The minimum bid amount is ₹10,000 and in multiples thereof. 
  • Multiple bidding is also allowed, i.e., an investor may put in multiple bids at various prices / yield levels.

What is Non-Competitive Bidding (NCB) facility?

With a view to encouraging wider participation and retail holding of Government securities, retail investors are allowed participation on ‘non-competitive’ basis in select auctions of dated Government of India (GoI) securities and Treasury Bills.

Who are allowed to bid under NCB?

  • Participation on a non-competitive basis is open to a retail investor who –
    • Does not maintain current account (CA) or Subsidiary General Ledger (SGL) account with Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
    • Submits the bid indirectly through an Aggregator / Facilitator permitted under NCB.
  • Retail investor, for the purpose of NCB, is any person, including individuals, firms, companies, corporate bodies, institutions, provident funds, trusts, etc. 
  • Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Cooperative Banks are covered under NCB only in the auctions of dated securities in view of their statutory obligations and are eligible to submit their non-competitive bids directly. 
  • State Governments, eligible provident funds in India, the Nepal Rashtra Bank, Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan, with the approval of Government, are covered under NCB only in the auctions of T-Bills without any restriction on the maximum amount of bid and their bids are outside the notified amount. 

What are criteria for placing bids under NCB?

  • Under NCB, an investor can make only a single bid in an auction.
  • In case of GoI securities, allocation of non-competitive bids from retail investors is restricted to a maximum of 5% of the aggregate nominal amount of the issue within the notified amount. 
  • The minimum amount for bidding is ₹10,000 (face value) and thereafter in multiples of ₹10,000. 
  • In the auctions of GoI dated securities, the retail investors can make a single bid for up to ₹2 crore (face value) per security per auction.
  • The aggregate amount reserved for NCB in the case of SDLs is 10% of the notified amount subject to a maximum limit of 1% of notified amount for a single bid per stock.
  • In addition to scheduled banks and primary dealers, specified stock exchanges are also permitted to act as aggregators / facilitators. These stock exchanges submit a single consolidated non-competitive bid in the auction process.

How are securities allotted under NCB?

  • Allotment under the non-competitive segment is at the weighted average rate of yield / price that emerge in the auction on the basis of the competitive bidding. The Aggregator / Facilitator can recover up to 6 paise per ₹100 as brokerage / commission / service charges for rendering this service to their clients. 
  • In case the aggregate amount of bid is more than the reserved amount (5% of notified amount), pro rata allotment is made. 
  • In case the aggregate amount of bids is less than the reserved amount, the shortfall ise taken to competitive portion.


References

Reserve Bank of India. (2020, April 01). 'Government Securities Market in India – A Primer'. Retrieved from https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/FAQView.aspx?Id=79


Follow at - Telegram   Instagram   LinkedIn   Twitter   Facebook

Comments

Popular Posts

Regulatory Measures for the Foreign Exchange Market

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced regulatory measures for the foreign exchange market. Cancellation and rebooking / rollovers of foreign exchange derivative contracts An Authorised Dealer shall not permit users to rebook any foreign exchange derivative contract involving the INR, whether deliverable or non-deliverable, which has been cancelled with any of the Authorised Dealers. An Authorised Dealer may, however, continue to permit users to rollover foreign exchange derivative contracts on maturity, subject to compliance with the extant directions. Threshold limit for taking positions without requirement to establish the existence of underlying Authorised Dealers were permitted to allow users to take positions upto USD 100 million equivalent of notional value (outstanding at any point of time), across all Authorised Dealers, for hedging contracted exposure without the requirement to establish the existence of underlying exposure.  Further, a user was allowed to take positio...

Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 – Part-IV – Section 42 to 45 (updated as on April 15, 2025)

The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 provides the statutory basis of the functioning of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In a series of articles, we will briefly go through the provisions of RBI Act, 1934. This is the fourth article in the series.  Section 42 – Cash reserves of scheduled banks to be kept with the Bank (updated as on April 15, 2025) 42(1) – Every bank included in the Second Schedule shall maintain with RBI an average daily balance at a percent (notified by RBI) of its total demand and time liabilities in India. For the purpose, fortnight means the period from the first day to the 15th day of each calendar month or 16th to the last day of each calendar month, both days inclusive. 42(1A) – RBI may direct every scheduled bank to maintain with RBI, in addition to the balance prescribed under Section 42(1), an additional average daily balance at a rate (specified by RBI). 42(1C) – RBI may specify any transaction or class of transactions to be regarded as liability in...

Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 – Part-VII – Section 45S to 45Y

The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 provides the statutory basis of the functioning of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In a series of articles, we will briefly go through the provisions of RBI Act, 1934. This is the seventh article in the series.  Chapter IIIC – Prohibition of Acceptance of Deposits by Unincorporated Bodies Section 45S – Interpretation An individual / firm / unincorporated association of individuals shall not accept any deposits if – his / its business wholly or partly includes the activities specified in Section 45-I. his / its principal business is that of receiving deposits, or lending in any manner. Section 45T – Power to issue search warrants On an application by RBI / State Government, the Court to issue search warrant for the documents relating to acceptance of deposits in contravention of the provisions of Section 45S. Chapter IIID – Regulation of Transactions in Derivatives, Money Market Instruments, Securities, etc. Section 45V – Transactions in derivati...

Credit Facilities to Scheduled Castes (SCs) & Scheduled Tribes (STs)

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued guidelines on credit facilities to Scheduled Castes (SCs) & Scheduled Tribes (STs). What are the guidelines on credit facilities to SCs & STs? District Level Consultative Committees formed under the Lead Bank Scheme should continue to be the principal mechanism of co-ordination between banks and development agencies.  National Scheduled Tribes Finance & Development Corporation and National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development Corporation have been set up under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, respectively. Banks should advise their branches / controlling offices to render all the necessary institutional support to enable these institutions to achieve the desired objectives. Loans sanctioned to State Sponsored Organisations for Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes for the specific purpose of purchase and supply of inputs and / or the marketing of the out...

What is revised branch authorization policy for UCBs?

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised the branch authorisation policy for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs). What is the basis of revised norms? Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had constituted the Expert Committee on Urban Co-operative Banks on February 15, 2021, under the Chairmanship of Shri N. S. Vishwanathan, former Deputy Governor, RBI. Based on the recommendations of the committee, RBI has revised the regulatory framework for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) [ What is revised regulatory framework for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) ]? In December 2022, RBI had revised the norms for classification of UCBs as Financially Sound and Well Managed (FSWM) . What is revised branch authorization policy for UCBs? UCBs in all Tiers (except Salary Earners’ Banks) identified as Financially Sound and Well Managed (FSWM) , are permitted to open new branches up to 10% of the number of full-fledged branches (at the end of previous financial year) in a financial year, subject to a maximum of 5 branches...