Your credit score in India, explained
What a CIBIL score is, what moves it, what NA or NH means, and how to check yours for free without lowering it.
Try it: Credit score simulatorMove the sliders for late payments, utilisation, credit age, credit mix and enquiries to see which habits push a credit score up or down. An educational estimate, not your CIBIL score.A credit score is a three-digit summary of how you have handled credit so far. Banks and lenders check it before they approve a card or a loan, and often before they decide your interest rate.
The four credit bureaus
India has four credit information companies registered with RBI: TransUnion CIBIL, Experian, Equifax and CRIF Credit Information Services. Each keeps its own record, built from what your lenders report. Your score can differ a little between them.
The CIBIL score runs from 300 to 900. CIBIL says any score above 750 is a good score, and the closer you are to 900, the better your chance of approval.
What moves your score
TransUnion CIBIL names these factors:
- Repayment history. Late payments and defaults weigh the most and stay on your record for years.
- Credit utilisation. How much of your card limits you use. High use can lower your score.
- Credit mix. Whether you have both secured credit, such as a home or car loan, and unsecured credit, such as cards.
- Age of accounts. Older accounts help, so closing your oldest card can hurt.
- Recent applications. Many applications in a short time suggest you are hungry for credit.
CIBIL does not publish how much each factor counts. Lenders often quote shares like these: payment history about 30%, utilisation about 25%, credit type and duration about 25%, and enquiries and other factors about 20%. Treat those as rough guides, not the real formula. You can try them in the credit score simulator.
NA or NH is not a bad score
If you have never had a card or loan, have had no credit activity for a couple of years, or have only an add-on card, the bureau shows NA or NH instead of a number. It means there is nothing to score yet. A common way to start is a secured card against a fixed deposit, used lightly and paid in full every month.
Checking your own score is free and harmless
Checking your own score is a soft enquiry. It does not lower your score. RBI requires each bureau to give you one free full credit report, with your score, every calendar year. CIBIL also offers a free score check on its website.
When a lender checks your report because you applied for credit, that is a hard enquiry. It can lower your score for a while, which is why it helps to space out applications.
How fast changes show up
Since 1 January 2025, RBI requires lenders to report to the bureaus every fortnight instead of every month. Paying down a card balance can show up within weeks. A late payment also shows up faster, so set up auto-pay for at least the minimum due on every card.
Sources
- TransUnion CIBIL: understanding your credit report
- TransUnion CIBIL: score and report brochure
- RBI: list of credit information companies
- RBI: one free credit report a year
- RBI: fortnightly reporting from January 2025
- Axis Bank: how the CIBIL score is calculated
Card terms change. Check the bank's own page before you rely on a figure here. Posts never contain referral or affiliate links from the writer.
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