Q.Explain the functions of a commercial bank.

Functions of Commercial Banks

Think of a commercial bank as a financial marketplace that sits between people who have extra money and people who need money. You already use banks — when your parents deposit their salary, when you withdraw cash for school fees, or when someone takes a loan to buy a scooter. But what exactly does a bank do with all that money?

The Core Idea

A commercial bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and uses those deposits to give loans. That's the textbook definition from NCERT. But the real magic is in the middle step: banks don't just keep your money in a vault. They lend most of it out, earn interest on those loans, and pay you a smaller interest on your deposits. The difference — called the spread — is how they make profit.

This process is called financial intermediation. Banks connect savers (who want safety and some return) with borrowers (who need capital for spending or investment). Without banks, a person with ₹10,000 saved would have to personally find someone trustworthy to lend to — which is impractical. Banks solve that problem at scale.

Primary Functions (The Two Pillars)

NCERT classifies bank functions into primary and secondary. The primary ones are non-negotiable — every commercial bank must do these.

1. Accepting Deposits

Banks offer different types of accounts for different needs:

• Savings deposits — for individuals; you can withdraw anytime but earn low interest (typically 3–4% per annum). There's usually a limit on how many withdrawals you can make per month.
• Current deposits — for businesses and institutions; you can withdraw any number of times, but you earn no interest. In return, the bank provides cheque books, overdraft facilities, and other services.
• Fixed deposits (FDs) — you lock your money for a fixed period (say 1 year or 5 years). The bank pays higher interest because it can use that money for longer loans. Early withdrawal usually incurs a penalty.
• Recurring deposits — you deposit a fixed amount every month for a fixed period. At maturity, you get the total plus interest. This is popular for building a habit of saving.

2. Granting Loans and Advances

This is where banks earn their bread. They lend money in several ways:

• Overdraft — a current account holder is allowed to withdraw more than their balance, up to a pre-approved limit. Interest is charged only on the overdrawn amount.
• Cash credit — similar to overdraft but for businesses; a credit limit is set against inventory or receivables.
• Loans — a lump sum given for a specific purpose (home loan, car loan, education loan). Repaid in equated monthly instalments (EMIs).
• Discounting bills of exchange — a business that has sold goods on credit can get immediate cash from the bank by selling its bill of exchange at a discount. The bank collects the full amount from the buyer later.

Secondary Functions (Supporting Roles)

These are not mandatory but most banks offer them to attract customers and earn fee income.

Agency Functions — the bank acts as your agent:

• Collecting cheques, dividends, interest on your behalf
• Making payments (insurance premiums, utility bills, school fees)
• Buying and selling securities (shares, bonds) on your instruction
• Acting as executor or trustee of your will

General Utility Functions — services that make life easier:

• Issuing traveller's cheques and credit/debit cards
• Providing locker facilities for safe storage of valuables
• Remittance of funds (transferring money from one place to another via demand drafts, RTGS, NEFT) …