CIBIL score, also known as Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited score, is a three-digit number that ranges from 300 to 900. It is a measure of an individual's creditworthiness and is used by financial institutions to determine the credit risk associated with lending money to that person.

Here are some key points to help explain the meaning of CIBIL score:

• CIBIL score is a three-digit numerical summary of an individual's credit history in India. 
• It is calculated by TransUnion CIBIL, one of the four credit information companies licensed by the Reserve Bank of India.
• The score ranges from 300 to 900, with a higher score indicating a better credit history and a lower risk of defaulting on credit payments.
• Banks and other lending institutions use CIBIL scores to evaluate an individual's creditworthiness while deciding whether to approve a loan or credit application.
• CIBIL score is based on an individual's credit behavior and repayment history across various loans and credit facilities over time.
• A poor credit history or low CIBIL score can result in a loan application being rejected or approved at a higher rate of interest.
• It is important to regularly check one's CIBIL score to ensure that it is accurate and reflects one's true credit history.
• Individuals can check CIBIL score through the official website of TransUnion CIBIL or through various partner websites that offer this service.

A CIBIL score can range from 300 to 900, with a score of 750 or above considered to be good. A score of 600 or below is considered to be poor and may make it difficult for an individual to qualify for a loan or credit card

TransUnion CIBIL is a Credit Information Bureau operating in India. This is the first Credit Information Bureau that was established on the recommendations of the Reserve Bank of India. The other Credit Information Bureaus established subsequently are Equifax, Experian and CRIF.

Every bank/NBFC and Insurance Company is by default the member of TransUnion CIBIL and provides information about the credit profile of the customers once a month. TransUnion CIBIL has credit information of over 600 million individuals from over 32 million Companies. With the credit information, individual credit reports are compiled. The credit report comprises personal details like name, email id, contact address, PAN, employment details, loan payment history, the number of loans, type of loans, loans past due, credit utilisation limit, and a number of loans and credit card enquiries made.

TransUnion CIBIL Score is then awarded based on the individual's creditworthiness, financial capacity and repayment behaviour. The CIBIL Score TransUnion ranges from 300 to 900, wherein 300 is the lowest score, and 900 is the highest score. A CIBIL score ranging from 750 to 900 is considered a good CIBIL Score range and will spike up the chances of loan approval.

TransUnion CIBIL Score certifies your creditworthiness and repayment responsibility. It is a mandatory requirement when you approach the lender for any loan or credit card. Reviewing your CIBIL score periodically is essential to maintain a good credit score. There are certain additions that can happen to your credit report without your knowledge which may hamper your credit score. To check for the accuracy of information and detection of fraudulent transactions and identity theft, credit monitoring through TransUnion CIBIL Score review is important.

Is there a way to check free CIBIL Score?.  As per RBI guidelines, all Credit Bureaus have to provide one free Credit Report in a year. So you can avail yourself of the TransUnion CIBIL Score free facility once a year. To check the CIBIL score, you will have to follow the procedure given below:

• Access the official website of CIBIL.
• Click on the 'Generate Free Credit Report' on the extreme top corner to the right of the screen.
• You will be navigated to a simple application wherein you will have to give your name, contact address, date of birth, email ID, PAN or any other government identity card number.
• Within no time, your credit report, along with a credit score, will be displayed on the screen.
• You can download the free CIBIL Report.

With TransUnion CIBIL Login, you can get a free Credit Report. Else, some of the lenders provide the option to check CIBIL Report and CIBIL Score for free on their official websites.

Nowadays, no lender approves a loan or credit card application without checking the CIBIL Score and TransUnion CIBIL Report. How does TransUnion CIBIL calculate the Credit Score? Read further to understand what goes into the calculation of the TransUnion CIBIL Score.

All Credit Bureaus have their proprietary algorithm to calculate the Credit Score. TransUnion CIBIL also calculates the CIBIL score through a special mathematical algorithm and allocates a score which is a three-digit number ranging from 300 to 900. The closer the score is to 900, the better are the chances of loan approval. The higher the score, the better are the deals. This score is based on the credit information TransUnion CIBIL receives from various financial institutions periodically, i.e., once in 30 days. The score is mainly dependant on the payment history, the duration of credit history, the credit mix, credit utilisation, and credit enquiries. Every attribute gets a percentage of the score as given below:

Past Performances: 30%

Credit Exposure: 25%

Type of Credit and Duration of Credit: 25%

Others: 20%

Past Performance: Your past commitment towards debt obligation carries the maximum weight. Delinquencies/default will have a negative impact on the score.

Credit Exposure: The number of loans and the overall outstanding liability gets a weightage of 25%.

Type of Credit and Duration of Credit: The duration of your credit history and the credit mix gets a weightage of 25%. Whether there is a good balance between secured and unsecured loans or majorly unsecured loans plays a very important role in allotting the score. A good credit mix will have a good impact.

Others: Other factors like credit utilisation, number of new loans added in the near past, number of credit card and loan enquiries carry a weightage of 20%.

The Credit Score not only impacts the credit decision but also on the terms and conditions that are associated with the loan, like the interest on the loan, quantum of loan and the loan tenure. The higher the score, the more confidence the lender will have in your repayment capacity and financial worth. So it is of prime importance to maintain a healthy score if you want to reap the benefits of a good deal.

Credit Score by TransUnion mainly depicts the following:

• Repayment track of the individual, i.e., the commitment of the individual towards past and existing debt obligations.
• The credit exposure, i.e., the overall existing liability.
• The duration of the credit history - The longer the duration of the credit history, the better will be the score. Keeping earlier loans open with a good payment track can work wonders with the score.
• Type of credit, i.e., the number of secured and unsecured loans availed. If your credit history comprises a higher number of personal loans and credit cards, it can have a negative impact on the score. A good balance between secured and unsecured loans is a positive feature.
• Credit Utilisation: A credit limit utilised moderately will have a positive impact on the credit score. Limiting your credit limit utilisation to less than 50% is a good practice.
• Loan enquiries: Enquiries for loans and credit cards done frequently can bring down your credit score drastically as it poses you as credit hungry.

All these aspects are given a weightage, and the Credit Score is drawn. A score between 750 to 900 is the ideal score to have and will fetch you a loan with better deals.

You can contact TransUnion on the following telephone numbers:

91-22-6140 4300

91-22-6638 4600