By | March 10, 2025

A credit score is a three-digit number (usually between 300 and 900) that represents your creditworthiness. It is used by banks, NBFCs, and financial institutions to assess your ability to repay loans or credit card bills.

Why is a Credit Score Important?

  • Loan Approvals: Higher scores increase the chances of loan and credit card approvals.
  • Better Interest Rates: A good score (750+) helps you get loans at lower interest rates.
  • Higher Credit Limits: Banks offer higher credit limits to individuals with good scores.
  • Faster Loan Processing: Banks process applications quickly for customers with high scores.
  • Job & Rental Approvals: Some employers and landlords check credit scores before hiring or renting.

Credit Score Ranges (India – CIBIL Score)

Key Factors Affecting Credit Score

  1. Payment History (35%) – Timely repayment of loans and credit card bills.
  2. Credit Utilization (30%) – The percentage of available credit you use (lower is better).
  3. Credit History Length (15%) – The age of your oldest and newest credit accounts.
  4. Credit Mix (10%) – A combination of credit cards, loans, and other credit types.
  5. New Credit Inquiries (10%) – Too many recent applications can lower your score.

How to Improve Your Credit Score?

  • Pay EMIs & credit card bills on time – Avoid late payments at all costs.
  • Keep credit utilization below 30% – If your limit is ₹1,00,000, try not to use more than ₹30,000.
  • Avoid multiple loan applications – Too many inquiries lower your score.
  • Maintain old credit cards – Longer credit history = better score.
  • Check your credit report regularly – Identify errors and dispute incorrect information.

Where to Check Your Credit Score for Free?

In India, you can check your credit score for free on multiple platforms. Here are some of the best ones:

  1. OneScore – CIBIL + Experian (Once a Month)
  2. PaisaBazaar – CIBIL + Experian + CRIF + Equifax (Once a Month)
  3. BankBazaar – Experian (Once a Month)
  4. Paytm – CIBIL (Once a Month)
  5. CRED – CIBIL (Once a Month)

Why Should You Check Your CIBIL Score?

Checking your CIBIL score (or credit score) regularly helps you stay financially healthy and improves your chances of getting loans, credit cards, better financial deals, and helps to prevent fraud.

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