The Kashmir Pulse

Credit card bill payment is the single most important credit card habit — more important than which card you use or how many reward points you earn. A missed or partial payment triggers high interest charges, damages your CIBIL score, and can take months to recover from.

This guide covers every payment method available for an online credit card, how to set up AutoPay correctly, how to read your credit card statement, and the difference between minimum due and total outstanding — a distinction that can cost or save you thousands of rupees a year.

Understanding Your Credit Card Bill — Key Terms

Bill Payment Methods — All Your Options

1. Net Banking (Recommended)

Log in to your bank's net banking portal, navigate to Credit Card > Pay Bill, enter the amount, and confirm. Funds are debited instantly and payment reflects on your credit card account within 1–2 hours. This is the fastest and most reliable method.

2. Mobile App

All major banks have a mobile app where you can pay your credit card bill in under 30 seconds. Some banks allow saving a preferred payment amount (full outstanding or minimum due) for one-tap payments. Enable push notifications for due date reminders on the app.

3. NACH AutoPay (Most Recommended for Consistency)

NACH (National Automated Clearing House) AutoPay automatically debits your savings account on or before the due date every month. You can set it for three amounts: minimum due only, a fixed amount, or the full outstanding. Setting it for the full outstanding is the best practice — it ensures zero interest and protects your CIBIL score even if you forget.

4. UPI Payment

Most banks now allow credit card bill payment via UPI. Open your UPI app, select Pay Credit Card or use the bank's UPI handle, enter the card number and amount. Instant settlement during banking hours; may take 2–4 hours outside business hours.

5. NEFT / RTGS

Transfer from any bank account to your credit card's IFSC code and credit card number as the account number. NEFT settles within 30 minutes (2-hour batches earlier, now near-real-time). Use this for payments from non-partner bank accounts.

6. Cheque Drop

Drop a cheque at a bank branch or cheque drop box at least 5 working days before the due date — clearing takes 2–3 working days. Avoid this method for last-minute payments; use net banking or UPI instead.

Setting Up AutoPay — Step by Step

• Step 1: Log in to AU Bank net banking or mobile app.



• Step 2: Navigate to Credit Card > Manage > AutoPay / NACH.



• Step 3: Select the debit account (savings account) and the amount type: minimum due, fixed amount, or total outstanding.



• Step 4: Confirm and authenticate with OTP.



• Step 5: AutoPay takes 1–2 billing cycles to activate — continue manual payments until you see the first AutoPay debit on your savings account statement.

Minimum Due vs Total Outstanding — Why It Matters

The minimum due is designed to keep your account active and avoid a default marker — it is not designed to help you manage debt efficiently. If you pay only the minimum due every month on a ₹50,000 outstanding, it will take several years to clear and cost ₹40,000–₹60,000 in interest charges.

What Happens If You Miss a Credit Card Payment?

• Late payment fee: ₹100–₹1,300 depending on outstanding amount — charged immediately.



• Interest at 36%–42% p.a.: Applied to the entire outstanding from the statement date, not just from the due date.



• Loss of interest-free period: The next purchase cycle's 45–55 day interest-free period is forfeited — interest begins from the transaction date.



• CIBIL score impact: Payments 30+ days late are reported to CIBIL and can drop your score by 50–100 points, affecting future loan eligibility and interest rates.



• NPA classification: An account unpaid for 90 days is classified as a Non-Performing Asset — this stays on your credit report for 7 years.

Common Bill Payment Mistakes to Avoid

• Paying just before midnight on due date: Payments initiated late in the evening may not settle until the next business day — pay 2–3 days early.



• Assuming AutoPay is active immediately: AutoPay takes 1–2 cycles to activate after setup — continue manual payments in the interim.



• Paying from an account with insufficient balance: If AutoPay debits and the savings account has insufficient funds, the payment fails and the bank still charges a dishonour fee.



• Ignoring the statement date vs due date confusion: The statement date (when the bill is generated) is different from the due date (when payment must reach the bank) — they are typically 15–20 days apart.

⭐ Key Takeaways

• Always pay the total outstanding, not just the minimum due — minimum-only payments carry debt at 36%–42% annual interest.



• Set up NACH AutoPay for the total outstanding to ensure zero interest and CIBIL protection even if you forget.



• Pay 2–3 days before the due date — not on the due date itself, as settlement can take 1–24 hours.



• Missed payments are reported to CIBIL 30+ days after the due date — a 50–100 point score drop follows.



• The interest-free period (45–55 days) is only available if the previous month's bill was paid in full.



• NEFT, UPI, net banking, and AutoPay are all faster and more reliable than cheque payments for credit card bills.

Frequently Asked Questions

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has sought a factual report from the J&K Sports Council over a series of allegations concerning the preparation of merit lists, recognition of sports disciplines, issuance of certificates and appointments under the sports quota framework.

In a letter, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau Jammu, asked the Secretary of the J&K Sports Council to examine the allegations raised in a complaint and provide a factual report along with comments and relevant records for further action.

The verification, identified as Miscellaneous Verification No. 10/2026, covers allegations relating to S.O. 12, the provisional merit list, sports recognition, allocation of benefits and appointments under the sports quota framework in Jammu and Kashmir.

Allegations over recognition and merit lists

The ACB has flagged the inclusion of candidates associated with certain sports in merit lists despite allegations that the respective sports lack proper recognition, regulatory structures or a verifiable competitive framework. It has sought examination of the eligibility and recognition standards applied while determining merit.

The letter also points to an alleged abnormal concentration of candidates from certain sports, raising the possibility of preferential treatment at the administrative level. According to the allegations cited by the ACB, such an imbalance could disadvantage sportspersons from other disciplines.

Certificate issuance concerns

Concerns have also been raised over the issuance and use of sports certificates. The complaint alleges that certificates in certain sports were being issued on a paid basis or without adequate competitive verification, potentially enabling financially capable candidates to obtain sports-quota benefits without genuine sporting merit.

Another issue flagged in the verification concerns sports that were introduced or recognised only in recent years but have allegedly produced a disproportionately high number of beneficiaries, including candidates receiving gazetted appointments within a short period. The ACB has asked the Sports Council to examine whether policy amendments, distribution of benefits and selection standards in such cases were applied fairly.

Dragon Boat classification issue

The verification has also raised a specific classification issue concerning Dragon Boat, which, according to the ACB communication, has been administratively treated under Canoeing and Kayaking despite being a technically distinct discipline. The Bureau has sought examination of the matter from a legal and administrative perspective, in the absence of any officially notified policy provision or statutory order merging the two disciplines.

Questions over eligibility and age criteria

Questions have further been raised over the manner in which merit was determined on the basis of participation in international, national and other competitive events. The ACB has called for verification of the hierarchy of competitions, eligibility standards and age criteria.

The communication specifically mentions allegations that in certain cases, candidates who were underage at the time of participation were subsequently granted benefits, potentially affecting senior sportspersons who had spent years training and competing.

The Sports Council has been asked to provide the factual position on each of the allegations, along with relevant records and its comments, to enable the ACB to decide its further course of action.

SRINAGAR — The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher-secondary education in Jammu and Kashmir has fallen to 44.8%, marking a sharp decline in enrolment as students progress from primary to Classes XI and XII, according to NITI Aayog's latest assessment of the school education system.

The data shows a pronounced drop across successive stages of schooling. J&K's primary-level GER stands at 113.7%, but falls to 77.3% at the upper-primary level, 66.1% at the secondary level, and further to 44.8% at the higher secondary level.

The figures indicate that while enrolment at the primary stage is relatively high, participation declines considerably as students move towards higher classes.

Clarification on GER figure

The 44.8% figure represents the Gross Enrolment Ratio and should not be interpreted as meaning that 55.2% of children have dropped out. GER compares total enrolment at a particular level with the population in the official age group for that level and can include students outside the prescribed age group.

The sharp decline nevertheless points to a significant challenge in retaining and transitioning students through the higher stages of school education.

Dropout rate above national average

The issue is compounded by J&K's secondary dropout rate, which NITI Aayog places at 12.9%, above the national figure of 11.5%.

The pattern raises questions over what happens to students between the primary and higher-secondary stages, and whether factors such as access, household circumstances, school availability, distance, affordability and the transition from secondary to higher secondary education are contributing to the decline.

The data also highlights the need to examine the availability and accessibility of higher secondary education, particularly for students living in remote and geographically difficult areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

While the primary GER of 113.7% indicates that J&K has achieved broad participation at the entry level of school education, the fall to 44.8% at the higher-secondary stage shows that maintaining participation through Classes XI and XII remains a substantially greater challenge.