Does applying for multiple credit cards hurt my CIBIL score?

Two things nobody tells you: (1) GST is charged on the annual fee, so a ₹1,000 fee becomes ₹1,180. (2) Reward points usually have an expiry of 2-3 years. Set a calendar reminder to redeem before they lapse.

Tip from someone who made this mistake: never max out the credit limit in the first 6 months. Banks track utilisation, and high utilisation right after approval often triggers a credit limit decrease or even an account review.