Rule 424(b)(3)
                                                     Registration Statement
                                                     No. 33-58107

PRICING SUPPLEMENT NO. 21

Dated March 12, 1996, to
Prospectus, dated March 24, 1995, and
Prospectus Supplement, dated April 5, 1995.


                          THE CIT GROUP HOLDINGS, INC.
                             5.85% MEDIUM-TERM NOTES
                   DUE NINE MONTHS OR MORE FROM DATE OF ISSUE


(X) Senior Note                                     ( ) Senior Subordinated Note

Principal Amount:  U.S. $100,000,000.

Proceeds to Corporation:  99.767%.

Underwriting Discount:  .125%.

Issue Price:  Variable Price Reoffer, initially at 99.892%.

Original Issue Date:  March 15, 1996.

Maturity Date:  March 16, 1998.

Interest Rate Per Annum:  5.85%.

Form:  Global Note.



The Notes are  offered  by the  Underwriter,  as  specified  herein,  subject to
receipt  and  acceptance  by it and  subject to its right to reject any order in
whole or in part.  It is expected  that the Notes will be ready for  delivery in
book-entry form on or about March 15, 1996.



                              GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.









Interest Payment  Dates:   The  sixteenth  day  of  each  March  and  September,
         commencing  September 16, 1996,  provided that if any such day is not a
         Business Day, the payment will be made on the next succeeding  Business
         Day as if it  were  made on the  date  such  payment  was  due,  and no
         interest  will  accrue on the amount  payable  for the period  from and
         after such Interest  Payment Date or the Maturity Date, as the case may
         be.

         Interest  payments will include the amount of interest accrued from and
         including the most recent  Interest  Payment Date to which interest has
         been  paid (or from  and  including  the  Original  Issue  Date) to but
         excluding the applicable Interest Payment Date.

Specified Currency:  U.S. Dollars.

Trustee, Registrar,  Authenticating  and Paying  Agent:  Harris  Trust & Savings
         Bank,  under  Indenture dated as of May 1, 1994 between the Trustee and
         the Corporation.


                                  UNDERWRITING

         Goldman, Sachs & Co. (the "Underwriter") is acting as
         principal in this transaction.

         Subject  to the terms  and  conditions  set forth in a Terms  Agreement
         dated March 12, 1996 (the "Terms  Agreement"),  between the Corporation
         and the  Underwriter,  incorporating  the  terms  of a  Selling  Agency
         Agreement  dated  April 6, 1995,  between  the  Corporation  and Lehman
         Brothers,  Lehman Brothers Inc., CS First Boston Corporation,  Goldman,
         Sachs & Co., Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
         Incorporated, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated,  Salomon Brothers Inc,
         and UBS  Securities  Inc.,  the  Corporation  has agreed to sell to the
         Underwriter,  and the Underwriter has agreed to purchase,  $100,000,000
         principal amount of the Notes.

         Under the terms and conditions of the Terms Agreement,  the Underwriter
         is committed to take and pay for all of the Notes, if any are taken.

         The Underwriter  has advised the Corporation  that it proposes to offer
         the Notes for sale from time to time in one or more transactions (which
         may  include  block  transactions),   in  negotiated   transactions  or
         otherwise,  or a combination  of such methods of sale, at market prices
         prevailing  at the time of sale, at prices  related to such  prevailing
         market prices or at negotiated prices. The Underwriter may effect


                                      - 2 -




         such transactions by selling the Notes to or through dealers,  and such
         dealers may receive compensation in the form of underwriting discounts,
         concessions or commissions  from the Underwriter  and/or the purchasers
         of the Notes for whom they may act as  agent.  In  connection  with the
         sale of the  Notes,  the  Underwriter  may be deemed  to have  received
         compensation   from  the   Corporation  in  the  form  of  underwriting
         discounts,  and the Underwriter may also receive  commissions  from the
         purchasers of the Notes for whom they may act as agent. The Underwriter
         and  any  dealers  that   participate   with  the  Underwriter  in  the
         distribution  of the Notes may be  deemed to be  underwriters,  and any
         discounts or commissions  received by them and any profit on the resale
         of the  Notes by them may be  deemed to be  underwriting  discounts  or
         commissions.

         The Notes are a new issue of  securities  with no  established  trading
         market. The Corporation currently has no intention to list the Notes on
         any  securities  exchange.  The  Corporation  has been  advised  by the
         Underwriter  that it  intends  to make a market in the Notes but is not
         obligated to do so and may  discontinue  any market  making at any time
         without  notice.  No assurance  can be given as to the liquidity of the
         trading market for the Notes.

         The Corporation has agreed to indemnify the Underwriter against certain
         liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as
         amended.




                                      - 3 -