Rule 424(b)(3)
                                    Registration Statement No. 333-27465
                                    Cusip # 12560P AQ 4
PRICING SUPPLEMENT NO. 12,

Dated December 10, 1997, to
Prospectus, dated June 6, 1997 and
Prospectus Supplement, dated June 12, 1997.

                               THE CIT GROUP, INC.
                     (formerly The CIT Group Holdings, Inc.)
                          MEDIUM-TERM FIXED RATE NOTES
                   DUE NINE MONTHS OR MORE FROM DATE OF ISSUE


(X) Senior Note               ( ) Senior Subordinated Note

Principal Amount:  U.S. $125,000,000.

Proceeds to Corporation:  99.563% or $124,453,750.

Underwriting Discount:  0.00%

Issue Price:  99.563% or $124,453,750.

Original Issue Date:  December 15, 1997.

Maturity Date:  December 15, 2000.

Interest Rate Per Annum:  6.125%.

Interest Payment Dates:  Each June 15 and December 15, commencing June 15, 1998,
      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.

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 December 15, 1997.

                              SALOMON BROTHERS INC
<PAGE>


Form:  Global Note.

Specified Currency:  U.S. Dollars.

Trustee, Registrar, Authenticating and Paying Agent:
      The First National Bank of Chicago, under Indenture dated as
      of May 1, 1994 between the Trustee and The CIT Group, Inc. (formerly
      The CIT Group Holdings, Inc.) ("the Corporation").

                                  UNDERWRITING


      Salomon  Brothers Inc (the  "Underwriter")  is acting as principal in this
      transaction.

      Subject  to the  terms  and  conditions  set  forth  in a Term  Sheet  and
      Agreement  dated  December 10, 1997 (the "Terms  Agreement"),  between the
      Corporation  and the  Underwriter,  incorporating  the  terms of a Selling
      Agency  Agreement  dated May 15, 1996,  between the Corporation and Lehman
      Brothers,  Lehman  Brothers Inc.,  Credit Suisse First Boston  Corporation
      (formerly  known as 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 LLC, the Corporation has agreed to sell to the Underwriter, and
      the Underwriter has agreed to purchase,  $125,000,000  aggregate 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 initially
      offer the Notes to the public at the Issue  Price set forth  above.  After
      the initial public offering, the public offering price and other terms may
      be changed from time to time.  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 it 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.