Section Explainer

Section 13

was Section 14

Heads of Income

Total income is classified under five heads: (A) Salaries, (B) Income from House Property, (C) Profits and Gains of Business or Profession, (D) Capital Gains, and (E) Income from Other Sources.

Income Heads

Section 15

was Section 15

Salaries — Charging Section

Salary income is taxable in the year it is due, paid, or whichever is earlier. Covers basic pay, dearness allowance, bonus, commission, allowances, and perquisites.

Income Heads

Section 19

was Section 16(ia)

Standard Deduction from Salary

A flat deduction from salary income — ₹75,000 under the default regime, ₹50,000 under the optional regime. No receipts needed; applied automatically by your employer.

Income Heads

Section 20

was Section 22

House Property — Charging Section

Income from buildings or land appurtenant to them, of which the taxpayer is the owner, is taxed under this head based on the annual value of the property.

House Property

Section 21

was Section 23

Annual Value of House Property

The annual value is the amount the property can reasonably be expected to fetch as annual rent. For a self-occupied property (up to 2), the annual value is nil. For let-out property, it is the higher of actual rent or expected market rent.

House Property

Section 22

was Section 24

Deductions from House Property Income

Two deductions from annual value: (a) 30% standard deduction for let-out properties, and (b) interest on housing loan — up to ₹2 lakh for self-occupied; no cap for let-out.

House Property

Section 22

was Section 24(b)

Home Loan Interest — Deduction Limit

Interest on housing loan is deductible — capped at ₹2,00,000 for self-occupied property; unlimited for let-out property (subject to the ₹2L overall loss set-off cap).

House Property

Section 123

was Section 80C

Investments & Insurance Premium (₹1.5L limit)

Deduction up to ₹1,50,000 for specified investments: EPF, PPF, ELSS, Life Insurance premiums, home loan principal, NSC, Sukanya Samriddhi, 5-year tax-saving FD, and tuition fees. Only under the optional regime.

Deductions

Section 124

was Section 80CCD(1B)

Additional NPS Contribution (₹50,000)

An additional deduction of up to ₹50,000 for voluntary contributions to NPS Tier-I account, over and above the ₹1.5L limit under Section 123. Only under the optional regime.

Deductions

Section 123

was Section 80CCC

Pension Fund Premium

Deduction for premium paid toward any annuity plan of LIC or other insurer for receiving pension. In the IT Act 2025 this deduction (formerly Section 80CCC) forms part of Section 123 itself and shares its overall ₹1.5L limit.

Deductions

Section 126

was Section 80D

Health Insurance Premium

Deduction for medical insurance premium for self, spouse, children (₹25,000) and separately for parents (₹25,000; ₹50,000 if parents are senior citizens). Maximum combined ₹75,000.

Deductions

Section 129

was Section 80E

Education Loan Interest

Full deduction of interest paid on education loan for higher education in India or abroad. Available for 8 years (year repayment starts + 7 following years). No cap on amount — only interest qualifies, not principal.

Deductions

Section 134

was Section 80GG

Rent Paid (No HRA received)

Deduction for rent paid when you do not receive HRA from your employer. Limited to the least of: ₹5,000/month, 25% of total income, or actual rent minus 10% of total income.

Deductions

Section 153

was Section 80TTA

Savings Account Interest (₹10,000)

Deduction up to ₹10,000 on interest earned from savings bank accounts with banks, co-operative societies, and post offices. Not for FDs. Not available to senior citizens, who claim the higher senior-citizen deduction in the same Section 153 instead.

Deductions

Section 153

was Section 80TTB

Senior Citizen Deposit Interest (₹50,000)

For taxpayers aged 60+, deduction up to ₹50,000 on interest from all deposits — savings accounts, FDs, and RDs — with banks and post offices. For senior citizens it replaces the ₹10,000 savings-interest deduction in the same section.

Deductions

Section 202

was Section 115BAC

Default Tax Regime — Slabs

The default tax regime applies automatically. Slabs: Nil up to ₹4L; 5% (₹4L–8L); 10% (₹8L–12L); 15% (₹12L–16L); 20% (₹16L–20L); 25% (₹20L–24L); 30% above ₹24L. Standard deduction ₹75,000. Zero tax if income ≤ ₹12L.

Tax Computation

Section 156

was Section 87A

Tax Rebate — Zero Tax up to ₹12 Lakh

Under the default regime, if total income does not exceed ₹12,00,000, a rebate equal to the full tax liability is allowed — resulting in zero tax. Applies to resident individuals only.

Tax Computation

Section 196

was Section 111A

STCG on Listed Equity (STT paid) — 20%

Short-term capital gains on listed equity shares or equity-oriented MF units where STT has been paid are taxed at 20%. Gains are short-term if the asset is held for 12 months or less.

Capital Gains

Section 197

was Section 112

LTCG on Assets (General) — 12.5%

Long-term capital gains on sale of assets (other than listed equity) are taxed at 12.5% without indexation. Covers unlisted shares, property, gold, and debt mutual funds held for 24+ months (36+ for immovable property).

Capital Gains

Section 198

was Section 112A

LTCG on Listed Equity (STT paid) — 12.5% above ₹1.25L

Long-term capital gains on listed equity shares or equity MF units (with STT) are taxed at 12.5%. The first ₹1,25,000 of such gains per year is exempt. Must be held for more than 12 months.

Capital Gains

Section 392

was Section 192

TDS on Salary

Your employer deducts TDS from salary every month. The employer estimates your total annual income, applies the regime and deductions you declared, computes annual tax, and divides by 12. Form No. 130 (earlier Form 16) is issued as the TDS certificate.

TDS

Section 392(4) / Form No. 122

was Section 192(2)

Multiple Employers — Form No. 122 (earlier Form 12B)

If you change jobs during the year, you must submit Form No. 122 to your new employer disclosing salary and TDS from your previous employer, ensuring correct aggregate TDS.

TDS

Sections 403–408

was Sections 207–211

Advance Tax — Obligation and Instalments

If net tax liability (after TDS) exceeds ₹10,000, you must pay advance tax in four instalments: 15% by June 15; 45% by September 15; 75% by December 15; 100% by March 15.

Advance Tax

Section 403

was Section 207

Senior Citizens Exempt from Advance Tax

A resident individual aged 60+ with no business/profession income is not required to pay advance tax. Their full tax liability can be paid as self-assessment tax at the time of filing.

Advance Tax

Section 423

was Section 234A

Interest for Late Filing of Return

If you file your ITR after the due date (typically July 31), simple interest at 1% per month is charged on the unpaid tax amount, from the due date to the actual date of filing.

Interest & Penalties

Section 424

was Section 234B

Interest for Default in Advance Tax

If you paid less than 90% of your assessed tax as advance tax, interest at 1% per month is charged from April 1 of the assessment year to the date of actual payment.

Interest & Penalties

Section 425

was Section 234C

Interest for Deferment of Advance Tax Instalment

If you miss or underpay an advance tax instalment, interest at 1% per month for 3 months is charged on the shortfall for each instalment.

Interest & Penalties

Section 194

was Section 115BBH

Virtual Digital Assets (Crypto) — 30%

Income from transfer of Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) — including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and digital tokens — is taxed at a flat 30% with no expense deductions (except cost of acquisition). VDA losses cannot be set off against any other income.

Special Income

Section 58

was Section 44AD / 44ADA

Presumptive Taxation — Small Business & Professionals

Small businesses (turnover ≤ ₹3 crore) and professionals (receipts ≤ ₹75 lakh) can declare income at a deemed rate without detailed books of accounts.

Special Income

Schedule III

was Section 10(13A)

HRA Exemption

House Rent Allowance received from employer is exempt up to the least of: (a) actual HRA received, (b) rent paid minus 10% of basic salary, or (c) 50%/40% of basic salary (metro/non-metro).

Deductions

Section 2(5) + Section 11

was Section 2(1A) + Section 10(1)

Agricultural Income — Definition & Full Exemption

Agricultural income is completely exempt from income tax under Section 11 read with Schedule 2. To qualify, income must fall within one of the four categories defined in Section 2(5): agricultural produce, nursery income, agricultural land rent, or rural dwelling/warehouse rent used for agricultural purposes.

Agricultural Income

Rule 270

was Rules 7 / 7A / 7B / 8

Rule 270 — Separating Farm Income from Factory Profit

When a farmer processes their own agricultural produce in their own business (e.g., sugarcane → sugar, groundnuts → oil), income must be split using Rule 270. The farming portion — Fair Market Value (FMV) of raw produce minus cultivation cost — remains exempt agricultural income. The processing profit — sale price minus FMV minus manufacturing cost — is taxable business income.

Agricultural Income

Rule 271

was Rules 7A / 7B / 8

Rule 271 — Fixed Splits for Tea, Coffee & Rubber

For Tea, Coffee, and Rubber — crops where growing and manufacturing are inseparably intertwined — the law prescribes fixed statutory percentage splits instead of requiring individual FMV calculations. This removes the need to determine a 'farm gate price' for these complex crops.

Agricultural Income

Schedule 2 + IT Rules (Partial Integration)

was Section 2(1A) + Section 10(1) — Partial Integration Method

Partial Integration — How Agricultural Income Raises Your Tax Bracket

Although agricultural income is fully exempt from tax, it is added to your non-agricultural income to determine the tax rate on that non-agricultural income. This '4-step staircase' method ensures exempt agri income pushes your taxable income into higher slabs — a silent rate hike even though the agri income itself is never taxed.

Agricultural Income

Section 12

was Sections 13A & 13B

Exemption for Political Parties and Electoral Trusts

Income of registered political parties — from membership fees, voluntary contributions, and property — and approved electoral trusts distributing funds to political parties is fully exempt from income tax, subject to audit and return filing compliance.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 133

was Section 80G

Deduction for Donations to Charitable Institutions (80G)

Donors can claim deductions of 50% or 100% of amounts donated to approved funds and charitable institutions under Section 133. Certain institutions qualify for 100% deduction without any cap, while donations to most others allow only 50% deduction, capped at 10% of adjusted Gross Total Income.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 135

was Section 80GGA

Deduction for Donations for Scientific Research and Rural Development (80GGA)

Section 135 provides a 100% deduction — with no qualifying income ceiling — on donations made to approved scientific research associations, universities, rural development institutions, and national bodies for poverty eradication. This section is exclusively available to taxpayers who have no income from business or profession.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Sections 337 & 334

was Section 115BBC

Tax on Anonymous Donations Received by Charitable Trusts — 30%

Registered charitable trusts and NPOs must pay 30% tax on 'anonymous donations' — contributions where the donor's name and address are not recorded. A basic exemption applies: tax kicks in only beyond the higher of ₹1 lakh or 5% of total anonymous donations. Wholly religious trusts are fully exempt from this provision.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 332

was Sections 12A, 12AB, 80G

Registration of Charitable Trusts and NPOs

All charitable trusts, religious institutions, educational societies, hospitals, and non-profit bodies must register under Section 332 to claim income tax exemption. Without registration, the trust's entire income is taxable at the Maximum Marginal Rate (MMR). New trusts get provisional registration valid for 3 years; thereafter, regular 5-year registration must be obtained.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 333

was Section 11

Switching Regimes for Charitable Organisations

A registered NPO that voluntarily surrenders its exemption status or gets converted into a taxable entity is treated as having dissolved, triggering accreted income exit tax under Section 352. This section prevents NPOs from accumulating assets tax-free and then converting to taxable commercial entities.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 334

was Sections 11, 115BBC, 115BBI

Overall Tax Framework for Registered NPOs

Section 334 is the master charging provision for registered NPOs. It classifies an NPO's income into three streams — regular income (mostly exempt), specified income (taxable if misused), and anonymous donations (taxed at 30%) — and specifies the tax treatment for each stream.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 335

was Sections 11 & 12

Regular Income of Registered NPO — The Exemption Provision

The primary exemption provision for charitable trusts: if at least 85% of the trust's 'regular income' is applied (spent) for charitable or religious objects in the same year, the entire income qualifies for exemption. The remaining 15% can be accumulated and still claimed as exempt if proper Form No. 109 (earlier Form 10) filing is done before the ITR due date.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 336

was Sections 11, 12 & 13

What Counts as Taxable Regular Income for an NPO

Section 336 defines the components of an NPO's regular income that become subject to tax — essentially the portion that fails to meet the 85% application test or is applied for non-exempt purposes. This provision bridges Section 335 and Section 337 by specifying the taxable base calculation.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 337

was Sections 11, 12, 13, 115BBC, 115BBI

Specified Income — When NPO Funds Are Misused

Section 337 identifies categories of income that lose exemption and are taxed at the Maximum Marginal Rate — primarily when a trust's income benefits trustees, founders, or their relatives personally, or when funds are invested in prohibited modes, or when the trust violates registration conditions.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 338

was Section 11

Income Excluded from Regular Income of an NPO

Section 338 lists specific receipts that are NOT included in an NPO's regular income computation — primarily corpus donations, deemed corpus amounts, and certain capital receipts. This ensures that structural funding (corpus) is not confused with operational income and is not subjected to the 85% application test.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 339

was Section 11

Corpus Donations — Permanent Fund Contributions

A corpus donation is a voluntary contribution made to a registered NPO with a specific written direction from the donor that it should form part of the 'corpus' (permanent fund) of the trust. Such donations are excluded from regular income and are not subject to the 85% application test — they must be kept invested in permitted modes.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 340

was Section 11

Deemed Corpus Donations

Section 340 specifies circumstances where certain receipts are treated as corpus donations even without a written donor direction — for example, capital grants from government specifically for asset creation, contributions for construction of buildings, and legacy bequests. This protects infrastructure funding from being treated as operational income.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 341

was Section 11

Application of Income — The 85% Charitable Spending Rule

Section 341 contains the heart of charitable trust exemption: at least 85% of a trust's regular income must be 'applied' (actually spent or incurred) for its charitable or religious objects during the year. Failure to meet this threshold makes the shortfall taxable at MMR.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 342

was Sections 11 & 13

Accumulation of Income — Beyond the 15%

Section 342 allows a registered NPO to accumulate (retain without spending) up to 15% of its regular income without losing exemption. For higher accumulations, the trust must file Form No. 109 (earlier Form 10) before the ITR due date, specifying the purpose and time period (maximum 5 years). Unspent accumulated income after 5 years becomes taxable.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 343

was Section 11(3)

Deemed Accumulated Income — When Accumulation Goes Wrong

Section 343 specifies situations where income previously accumulated under Form No. 109 (earlier Form 10) is retrospectively treated as income of an earlier year — triggering tax plus interest. This happens when accumulated funds are applied for purposes other than stated in Form No. 109, or remain unapplied after the 5-year period.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 344

was Section 11(4)

Business Undertaking Held as Property of an NPO

When a business undertaking is part of the trust's assets — typically received through a bequest or donation — Section 344 governs how income from that business is treated. Profits from business undertakings incidental to charitable objects can remain exempt; purely commercial unconnected businesses lose the exemption.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 345

was Section 11

Restriction on Commercial Activities by Registered NPOs

Section 345 restricts registered NPOs from carrying out commercial activities that are not incidental to their charitable objects. Trusts that engage in substantial commercial activities — beyond what is needed for their charitable purposes — risk losing their tax-exempt status on the commercial income.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 346

was Section 2(15)

General Public Utility Trusts — 20% Commercial Receipts Cap

Trusts registered under the 'General Public Utility' (GPU) object — the broadest charitable category — face a specific restriction: if receipts from commercial activities exceed 20% of total receipts during the year, the GPU object loses its charitable status for that year, making all income taxable.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 347

was Section 12A, Rule 187 (IT Rules 2026)

Books of Accounts — Mandatory for All Charitable Organisations

Every registered NPO must maintain prescribed books of accounts including cash books, ledgers, journals, and statements of receipts and payments. The books must be maintained at the trust's principal office and preserved for at least 10 years. Poor record-keeping is a common reason for loss of exemption during assessments.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 348

was Section 12A, Rule 188, Form 112 (IT Rules 2026)

Audit of Accounts — Mandatory for NPOs above ₹2.5 Lakh

Every registered NPO whose total income (before claiming exemption) exceeds ₹2.5 lakh in a year must get its accounts audited by a Chartered Accountant. The audit report in Form No. 112 (which replaces the earlier Forms 10B and 10BB) must be filed along with the income tax return.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 349

was Sections 12A & 139

Filing Income Tax Return for Charitable Organisations

Every registered NPO must file an income tax return even if its total tax liability is zero. The return must be filed by 31 October of the assessment year, along with Form No. 112 (earlier Form 10B) (audit report). A late return leads to loss of accumulation benefits and penalties.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 350

was Section 11(5)

Permitted Modes of Investment for Charitable Trusts

Section 350 specifies the 'permitted modes' in which a charitable trust must invest its funds — particularly corpus and accumulated income. Investing in non-permitted modes makes the income attributable to such investments taxable, and can trigger registration cancellation in serious cases.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 351

was Sections 12AB & 13

Specified Violations — When NPO Registration is Cancelled

Section 351 lists specific violations that can lead to cancellation of an NPO's registration — the most severe outcome for a charitable trust. Key violations include applying income for non-charitable purposes, benefiting specified persons, issuing fake donation receipts, not maintaining books, and deliberate non-compliance.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 352

was Sections 12AC, 115TD, 115TE, 115TF

Exit Tax on Accreted Income — NPO Dissolution or Conversion

When a registered NPO converts to a non-charitable entity, merges with a non-NPO, or has its registration cancelled, a 30% 'exit tax' is levied on its 'accreted income' — the excess of FMV of all assets over total liabilities on the date of conversion or cancellation. This prevents charities from accumulating tax-free assets and then converting to commercial entities.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 353

was Sections 13 & 115BI

Other Violations by Charitable Organisations

Section 353 covers violations by NPOs that are less severe than Section 351 specified violations but still result in partial or full loss of exemption. These include failure to comply with audit requirements, missing return deadlines, applying income for purposes outside the trust deed, and other procedural non-compliance.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 354

was Section 80G

80G Approval — Enabling Tax Deduction for Donors

Section 354 governs the application by a registered NPO to get its donations approved under Section 133 (80G), which allows donors to claim tax deductions. 80G approval is separate from the NPO's own registration under Section 332 — it benefits the DONOR, not the NPO itself.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs

Section 355

was Sections 2(15), 11, 12, 13, 115BBC, 115TD–115TF

Key Definitions for the Charitable Trust Chapter

Section 355 consolidates the definitions of key terms used throughout the NPO/charitable trust chapter — including 'charitable purpose', 'author of the trust', 'specified person', 'regular income', and 'voluntary contribution'. Understanding these definitions is essential for correctly applying all other sections in this chapter.

Charitable Trusts & NPOs