Direct Taxes
- Accountant’s Reports under the Income-tax Act
- Amalgamation and Demergers
- Appeals
- Audit Reports under the Income-Tax Act/ Accountant’s Reports under the Income-tax Act
- Capital Gains
- Capital Gains on Specific Transfers
- Charitable Trusts
- Clubbing Provisions
- Co-operative Society – Taxation
- Deductions and Rebates
- Deemed Dividend
- Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Act, 2020
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement
- Exempt Capital Gains
- Exempt Income
- Forms of I-Tax Act
- Full value of consideration in respect of transfer of Immovable Property held as business asset – Section 43CA
- Gifts Treated as Income
- Important Due Dates under Direct Taxes
- Income Computation & Disclosure Standard
- Income from House Property
- Interest
- Interpretation of Taxing Statutes
- Investment Planner
- Legal Maxim
- Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) and Alternate Minimum Tax (AMT)
- Penalties
- Permanent Account Number (PAN)
- Presumptive Taxation
- Rates of Depreciation
- Rates of Income Tax
- Rectifications
- Return of Income
- Revision
- Salaries
- Search/Survey – Rights and Duties
- Section 14A : Disallowance of Expenditure incurred in relation to income exempt from tax
- Set-off and carry forward of losses
- Settlement Commission
- Statement of Financial Transactions or Reportable Account Annual Information Return (Section 285BA, Rule 114E)
- Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TDCAN)
- Taxation of Firms
- TDS Chart
Exempt Income
Section |
Type of assessee |
Type of income |
Exempt amount |
Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|
10(1) |
All assessees |
Agricultural income |
No limit |
See definition – Section 2(1A). Income derived from any land or building for any purpose other than agriculture would be taxable |
10(2) |
Member of HUF |
Sum paid out of income of family or income of impartible estate |
No limit |
Subject to the provision of Section 64(2) |
10(2A) |
A person being a partner of a firm |
Share in the total income of the firm separately assessed as a firm |
No limit |
For share of the partner see Explanation to this sub-section |
10(4)(i) |
Non-resident |
Interest on specified securities or bonds including income by way of premium on redemption of such bonds |
No limit |
No securities or bonds to be specified on or after 1 June 2002. For specified securities see Notification No. SO-3331, dated 19 October 1965. |
10(4)(ii) |
Individual, being resident outside India under FEMA permitted by RBI to maintain NRE account |
Interest from NRE account |
No limit |
The exemption which was withdrawn from 1 April 2005 has been restored. Person resident outside India is defined under Section 2(w) of the FEMA |
10(4B) |
Non-resident being a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin |
Interest on specified saving certificate issued before 1 June 2002 subscribed in foreign currency |
No limit |
— |
10(4C) |
Non-resident, not being a company, or to a foreign company |
Interest on monies borrowed by an Indian company or business trust by issue of rupee denominated bonds to a source outside India refereed in Section 194LC(2)(ia) |
No limit |
Applicable to monies borrowed during the period 17 September 2018 to 31 March 2019 |
10(4D) |
Specified Fund |
On transfer of capital assets referred to in Section 47(viiab) |
Such income of Non-resident |
|
10(7) |
Citizen of India |
Allowances or perquisites by Government for services rendered outside India |
No limit |
— |
10(10BC) |
Individual or his legal heir |
Compensation from Central Government, State Government or Local authorities on account of any disaster |
No limit |
Exemption not allowed on the amount allowed as deduction under any other Section under the Income-tax Act on account of loss or damage caused by such disaster |
10(10D) |
All assessees |
Any sum received under a life insurance policy including bonus |
No limit |
The following amount shall not be exempt:
|
10(11) |
All assessees |
Payments from a statutory P.F. or public P.F. or from notified P.F. |
No limit |
For notified P.F., refer Notification No. SO-2430 dated 2 July 1968. |
10(11A) |
Individual |
Payment from an account opened under Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme |
No limit |
The Explanatory Memorandum to the Finance Act clarifies that interest accruing in such account is exempt from tax |
10(12) |
Salaried employee |
Accumulated balances due from recognised Provident Fund |
No limit |
|
10(12A) |
All assessees |
Accumulated balance from NPS on closure of account or opting out of the scheme |
60% of the amount received w.e.f AY 2020-21. (40% up to AY 2019-20) |
However, if entire amount received by the nominee on death of assessee is exempt |
10(12B) |
Salaried employee (w.e.f 1st April 2018) |
Payment from NPS Trust on account of partial withdrawal from employee’s account (under pension scheme referred in Section 80CCD) |
25% of the amount of contributions made by the employee |
Withdrawal is made in accordance with the terms and conditions specified under Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 2013 and the regulations made thereunder |
10(13) |
Salaried employee |
Payment from approved superannuation fund |
No limit |
|
10(15)(i) |
All assessees |
Income by way of interest, premium on redemption or other payment from notified securities, bonds, certificates, etc. issued and notified by Central Government |
Limits as specified in the Notification |
— |
10(15)(iib) |
Individual or HUF |
Interest on notified capital investment bonds |
No limit |
No bonds to be specified on or after 1 June 2002 |
10(15)(iic) |
Individual or HUF |
Interest on notified Relief Bonds |
No limit |
— |
10(15)(iid) |
Individual who is NRI at the time of acquisition of the bonds or his successor or the donee |
Interest on notified Bonds being NRI Bonds, 1988, NRI Bonds (second series) issued by SBI |
No limit |
No exemption available in the year of premature encashment. No bonds to be specified on or after 1 June 2002 |
10(15)(iv)(c) |
Non-resident |
Interest payable by industrial undertaking on money borrowed or debt incurred prior to 1 June 2001 in foreign country in respect of purchase of raw materials, components or plant and machinery and approved by Central Government including usance interest payable outside India by an undertaking engaged in the business of ship breaking in respect of purchase of a ship from outside India |
No limit |
— |
10(15)(iv)(fa) |
NR or NOR |
Interest paid by a scheduled bank on RBI approved foreign currency deposits, FCNR and RFC accounts |
No limit |
The exemption which was withdrawn from 1 April 2005 has been restored. |
10(15)(vi) |
All assessees |
Interest on Gold Deposit Bond Scheme, 1999 or Deposit certificate issued under the Gold Monetisation Scheme, 2015 |
No limit |
— |
10(15)(vii) |
All assessees |
Interest on notified bonds issued by a local authority or by a State Pooled Finance Entity |
No limit |
Ahmedabad notified vide 812(E) dated 21 August 2001, 364(E) dated 16 March 2004, 407(E) dated. 24 March 2005, and 333(E) dated 8 March 2007, Hyderabad notified vide 275(E) dated 4 March 2002, and 1482(E) dated 29 December 2003, Nashik notified vide 269(E) dated 7 March 2003. Tamil Nadu notified vide 545(E) dated 12 May 2003, Chennai notified vide 392(E) dated 23 March 2004, 402(E) dated 23 March 2005 and 408(E) dated 24 March 2005, Karnataka notified vide 941(E), dated 20 August 2004, and 729(E) dated 27 May 2005, Visakhapatnam notified vide 1481(E) dated 29 December 2003, Nagpur notified vide 10(E) dated 4 January 2007; Tax free Pooled Finance Development Bonds vide 82(E) dated 4 January 2008 and second tranche of the same bonds vide 1667(E) dated 14 July 2010 |
10(15)(viii) |
NR or NOR |
Interest on deposit made on or after 1 April 2005 in an offshore banking unit referred to in Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 |
— |
— |
10(15)(ix) |
NR |
Interest payable by a unit located in International Financial Services Centre on monies borrowed by it on or after 1 September 2019 |
No limit |
‘International Financial Services Centre’ is defined under Section 2(q) of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 ‘Unit’ is defined under Section 2(zc) of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 |
10(16) |
Individual |
Scholarship granted to meet cost of education |
No limit |
— |
10(17A) |
All assessees |
Payment in cash/kind as award instituted by Central/State Government or award instituted by the Central Government approved body |
No limit |
— |
10(18) |
Central or State Government employee |
Pension |
No limit |
Such employee is awarded ParamVir Chakra or MahaVir Chakra or Vir Chakra or such other notified gallantry award |
Any family member of an employee referred above |
Family Pension |
No limit |
— |
|
10(19) |
Widow, children or nominated heirs of a member of the armed forces (including paramilitary forces) of the Union |
Family Pension |
No limit |
Where the death of such member of the armed forces has occurred in the course of operational duties, in such circumstances and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed |
10 (23AAA) |
Any person on behalf of employees welfare fund |
Any income |
No limit |
|
10(23C) |
Certain Trusts, institutions receiving income on behalf of specified funds |
Any income |
No limit |
The restrictions on cash payments as per 40A(3) and (3A) and consequences of non-deduction or non-payment of taxes after deduction as per section 40(a)(ia) shall apply to the specified institutions. Explanation to the third proviso to section 10(23C) clarifies that the corpus donations shall not form part of the income of such trusts / institutions. |
10(23C)(iiiaa) |
Swachh Bharat Kosh set up by Central Government |
Any income |
No limit |
Same as above |
10(23C)(iiiaaa) |
Clean Ganga Fund set up by Central Government |
Any income |
No limit |
Same as above |
10(23C)(iiiaaaa) |
Chief Minister’s Relief Fund or the Lieutenant Governor’s Relief Fund in respect of any State or Union territory |
Any income |
No limit |
The Fund should fulfil the conditions mentioned in section 80G(2)(a)(iiihf) |
10 (23DA) |
Securitisation Trust |
Any income from the activity of securitisation |
No limit |
- |
10(23ED) |
Investor Protection Fund set up by depository |
Contribution received from the depository |
No limit |
Exemption not available in respect of amount of contribution not charged to tax during any previous year and shared with the depository. |
10(23F) |
Approved Venture Capital Fund or Venture Capital Company |
Dividend and LTCG in respect of equity shares of a Venture Capital Undertaking |
No limit |
It shall not apply to investment made after 31st March 1999. |
10(23FA) |
Same as per Section 10(23F) |
Dividend other than referred in Section 115-O and LTCG in respect of equity shares of a venture capital undertaking |
No limit |
|
10(23FB) |
Venture Capital Fund (VCF) or Venture Capital Company (VCC) set up to raise funds for Venture Capital Undertaking (VCU) |
Income from investment in VCU |
No limit |
|
10 (23FBA) |
Investment Fund regulated under SEBI (AIF) Regulations |
Any income other than income chargeable under the head ‘Profits and gains of business or profession’ |
No limit |
— |
10 (23FBB) |
Unit holder of an Investment Fund |
Income distributed by an Investment Fund which is taxed as business income in the hands of the Investment Fund |
No limit |
— |
10(23FC) |
Business Trust |
Interest received or receivable from Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) or dividend received from specified domestic company |
No limit |
SPV is defined to mean an Indian company in which Business Trust holds controlling interest and any specific percentage of shareholding or interest as may be required |
10 (23FCA) |
Income of a Real Estate Investment Trust |
Income from renting, leasing or letting out any real estate asset owned by such trust |
No limit |
Real Estate Asset will have same meaning as defined in Regulation 2(1)(zj) of SEBI (Real Estate Investment Trusts) Regulation, 2014 |
10(23FD) |
Unit holders of a Business Trust |
Any income distributed as referred to in section 115UA |
No limit |
Does not include-
|
10(23FE) (w.e.f. 1 April 2021) |
Specified person |
Income in the nature of dividend, interest or long-term capital gains arising from an investment made by specified person in India |
No limit |
“specified person” is defined to mean
In order to be eligible for exemption, the investment is required to be made on or after April 01, 2020 but on or before March 31, 2024 and is required to be held for at least three years and investment should be in
If specified person subsequently fails to satisfy the conditions on basis of which exemption was claimed in earlier years, the amount of exemption claimed in earlier years shall be deemed to be the income of the assessee of the year in which it fails to comply with the conditions. |
10(32) |
Individual — Parent |
All income of a minor child which is clubbed |
Up to 1,500 per minor child |
Exemption will not be available if the Assessee opts for new tax regime under section 115BAC |
10(33) |
All assessees |
Capital Gains arising on transfer of Unit 64 on or after 1st April, 2002 |
No limit |
— |
10(34) |
All assessees |
Dividends referred to in section 115-O |
No limit (upto AY 2020-21) |
Does not apply to dividend chargeable to tax under Section 115BBDA Exemption shall not be available for any income by way of dividend received on or after 1st April, 2020 other than the dividend on which tax under Section 115-O and Section 115BBDA has already been paid |
10(34A) |
All assessees |
Amount received on buy back of unlisted shares referred to in section 115QA. Exemption extended to buyback of listed shares with effect from 5 July 2019. |
No limit |
Exemption applies to buy-backs offered after 1 June 2013 for unlisted shares. Exemption for listed shares applicable from 5 July 2019. |
10(35) |
All assessees |
|
No limit (upto AY 2020-21) |
Does not apply to income arising from transfer of units Exemption shall not be available for any income in respect of units received on or after 1st April, 2020 |
10(35A) |
All assessees |
Income distributed by a securitisation trust referred to in section 115TA |
No limit |
Does not apply to income received on or after 1 June, 2016 |
10(36) |
All assessees |
LTCG on transfer of equity shares purchased between 1st March 2003 and 1st March 2004 |
No limit |
|
10(37) |
Individual or HUF |
Capital Gains arising from transfer by way of compulsory acquisition under any law of the agricultural land in urban area referred to in Section. 2(14)(iii)(a) or (b) for which is determined or approved by the Central Govt. or the RBI |
No limit |
|
10(37A) |
Individual or HUF |
Capital Gains on transfer of specified capital assets |
No limit |
Specified capital assets refers to
|
10(38) (w.e.f. 1 October 2004 up to 31 March 2018) |
All assessees |
LTCG on transfer of equity shares in company or a unit of an equity oriented fund or a unit of a business trust where such transaction of sale is entered into on or after 1 October 2004 and on or before 31 March 2018 and is subjected to Securities Transaction Tax (STT) |
No limit (up to AY 2018-19) |
|
10(45) |
Chairman or serving/retired member of UPSC |
Notified allowances and perquisites |
No limit (upto AY 2020-21) |
This exemption has been withdrawn with effect from AY 2021-22. |
10(46) |
Notified body authority board, Trust or Commission or the class thereof which is established by a Central/State on provincial Act or by Central or State Government |
Specified income |
Specified Income |
|
10(47) |
Infrastructure Debt Fund set up in accordance with prescribed guidelines |
Any Income |
No limit |
The fund has to file its return of income |
10(48A) (w.e.f. 1 April 2016) |
Foreign company |
Income from: storage of crude oil in a facility in India and sale of crude oil therefrom to any person resident in India |
No limit |
|
10(48B) (w.e.f. 1 April 2018) |
Foreign company |
Income from: sale of leftover stock of crude oil from the facility in India |
No limit |
Sale is after expiry of agreement or arrangement referred in Section 10(48A) or on termination of the said agreement subject to such conditions as may be notified by the Central Government |
10(48C) (w.e.f. 1 April 2020) |
Specified company |
Any income accruing or arising as a result of arrangement for replenishment of crude oil stored in its storage facility in pursuance of directions of the Central Government in this behalf |
No limit |
Specified company means Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited, being a WOS of the Oil Industry Development Board under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Exemption will not be available if the crude oil is not replenished in the storage facility within 3 years from the end of the FY in which the crude oil was removed from the facility for the first time |
10(50) |
Non-resident |
Income from specified services which subject to equalisation levy |
No limit |
w.e.f. 1 April 2021, any income arising from any e-commerce supply or services made or provided or facilitated on or after the 1st day of April 2021 and chargeable to equalization levy will also be exempted. |
10A
|
Industrial undertaking in 1. Free Trade Zone (FTZ)
|
W.e.f. A.Y. 2000-01 income for 10 years from the year of Commercial Production. |
100% (90% for A.Y. 2003-04) of the profits from export computed as profits of the business in proportion to export turnover to total turnover |
|
2. Electronic Hardware Technology Park (EHTP) or Software Technology Park (STP) w.e.f. A.Y. 1994-95
|
W.e.f. A.Y. 2000-01 income for 10 years from the year of Commercial Production.
|
100% (90% for A.Y. 2003-04) of the profits from export computed as profits of the business in proportion to export turnover to total turnover |
||
3. Special Economic Zone (SEZ) w.e.f. A.Y. 2001-02 |
W.e.f. A.Y. 2001-02, income from exports eligible for deduction for 10 years from the year of Commercial Production |
Undertakings in SEZ which begins to manufacture or produce on or after 1 April 2003, exempt amount would be 100% of profits from export for first 5 assessment years, 50% for next two assessment years and for subsequent three assessment years, amount transferred to Special Economic Zone Reinvestment Allowance Reserve Account not exceeding 50% of such profit |
||
10AA |
Undertaking set up in Special Economic Zone w.e.f. A.Y. 2006-07 |
W.e.f. A.Y. 2006-07 income from export eligible for deduction starting from the year of commercial production |
100% of profit from export for first 5 A.Ys. 50% for next 5 A.Ys., & for subsequent 5 A.Ys. amount transferred. to SEZ Reinvestment reserve A/c not exceeding 50% of such profit. Profits from export computed as profits of the undertaking in proportion to export turnover to total turnover of the under-taking. W.e.f 1 April 2018 deduction shall be allowed from total income of the assessee, before giving effect to provision of Section 10AA and the deduction shall not exceed total income. |
Exemption will not be available if the Assessee being,
|
10B |
Undertaking approved as a 100% Export Oriented Undertaking under section 14 of IDRA (100% EOU) |
Same as Industrial undertaking in Free Trade Zone |
Same as Industrial undertaking in Free Trade Zone |
Same as Section 10A above, except No. 4 |
10BA |
Undertaking manufacturing or producing “eligible articles or things”; i.e., all hand-made articles or things, which are of artistic value and which requires the use of wood as the main raw material |
W.e.f. A. Y. 2004-05 income derived from export out of India of “eligible articles or things” up to A. Y. 2009-10. |
Profits from export computed as profits of the business in proportion to export turnover to total turnover |
|
10C |
Industrial undertaking in any Integrated Infrastructure Development Centre or Industrial Growth Centre in North-Eastern region |
Income of ten consecutive A.Ys. from the year of production up to A.Y. 2003-04 |
No limit |
|
List of Bonds, Certificates, etc. specified for the purposes of Section 10(15)(i)
Sr. No. |
Particulars of securities, etc. |
Maximum amount |
Notification Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
12 years National Savings Annuity Certificates |
Whole of the amount |
No. SO 607(E) dated 9 June 1989 |
2 |
National Defence Gold Bonds, 1980 |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
3 |
Special Bearer Bonds, 1991 |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
4 |
Treasury Savings Deposit Certificates (10 years) |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
5 |
Post Office Cash Certificates (5 years) |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
6 |
National Plan Certificates (10 years) |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
7 |
National Plan Savings Certificates (12 years) |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
8 |
Post Office National Savings Certificates (12 years/7 years) |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
9 |
Post Office Savings Bank Accounts |
₹ 3,500 in the case of individual account |
No. SO 1296(E) dated 3 June 2011 |
10 |
Public Account of the nature referred to in item (6) in the Table below rule 4 of the Post Office Savings Account Rules, 1981 |
₹ 5,000 |
No. SO 607(E) dated 9 June 1989 |
11 |
Post Office Cumulative Time Deposits Rules, 1981 |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
12 |
Scheme of Fixed Deposits governed by the Government Savings Certificates (Fixed Deposits) Rules, 1968 |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
13 |
Scheme of Fixed Deposits governed by the Post Office (Fixed Deposits) Rules, 1968 |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
14 |
Special Deposit Scheme, 1981 |
Whole of the amount |
— do — |
15 |
Non-Resident (Non-repatriable) Rupee Deposit Scheme |
Whole of the amount |
No. SO 653(E) dated 31 August 1992 |
16 |
Resurgent India Bonds issued by the State Bank of India |
Whole of the amount |
No. SO 844(E) dated 21 September 1998 |
17 |
8.5% Tax Free SLR Power Bonds issued by Reserve Bank of India |
Whole of the amount |
No. SO 742(E) of 2003 |
18 |
India Millennium Deposits |
Whole of the amount |
No. SO 1114(E) dated 10 August 2005 |