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Mihir

Mihir Tanna  |1090 Answers  |Ask -

Tax Expert - Answered on Jul 20, 2023

Mihir Ashok Tanna, who works with a well-known chartered accountancy firm in Mumbai, has more than 15 years of experience in direct taxation.
He handles various kinds of matters related to direct tax such as PAN/ TAN application; compliance including ITR, TDS return filing; issuance/ filing of statutory forms like Form 15CB, Form 61A, etc; application u/s 10(46); application for condonation of delay; application for lower/ nil TDS certificate; transfer pricing and study report; advisory/ opinion on direct tax matters; handling various income-tax notices; compounding application on show cause for TDS default; verification of books for TDS/ TCS/ equalisation levy compliance; application for pending income-tax demand and refund; charitable trust taxation and compliance; income-tax scrutiny and CIT(A) for all types of taxpayers including individuals, firms, LLPs, corporates, trusts, non-resident individuals and companies.
He regularly represents clients before the income tax authorities including the commissioner of income tax (appeal).... more
Prabodh Question by Prabodh on Jul 17, 2023Hindi
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Hello Sir, I need your advice in sale of flat, Sir, I booked one Under construction flat @ Virar In June 2004 for Rs.17,74,000 and paid Stamp duty of Rs.67,440 and the Registration charges of Rs.17,740 on that , of which I for possession in June 2014, Sir, I sold that flat in June 2023 for Rs.41,50,000/- Sir, how much I m liable to pay LTCG on that and within how much time I have to pay that tax to the Income tax Authorities, as I do not intend to invest in the new property.

Ans: For calculating tax on long term capital gain on house property, indexed cost of acquisition is required be reduced from sale considered.

Indexed cost of acquisition can be calculated with the help of income tax calculator available at https://incometaxindia.gov.in/Pages/tools/indexed-cost-of-acquisition-or-improvement.aspx.

Property is booked in 2004 but payment would have done gradually till 2014. Thus, indexation benefit is available on each of the payment from each of date of payment.
DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information to be as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision.
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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 01, 2024

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Sir, I am intending to sell our FLAT at Hyderabad, which was purchased in the year 2014 for Rs.24,00,000/-, now the present market rate is Rs. 65 lakhs (approximately). If I sell the Flat for 65 lakhs, how much tax(LTCG) I have to pay or is there any exemption under IT Act as I am not interested in purchase of another house, instead, I am proposing to purchase Agricultural land with the sale proceeds of my Flat. Anxiously awaiting for your valuable advice in this regard, Thanking You Sir, Yours faithfully, G.Sriramulu, Retired employee, HYDERABAD.
Ans: Based on the information you've provided, you'll likely incur Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax if you sell your flat in Hyderabad. Here's a breakdown:

Scenario:

Flat purchased in 2014 for Rs. 24,00,000
Expected sale value in 2024: Rs. 65,00,000
Holding period: Over 24 months (Long-Term Capital Gains)
No reinvestment in another residential property
Tax Calculation:

Capital Gain: Rs. 65,00,000 (Sale value) - Rs. 24,00,000 (Purchase value) = Rs. 41,00,000
Indexation benefit: However, you'll likely benefit from indexation, which adjusts the purchase price for inflation, reducing your taxable gains. You can calculate the indexed cost using the Cost Inflation Index (CII) provided by the Income Tax Department for the relevant years.

LTCG Tax Rate: After considering indexation, the remaining capital gain will be taxed at 20%.

Important Note: I cannot provide the exact tax amount due to the complexity of indexation calculations.

Exemption Not Applicable:

Unfortunately, purchasing agricultural land doesn't qualify for exemption under Section 54 of the Income Tax Act, which offers exemption on LTCG from the sale of residential property if the gains are reinvested in a new residential property.

Recommendations:

Consult a Chartered Accountant (CA): A CA can help you calculate the exact LTCG tax liability after considering indexation and other relevant factors. They can also advise on any potential tax-saving strategies that might be applicable in your case.
Explore LTCG Investment Options: While you're not interested in buying another house, consider exploring other options to potentially save on LTCG tax. These include:
Capital Gains Bonds: Investing in specific long-term capital gains bonds issued by the National Housing Bank (NHB) or other government bodies can help you save tax under Section 54EC.
New Residential Property: If you're open to the idea of a new property in the future, remember the exemption under Section 54 applies.
Remember: This is just general information, and it's crucial to consult a professional for personalized tax advice based on your specific situation

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 09, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Apr 21, 2024Hindi
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I am a NRI, I booked a flat for Rs 60 Laks in Nov 2009, paid the builder in EMIs through bank loan and took possession in Nov 2011, now intend to sell (on sale will get say Rs 1.2 Cr) this flat say by 1.7.2024 and buy a new flat (say agreement in Dec 2024) costing Rs 1.8 Cr again through bank loan and possession will be in Oct 2027; now what will be my LTCG tax applicability for the sale of old flat and purchase of new flat. I will adjust Rs one crore from sale of old flat proceeds with the new flat buying; both the properties are in Hyderabad/India.
Ans: LTCG Tax Applicability for Your Scenario
Based on the information you provided, here's how LTCG tax will likely apply to your situation:

Old Flat Sale:

You booked the flat in Nov 2009 and took possession in Nov 2011. Since the sale will happen after 2 years from possession (Nov 2011), it qualifies as Long-Term Capital Gain (LTCG).
LTCG on the sale of the old flat will be calculated as follows:
Sale consideration (estimated): Rs 1.2 Cr
Cost of acquisition (including stamp duty, registration charges etc. incurred in 2009): Let's say Rs 65 Lakhs (approximate figure, you'll need the actual amount)
LTCG = Rs 1.2 Cr - Rs 65 Lakhs = Rs 55 Lakhs
Tax on LTCG:

There are two ways to potentially reduce or eliminate your LTCG tax liability:

Section 54: This section allows exemption of LTCG on the sale of a residential property if the capital gains are invested in a new residential property within one year before or three years after the sale. In your case, since you plan to buy a new flat with some of the proceeds (Rs 1 Cr) within the prescribed timeframe (agreement in Dec 2024, which falls within 3 years of the sale in July 2024), you can potentially claim exemption under Section 54 for a portion of the LTCG (up to Rs 1 Cr).

Capital Gains Tax with Capital Gains Bonds (Section 54EC): If the investment in the new flat falls outside the window for Section 54, you can explore Section 54EC. This section allows investing LTCG in specific government bonds within 6 months of the sale to get exemption. However, the bonds typically have a lock-in period of 3 years.

New Flat Purchase:

The purchase of the new flat itself won't have any tax implications unless you decide to sell it in the future.

Important Points:

The actual cost of acquisition for the old flat will be crucial for calculating the exact LTCG amount.
Consult a tax advisor for a more precise assessment of your tax liability considering all the details and claiming exemptions effectively. They can advise you on the best approach based on your specific situation (e.g., Section 54 vs. 54EC).

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

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Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10854 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Dec 14, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
Career
Hello, I am currently in Class 12 and preparing for JEE. I have not yet completed even 50% of the syllabus properly, but I aim to score around '110' marks. Could you suggest an effective strategy to achieve this? I know the target is relatively low, but I have category reservation, so it should be sufficient.
Ans: With category reservation (SC/ST/OBC), a score of 110 marks is absolutely achievable and realistic. Based on 2025 data, SC candidates qualified with approximately 60-65 percentile, and ST candidates with 45-55 percentile. Your target requires scoring just 37-40% marks, which is significantly lower than general category standards. This gives you a genuine advantage. Immediate Action Plan (December 2025 - January 2026): 4-5 Weeks. Week 1-2: High-Weightage Chapter Focus. Stop trying to complete the entire syllabus. Instead, focus exclusively on high-scoring chapters that carry maximum weightage: Physics (Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Work-Power-Energy, Rotation, Magnetism), Chemistry (Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Coordination Compounds, Electrochemistry), and Maths (Integration, Differentiation, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability). These chapters alone can yield 80-100+ marks if practiced properly. Ignore topics you haven't studied yet. Week 2-3: Previous Year Questions (PYQs). Solve JEE Main PYQs from the last 10 years (2015-2025) for chapters you're studying. PYQs reveal question patterns and difficulty levels. Focus on understanding why answers are correct, not memorizing solutions. Week 3-4: Mock Tests & Error Analysis. Take 2-3 full-length mock tests weekly under timed conditions. This is crucial because mock tests build exam confidence, reveal time management weaknesses, and error analysis prevents repeated mistakes. Maintain an error notebook documenting every mistake—this becomes your revision guide. Week 4-5: Revision & Formula Consolidation. Create concise formula sheets for each subject. Spend 30 minutes daily reviewing formulas and key concepts. Avoid learning new topics entirely at this stage. Study Schedule (Daily): 7-8 Hours. Morning (5:00-7:30 AM): Physics concepts + 30 PYQs. Break (7:30-8:30 AM): Breakfast & rest. Mid-morning (8:30-11:00): Chemistry concepts + 20 PYQs. Lunch (11:00-1:00 PM): Full break. Afternoon (1:00-3:30 PM): Maths concepts + 30 PYQs. Evening (3:30-5:00 PM): Mock test or error review. Night (7:00-9:00 PM): Formula revision & weak area focus. Strategic Approach for 110 Marks: Attempt only confident questions and avoid negative marking by skipping difficult questions. Do easy questions first—in the exam, attempt all basic-level questions before attempting medium or hard ones. Focus on quality over quantity as 30 well-practiced questions beat 100 random questions. Master NCERT concepts as most JEE questions test NCERT concepts applied smartly. April 2026 Session Advantage. If January doesn't deliver desired results, April gives you a second chance with 3+ months to prepare. Use January as a practice attempt to identify weak areas, then focus intensively on those in February-March. Realistic Timeline: January 2026 target is 95-110 marks (achievable with focused 50% syllabus), while April 2026 target is 120-130 marks (with complete syllabus + experience). Your reservation benefit means you need only approximately 90-105 marks to qualify and secure admission to quality engineering colleges. Stop comparing yourself to general category cutoffs. Most Importantly: Consistency beats perfection. Study 6 focused hours daily rather than 12 distracted hours. Your 110-mark target is realistic—execute this plan with discipline. All the BEST for Your JEE 2026!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

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Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1841 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
Career
Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

...Read more

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

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