Income Tax Slab FY 2019-20 — AY 2020-21 Rates

Updated: 3 June 2026 | Historical Reference | Old Regime Only

FY 2019-20 had only one tax regime (old). Individual slabs: 0-₹2.5L: 0%, ₹2.5L-₹5L: 5%, ₹5L-₹10L: 20%, ₹10L+: 30%. Section 87A rebate ₹12,500 for income ≤ ₹5L → zero tax up to ₹5L. Standard deduction raised to ₹50,000. New regime was introduced from the next year, FY 2020-21.

₹5L

Effective zero tax up to ₹5L income in FY 2019-20 due to 87A rebate of ₹12,500.
Assessment Year: AY 2020-21. ITR due date: Extended to Nov 30, 2020 due to COVID-19.

Income Tax Slabs FY 2019-20 — All Categories

Income Range	Individual (<60)	Senior Citizen (60-79)	Super Senior (80+)
Up to ₹2,50,000	Nil	Nil	Nil
₹2,50,001 – ₹3,00,000	5%	Nil	Nil
₹3,00,001 – ₹5,00,000	5%	5%	Nil
₹5,00,001 – ₹10,00,000	20%	20%	20%
Above ₹10,00,000	30%	30%	30%

Surcharge Rates FY 2019-20

Total Income	Surcharge on Tax	Notes
Up to ₹50 lakh	Nil	No surcharge
₹50L to ₹1 crore	10%	Existing surcharge
₹1Cr to ₹2 crore	15%	Existing surcharge
₹2Cr to ₹5 crore	25%	New in Budget 2019
Above ₹5 crore	37%	New in Budget 2019 — max effective ~42.7%

Key Budget 2019 Changes for FY 2019-20

Parameter	FY 2018-19	FY 2019-20 (Budget 2019 change)
Section 87A Rebate	₹2,500 (income ≤ ₹3.5L)	₹12,500 (income ≤ ₹5L)
Standard Deduction	₹40,000	₹50,000
Surcharge — ₹2Cr–₹5Cr bracket	15% (no separate slab)	25% (new slab introduced)
Surcharge — above ₹5Cr	15%	37% (new slab introduced)
New Tax Regime	Not available	Not available (introduced FY 2020-21)

Key Deductions Available in FY 2019-20 (Old Regime)

Section	Deduction	Limit
80C	Investments: PPF, ELSS, LIC, NSC, EPF, home loan principal	₹1,50,000
80D	Health insurance premium	₹25,000 (₹50,000 for senior citizens)
80CCD(1B)	Additional NPS contribution	₹50,000 (over and above 80C)
24(b)	Home loan interest (self-occupied property)	₹2,00,000
80TTA	Savings bank interest	₹10,000
HRA Exemption	House Rent Allowance (salaried)	Least of actual HRA / 40-50% of salary / rent – 10% salary
Standard Deduction	Salaried employees and pensioners (flat)	₹50,000

Historical Comparison — Tax Slabs FY 2017-18 to FY 2019-20

Financial Year	5% Slab	20% Slab	30% Slab	87A Rebate	Std Deduction
FY 2017-18	2.5L–5L	5L–10L	>10L	₹5,000 (≤5L)	Nil
FY 2018-19	2.5L–5L	5L–10L	>10L	₹2,500 (≤3.5L)	₹40,000
FY 2019-20	2.5L–5L	5L–10L	>10L	₹12,500 (≤5L)	₹50,000
FY 2020-21	2.5L–5L (old) / new regime introduced	5L–7.5L (old)	>10L (old)	₹12,500 (≤5L)	₹50,000
FY 2025-26	4L–8L (new)	16L–20L (new)	>24L (new)	₹60,000 (≤12L)	₹75,000

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the effective tax-free income limit in FY 2019-20?

In FY 2019-20, the effective tax-free income limit for resident individuals below 60 years was ₹5,00,000 — due to the Section 87A rebate of ₹12,500. Although the basic exemption limit was ₹2,50,000, anyone with total taxable income up to ₹5L had zero net tax payable because the 5% tax on ₹2.5L–₹5L (= ₹12,500) was fully cancelled by the rebate. For senior citizens (60-79 years), the basic exemption was ₹3L. For super senior citizens (80+), the basic exemption itself was ₹5L — so they paid zero tax up to ₹5L without needing the rebate. The 87A rebate was not available to NRIs.

When was the new tax regime introduced — was it available in FY 2019-20?

No. The new (concessional) tax regime under Section 115BAC was introduced by the Finance Act, 2020 and became applicable from FY 2020-21 (AY 2021-22) onwards. For FY 2019-20 (AY 2020-21), only the old tax regime existed. Every individual and HUF taxpayer was taxed under the standard progressive slabs with all deductions and exemptions available. There was no option to choose a simpler slab structure without deductions. The new regime became the default regime only from FY 2023-24.

What was the Section 87A rebate limit in FY 2019-20?

The Section 87A rebate for FY 2019-20 was ₹12,500 — applicable if total taxable income did not exceed ₹5,00,000. This was a significant enhancement from the earlier limit of ₹2,500 (available for income up to ₹3.5L in FY 2018-19), announced in the Interim Budget 2019 (February 2019). The rebate is available only to resident individuals, not to HUFs, firms, companies, or NRIs. Net effect: income up to ₹5L → 5% slab tax = ₹12,500 → rebate = ₹12,500 → zero net tax. If income crosses ₹5L even by ₹1, the full 87A rebate is lost.

What was the standard deduction change in FY 2019-20 versus FY 2018-19?

The standard deduction was raised from ₹40,000 in FY 2018-19 to ₹50,000 in FY 2019-20, announced in the Interim Budget 2019. The standard deduction was first reintroduced in FY 2018-19 (it had existed earlier and was removed in 2005) in place of the old transport allowance (₹19,200 p.a.) and medical reimbursement exemption (₹15,000 p.a.). At ₹40,000, it was already more than the combined old benefits of ₹34,200. At ₹50,000, the additional benefit over FY 2018-19 was ₹10,000. For a 30% bracket taxpayer, this saved ₹3,120 additional tax (incl. 4% cess) compared to FY 2018-19.

Did the same income tax slabs apply to NRIs in FY 2019-20?

The basic slab rates (5%, 20%, 30%) were identical for NRIs in FY 2019-20. However, NRIs did not get the enhanced basic exemption limits available to senior citizens and super senior citizens — NRIs were always taxed at the standard ₹2,50,000 exemption threshold regardless of age. Critically, the Section 87A rebate of ₹12,500 was not available to NRIs — it applied only to resident individuals. So an NRI earning ₹4L paid 5% tax on ₹1.5L = ₹7,500 + cess, whereas a resident individual paid zero (rebate). Surcharge rates for NRIs with high income were the same as for residents.

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