Historical · AY 2020-21
Income Tax Slab FY 2019-20 —
AY 2020-21 Rates
The old-regime income tax slabs, Section 87A rebate, standard deduction and surcharge that applied in Financial Year 2019-20. A historical reference — for current rates see the latest income tax slabs.
Old regime only 87A rebate ₹12,500 Std deduction ₹50,000
₹2.5LBasic exemption
₹5LZero-tax limit (87A)
30%Top slab
₹50kStandard deduction
Quick Answer · Historical
FY 2019-20 (AY 2020-21) had only the old regime. Individual slabs (below 60): nil up to ₹2.5L, 5% on ₹2.5L–₹5L, 20% on ₹5L–₹10L, 30% above ₹10L. The Section 87A rebate of ₹12,500 made tax nil for income up to ₹5L. Standard deduction was ₹50,000. The new regime came in only from FY 2020-21.
Basic exemption ₹2.5L
87A zero-tax limit ₹5L
Top slab 30%
Std deduction ₹50,000
This is a historical page (AY 2020-21)
These rates applied to FY 2019-20 only. The default regime, slabs and rebate have changed substantially since. For the current year (FY 2025-26 / AY 2026-27), see the latest income tax slabs or use the 2025-26 tax calculator.
AY 2020-21
Income Tax Slabs FY 2019-20 — All Categories
Slab rates by taxpayer category for FY 2019-20. Senior citizens (60–79) and super senior citizens (80+) enjoyed higher basic exemptions.
| Income Range | Individual (<60) | Senior (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% |
Health & Education Cess of 4% applied on tax plus surcharge. Rebate u/s 87A: ₹12,500 if total income ≤ ₹5,00,000 (resident individuals only).
Income ₹5,00,000 (below 60)
Tax on ₹2.5L–₹5L @ 5%₹12,500
Less: 87A rebate−₹12,500
Cess₹0
Net tax payable₹0
Income ₹10,00,000 (below 60)
₹2.5L–₹5L @ 5%₹12,500
₹5L–₹10L @ 20%₹1,00,000
Add: 4% cess₹4,500
Net tax payable₹1,17,000
High income
Surcharge Rates FY 2019-20
Budget 2019 introduced two new surcharge slabs for very high incomes, taking the top effective rate to about 42.7%.
| Total Income | Surcharge on Tax | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Up to ₹50 lakh | Nil | No surcharge |
| ₹50L – ₹1 crore | 10% | Existing |
| ₹1Cr – ₹2 crore | 15% | Existing |
| ₹2Cr – ₹5 crore | 25% | New in Budget 2019 |
| Above ₹5 crore | 37% | New in Budget 2019 · ~42.7% effective |
Surcharge is levied on income tax; 4% Health & Education Cess then applies on tax plus surcharge.
What changed
Key Budget 2019 Changes for FY 2019-20
| Parameter | FY 2018-19 | FY 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Section 87A rebate | ₹2,500 (income ≤ ₹3.5L) | ₹12,500 (income ≤ ₹5L) |
| Standard deduction | ₹40,000 | ₹50,000 |
| Surcharge — ₹2Cr–₹5Cr | 15% | 25% (new slab) |
| Surcharge — above ₹5Cr | 15% | 37% (new slab) |
| New tax regime | Not available | Not available (came FY 2020-21) |
The ₹12,500 rebate and ₹50,000 standard deduction were announced in the Interim Budget 2019 (February 2019).
87A is a cliff, not a taper
In FY 2019-20 the ₹12,500 rebate applied only if total income stayed at or below ₹5,00,000. Cross ₹5L by even ₹1 and the entire rebate was lost — tax then became payable from the ₹2.5L threshold upward.
Old regime
Key Deductions Available in FY 2019-20
| Section | Deduction | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 80C | PPF, ELSS, LIC, NSC, EPF, home-loan principal | ₹1,50,000 |
| 80D | Health insurance premium | ₹25,000 (₹50,000 seniors) |
| 80CCD(1B) | Additional NPS contribution | ₹50,000 (over 80C) |
| 24(b) | Home-loan interest (self-occupied) | ₹2,00,000 |
| 80TTA | Savings-bank interest | ₹10,000 |
| Standard deduction | Salaried & pensioners (flat) | ₹50,000 |
Context
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) | 5L–10L (old) | >10L (old) | ₹12,500 (≤5L) | ₹50,000 |
For FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27) the new regime is default — see the current slabs.
Need the current-year slabs and regime comparison instead?
See Current Income Tax Slabs →Government sourcesIncome Tax Department: incometax.gov.in · Slabs & rebate: Finance Act 2019 & Finance (No. 2) Act 2019 · Rebate u/s 87A: ₹12,500 for total income ≤ ₹5,00,000 · Current rates: Income Tax Slabs (latest)
People also ask
FY 2019-20 Income Tax — FAQs
Slabs & Rates
What were the income tax slabs for FY 2019-20 (AY 2020-21)?
For resident individuals below 60: nil up to ₹2,50,000; 5% on ₹2,50,001–₹5,00,000; 20% on ₹5,00,001–₹10,00,000; and 30% above ₹10,00,000. A 4% Health & Education Cess applied on the tax. Only the old regime existed in FY 2019-20 — the new regime came in from FY 2020-21.
Was the new tax regime available in FY 2019-20?
No. The new (concessional) tax regime under Section 115BAC was introduced by the Finance Act 2020 and applied only from FY 2020-21 (AY 2021-22). For FY 2019-20, every individual and HUF was taxed under the standard old-regime slabs with all deductions and exemptions available. The new regime became the default only from FY 2023-24.
What was the basic exemption limit in FY 2019-20?
₹2,50,000 for resident individuals below 60 and for NRIs. For senior citizens (60–79) it was ₹3,00,000, and for super senior citizens (80 and above) it was ₹5,00,000. HUFs had a ₹2,50,000 basic exemption.
What was the highest income tax rate in FY 2019-20?
The top slab rate was 30%, applying to income above ₹10,00,000. With the highest surcharge of 37% (income above ₹5 crore) plus 4% cess, the maximum effective rate reached about 42.7%.
87A Rebate
What was the effective tax-free income limit in FY 2019-20?
₹5,00,000 for resident individuals below 60, thanks to the Section 87A rebate of ₹12,500. The basic exemption was ₹2,50,000, but anyone with total income up to ₹5L had zero net tax because the 5% tax on ₹2.5L–₹5L (₹12,500) was fully cancelled by the rebate. Super senior citizens (80+) paid nil up to ₹5L on the exemption alone.
What was the Section 87A rebate limit in FY 2019-20?
₹12,500, available if total taxable income did not exceed ₹5,00,000 — a big jump from the earlier ₹2,500 (for income up to ₹3.5L in FY 2018-19), announced in the Interim Budget 2019. The rebate applied only to resident individuals, not HUFs, firms, companies or NRIs.
What happened if income crossed ₹5 lakh in FY 2019-20?
The full 87A rebate was lost. It was an all-or-nothing threshold, not a taper — if total income exceeded ₹5,00,000 by even ₹1, no rebate was allowed and tax became payable on the taxable income above ₹2,50,000. This made deductions to stay at or below ₹5L especially valuable.
Deductions
What was the standard deduction in FY 2019-20 versus FY 2018-19?
The standard deduction rose from ₹40,000 (FY 2018-19) to ₹50,000 (FY 2019-20), announced in the Interim Budget 2019. It applied as a flat deduction to salaried employees and pensioners, replacing the earlier transport allowance and medical reimbursement. For a 30%-bracket taxpayer, the extra ₹10,000 saved about ₹3,120 in tax including cess.
Which deductions were available in FY 2019-20?
All old-regime deductions applied: Section 80C up to ₹1,50,000 (PPF, ELSS, LIC, EPF, home-loan principal), 80D health insurance up to ₹25,000 (₹50,000 for seniors), 80CCD(1B) NPS up to ₹50,000, Section 24(b) home-loan interest up to ₹2,00,000, 80TTA savings interest up to ₹10,000, HRA exemption, and the ₹50,000 standard deduction.
What was the cess rate in FY 2019-20?
Health & Education Cess was 4%, levied on income tax plus surcharge. It replaced the earlier 3% cess (2% education + 1% higher-education) that applied up to FY 2017-18, having been raised to 4% from FY 2018-19.
Surcharge & NRIs
What were the surcharge rates in FY 2019-20?
Nil up to ₹50 lakh; 10% for ₹50L–₹1Cr; 15% for ₹1Cr–₹2Cr; 25% for ₹2Cr–₹5Cr; and 37% above ₹5 crore. The 25% and 37% slabs were new in Budget 2019. Surcharge is charged on the income tax, with 4% cess applied on tax plus surcharge.
Did the same slabs apply to NRIs in FY 2019-20?
The basic slab rates (5%, 20%, 30%) were identical for NRIs, but NRIs did not get the higher senior/super-senior exemptions — they were always taxed from the ₹2,50,000 threshold. Critically, the ₹12,500 rebate u/s 87A was not available to NRIs, so an NRI earning ₹4L paid 5% on ₹1.5L (₹7,500 plus cess) while a resident paid nil.
Filing
What was the ITR due date for FY 2019-20?
The original due date of 31 July 2020 (non-audit cases) was extended repeatedly due to COVID-19, finally to 10 January 2021 for non-audit taxpayers and later for audit cases. The assessment year was AY 2020-21.
Can I still file or revise my FY 2019-20 return now?
The normal windows for an original, belated or revised return for AY 2020-21 have long closed. In limited situations an updated return (ITR-U) under Section 139(8A) may have been possible within the allowed period, and reassessment can still be initiated by the department within the time limits. Consult a tax professional for your specific case.
Where can I find the current income tax slabs?
For the current year (FY 2025-26 / AY 2026-27) the new regime is the default, with nil tax up to ₹12,00,000 taxable income after the Section 87A rebate and a ₹75,000 standard deduction for salaried taxpayers. See the latest income tax slabs page or use the 2025-26 tax calculator.
Done-for-you
Related TaxClue Services
Income Tax Return FilingCA-assisted ITR filing for salaried, business and NRI taxpayers.Explore →Income Tax CalculatorEstimate your tax under old and new regimes in minutes.Explore →2025-26 Tax CalculatorCompute current-year tax with the latest slabs and rebate.Explore →Old vs New RegimeCompare both regimes and find which saves you more tax.Explore →
Continue reading
Related income tax guides
TaxClue for income tax
Filing an Old or Current-Year Return?
Whether you need to sort out a past assessment year or file for FY 2025-26, TaxClue's CA-led team handles ITR filing, regime selection and tax planning — 100% online, across India.
Filing for a later year?See current slabs →