1. Understanding GST: The Constitutional Revolution
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is not just a tax change; it is an economic reform that unified the fragmented Indian market. Before July 1, 2017, India suffered from a "Cascading Effect" of taxes—where taxes were levied on taxes. For instance, a manufacturer paid Excise Duty, then a wholesaler paid VAT on the total value (including the Excise), leading to inflated prices for consumers.
GST follows a **"One Nation, One Tax"** philosophy. It is a destination-based, multi-stage tax levied on every value addition. It has subsumed nearly all indirect taxes like VAT, Service Tax, Central Excise, Luxury Tax, and Octroi.
Why Destination-Based?
In the old regime, if goods moved from Tamil Nadu (Manufacturing state) to Delhi (Consumption state), Tamil Nadu collected the tax. Under GST, the revenue belongs to Delhi. This ensures that the tax follows the consumption, aiding the development of consuming states.
2. The Four Pillars of GST
CGST (Central GST)
Revenue collected by the Central Government on Intra-state (Within same state) transactions. It replaces Central Excise and Service Tax.
SGST (State GST)
Revenue collected by the State Government on Intra-state transactions. It replaces VAT and Entry Tax.
IGST (Integrated GST)
Levied on Inter-state (Between two states) transactions and imports. Collected by Center but shared with the destination state.
UTGST (Union Territory GST)
Applicable to Union Territories like Andaman & Nicobar or Lakshadweep instead of SGST.
3. Input Tax Credit (ITC): The Core Engine
ITC is the mechanism that prevents double taxation. It allows a business to subtract the tax already paid on purchases from the tax collected on sales.
The Golden Rule of Set-off:
- IGST Input can be used to pay IGST, CGST, and SGST (in that order).
- CGST Input can pay CGST and IGST (but NOT SGST).
- SGST Input can pay SGST and IGST (but NOT CGST).
4. Practical Case Studies (Calculation)
Case 1: Intra-State Trading (Local)
Trader A in Surat sells textiles to Trader B in Ahmedabad for ₹ 1,00,000. GST rate is 5%.
- Taxable Value: ₹ 1,00,000
- CGST (2.5%): ₹ 2,500
- SGST (2.5%): ₹ 2,500
- Total Invoice: ₹ 1,05,000
Case 2: Inter-State Trading (Outer)
Trader B (Gujarat) sells those textiles to a Shopkeeper in Mumbai for ₹ 1,50,000. GST rate is 5%.
- Taxable Value: ₹ 1,50,000
- IGST (5%): ₹ 7,500
- Total Invoice: ₹ 1,57,500
Case 3: GST on Services (Consultancy)
An IT consultant in Bangalore bills a client in Bangalore for ₹ 5,00,000. GST rate 18%.
- Taxable Value: ₹ 5,00,000
- CGST (9%): ₹ 45,000
- SGST (9%): ₹ 45,000
- Total Invoice: ₹ 5,90,000
Case 4: Mixed Supply (Bundled Goods)
A gift pack containing chocolates (18% GST) and dry fruits (12% GST) is sold for ₹ 2,000. In a mixed supply, the highest rate applies.
- Tax Rate Applicable: 18%
- Tax: ₹ 360
- Total Invoice: ₹ 2,360
Case 5: Zero-Rated Supply (Export)
A developer sells software services to a US client for ₹ 10,00,000.
- Tax Rate: 0% (subject to LUT/Refund)
- Total Invoice: ₹ 10,00,000
5. Configuring Tally Prime for GST
Step-by-Step Configuration:
- 1. Feature Enablement: Go to Gateway of Tally > F11 > Enable GST: Yes.
- 2. Company Details: Enter State, Registration (Regular), GSTIN, and Periodicity (Monthly/Quarterly).
- 3. Ledger Creation: Create "CGST Output", "SGST Output", "IGST Output" under the group "Duties & Taxes".
- 4. Stock Items: Create items and define HSN/SAC codes and tax percentages inside the Stock Item level.
6. Comprehensive Journal Entries (Dr/Cr)
The fundamental principle is that Purchase Tax (Input) is a Debit (Asset) and Sales Tax (Output) is a Credit (Liability).
Standard Purchase Entry
| Purchase Account | Dr | ₹ 10,000 |
| Input CGST Account | Dr | ₹ 900 |
| Input SGST Account | Dr | ₹ 900 |
| To Sundry Creditors (Supplier) | Cr | ₹ 11,800 |
Rule: Real A/c (Debit what comes in), Nominal A/c (Debit all expenses), Personal A/c (Credit the Giver).
Standard Sales Entry
| Sundry Debtors (Customer) | Dr | ₹ 23,600 |
| To Sales Account | Cr | ₹ 20,000 |
| To Output CGST Account | Cr | ₹ 1,800 |
| To Output SGST Account | Cr | ₹ 1,800 |
Tax Set-off & Payment Entry
| Output GST Account (Total) | Dr | ₹ 5,000 |
| To Input GST Account (Credit) | Cr | ₹ 3,500 |
| To Bank Account (Net Cash) | Cr | ₹ 1,500 |
Note: This entry is passed to close the liability at month-end.
7. Compliance & Returns Management
| Return Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| GSTR-1 | Details of outward supplies (Sales) | Monthly/Quarterly |
| GSTR-2B | Auto-generated Input Tax Credit statement | Monthly |
| GSTR-3B | Self-declared summary return with tax payment | Monthly |
| GSTR-9 | Annual consolidated return | Annually |
8. Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM)
Usually, the supplier pays tax. In RCM, the buyer pays tax directly to the government. This happens in cases like:
- Purchase of legal services from an advocate.
- Services provided by Goods Transport Agency (GTA).
- Import of services from outside India.
Critical Rule:
Under RCM, the tax must be paid in Cash/Bank. You cannot use Input Tax Credit to pay RCM liability. However, after paying it in cash, you can claim it as ITC for the next month.
Conclusion: The Path to Compliance
GST has fundamentally changed the way Indian businesses operate. By understanding the core logic of Input Tax Credit, maintaining disciplined records in Tally, and filing returns on time, a business can leverage GST to become more efficient and competitive. Remember, in GST, your "Tax Credit" is as good as "Cash". Protect it by ensuring your suppliers file their returns correctly!