Deduction in respect of interest on loan taken for higher education.
Eligibility:
It provides deduction to an individual assessee in respect of any interest on loan paid by him in the previous year out of his income chargeable to tax.
Conditions:
The loan must be taken from any financial institution or approved charitable institution. Such loan is taken for pursuing his higher education or higher education of his or her relative i.e., spouse or children of the individual or the student for whom the individual is the legal guardian.
Period of Deduction:
The deduction is allowed in computing the total income in respect of the initial assessment year (i.e. the assessment year relevant to the previous year, in which the assessee starts paying the interest on the loan) and seven assessment years immediately succeeding the initial assessment year or until the interest is paid in full by the assessee, whichever is earlier.
Note:
- “higher education” means any course of study pursued after passing the Senior Secondary Examination or its equivalent from any school, board or university recognized by the Central Government or State Government or local authority or by any other authority authorized by the Central Government or State Government or local authority to do so.
- “approved charitable institution” means an institution specified in, or, as the case may be, an institution established for charitable purposes and approved by the prescribed authority or an institution in section 80G(2)(a).
- “financial institution” means
- a banking company to which the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) applies (including any bank or banking institution referred to in section 51 of that Act); or
- any other financial institution which the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf;