Free HR resource · Payroll
Salary Slip Format: What a Payslip Contains + Example
A salary slip is the monthly document that itemises an employee’s earnings and deductions and shows the net pay credited. It has two halves — earnings such as basic salary and HRA that add up to gross pay, and deductions like Provident Fund, Professional Tax and TDS. On a ₹60,000 gross salary with ₹6,300 in deductions, the take-home shown is ₹53,700.
Earnings — the left-hand column
Earnings are everything the employer pays before deductions. Added together they make up gross salary. The exact mix depends on how the salary structure is designed.
Deductions — the right-hand column
Deductions are the statutory and voluntary amounts subtracted from gross pay. The big four for most Indian employees are Provident Fund, ESIC, Professional Tax and TDS. For the full compliance picture, see the PF, ESI, PT & gratuity guide.
Rates and wage ceilings are set by statute and revised periodically. Confirm current figures on the EPFO, ESIC and your state’s Professional Tax portal before running payroll.
A clean salary slip format (example)
Model your own payslip on the layout below: a header block identifying the company and employee, an earnings column and a deductions column side by side, and a net-pay line that stands out. Figures are illustrative.
Net pay in words: Fifty-three thousand seven hundred rupees only. Size real take-home for any CTC with the CTC calculator.
Frequently asked questions
A salary slip, or payslip, is a document an employer issues each pay period that itemises an employee’s earnings and deductions and shows the net pay credited. It typically lists basic salary, allowances such as HRA, and deductions like Provident Fund, Professional Tax and TDS. It serves as proof of income for loans, visas and rentals, and as a record for both employer and employee.
Two halves: earnings and deductions. Earnings include basic salary, HRA, DA, conveyance and special allowances that add up to gross pay. Deductions include EPF, ESIC where applicable, Professional Tax and TDS. The slip also carries a header with the company name, the employee’s name, ID, designation, pay period, days worked, and the net pay in figures and often in words.
Employers are expected to maintain wage records and issue wage slips under the Code on Wages, 2019 and earlier labour laws, and most Indian companies issue a monthly payslip as standard practice. A payslip is also routinely required by banks, landlords and consulates as proof of income, so issuing one cleanly is good practice regardless of headcount.
Gross salary is the total of all earnings — basic plus every allowance — before any deduction. Net salary, or take-home pay, is what remains after Provident Fund, Professional Tax, TDS and any other deductions are subtracted from gross. The gap between the two is simply the sum of the deductions listed in the right-hand column of the slip.
The employee’s share of Provident Fund (12% of basic + DA) and ESIC (0.75% of gross, where gross is up to ₹21,000 a month) appear as deductions that reduce take-home pay. The employer’s matching contributions — 12% for PF and 3.25% for ESIC — are a cost to the company and are sometimes shown separately as a CTC note rather than a deduction.
The deductions are statutory. The benefits are your choice.
PF and ESIC are the floor every payslip must show. Beyond the statutory minimum, give your team real cover with Onsurity — cashless hospitalisation, OPD and wellness on a monthly subscription that scales with headcount, without an annual lump sum.
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