ArthaShala: Personal Finance & Investing

Last Updated: March 2026 | Reviewed by: Sahityashala Finance Desk https://www.npci.org.in/, https://cred.club/, https://paytm.com/, https://www.phonepe.com/, https://www.bhimupi.org.in/ Remember the golden era of 2018 when making a simple ₹50 UPI transfer rewarded you with a flat ₹500 cashback? Fast forward to 2026, and the landscape of digital payments has drastically matured. As the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) official UPI ecosystem standards evolve, platforms have stopped burning venture capital on peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers, leaving users with frustrating "Better Luck Next Time" scratch cards or useless discount coupons. This guide identifies the best UPI cashback app India 2026 using direct reward testing and real transaction behavior. If you are tired of empty rewards, this head-to-head comparison answers the ultimate question: CRED vs. Paytm vs. PhonePe—which platform actually pays you back? 💡 Quick Answer...

Last Updated: March 2026 | Reviewed by: Sahityashala Finance Desk https://www.rbi.org.in/, https://www.kotak.com/en/personal-banking/accounts/savings-account/811-zero-balance-account.html, https://www.jiopaymentsbank.com/, https://www.bankofbaroda.in/personal-banking/accounts/saving-accounts/bob-bro, https://www.sliceit.com/ As an Indian student, managing money is a delicate balancing act. Between paying for textbooks, covering your PG rent, and saving for weekend outings, every single rupee counts . The absolute last thing you need is a traditional bank hitting you with a ₹500 penalty simply for "non-maintenance of minimum average balance" (MAB). This guide compares the top 5 zero-balance savings accounts for Indian students based on fees, digital ease, and long-term usefulness. 💡 The 2026 Banking Reality Recent competition among digital banks, payments banks, and simplified KYC norms under RBI-regulated frameworks has made z...

You land your dream internship, work grueling hours, and finally, payday arrives. But wait... why is your paycheck lower than promised? Welcome to the harsh reality of TDS (Tax Deducted at Source). Form 15G for interns is the most effective legal declaration students use to stop unnecessary TDS deduction on internship stipends when annual taxable income remains below exemption limits. 💡 Quick Takeaway If your estimated annual stipend income is below the tax exemption limit, you can submit Form 15G for interns to your HR department to stop the 10% TDS deduction completely and legally. Answer in one line: If your annual internship stipend is below taxable limits and your final tax liability is zero, submitting Form 15G helps stop TDS deduction legally. If you are a student or a fresh graduate earning a stipend, seeing a flat 10% sliced off your hard-earned money hurts. When you are just starting your career, every single ru...

Author Note: This guide is researched and published by Sahityashala Finance , a student-focused financial literacy platform dedicated to simplifying tax compliance and financial planning for interns, freelancers, and researchers across India. 📌 Quick Answer Scholarships, fellowships, and research grants granted solely to meet the cost of education are not taxable in India under Section 10(16) of the Income Tax Act. However, payments linked to teaching assistantships, consulting, or professional services rendered are fully taxable. The Academic Jackpot: Is the Taxman Coming for Your Grant? You just cracked a prestigious national fellowship. Maybe you secured a massive research grant for your B.Sc Physics project at Motilal Nehru College, or you've been awarded a merit scholarship while preparing for your CUET PG exams to get into IIMC Delhi. Seeing a hefty amount credited to your bank account feels like a victory—until a terrifying tho...