32C. Application for the purpose of grant of approval of a fund or trust or institution or university or any hospital or other medical institution under clause (i) or clause (ii) or clause (iii) or clause (iv) of first proviso to clause (23C) of Section 10.

(1)An application under 3[clause (i) or sub-clause (A) of] clause (ii) or clause (iii) or clause (iv) of first proviso to clause (23C) of section 10 for the grant of approval of a fund or trust or institution, or university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution (hereinafter referred to as 'the applicant') shall be made in the following Form, namely:-

(i) Form No. 10A in case of application under clause (i) or clause (iv) of first proviso to clause (23C) of section 10 to the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner authorised by the Board; or

(ii) Form No. 10AB in case of application under clause (ii) or 4[clause (iii) or sub-clause (B) of clause (iv)] of first proviso to clause (23C) of section 10 to the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner under the said proviso.

(2) The application under sub-rule (1) shall be accompanied by the following documents, as required by Form Nos. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be, namely: —

(a) where the applicant is created or established, under an instrument, self-certified copy of such instrument creating or establishing the applicant;

(b) where the applicant is created or established, otherwise than under an instrument, self-certified copy of the document evidencing the creation or establishment of the applicant;

(c) self-certified copy of registration with Registrar of Companies or Registrar of Firms and Societies or Registrar of Public Trusts, as the case may be;

(d) self-certified copy of registration under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (42 of 2010), if the applicant is registered under such Act;

(e) self-certified copy of existing order granting approval under clause (23C) of section 10;

(f) self-certified copy of order of rejection of application for grant of approval under clause (23C) of section 10, if any;

(g) where the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of the applicant relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up;

(h) where a business undertaking is held by the applicant as per the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 11 and the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of such business undertaking relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up and self-certified copy of the report of audit as per the provisions of section 44AB for such period;

(i) where the income of the applicant includes profits and gains of business as per the provisions of sub-section (4A) of section 11 and the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of such business relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up and self-certified copy of the report of audit as per the provisions of section 44AB for such period;

(j) note on the activities of the applicant.

(3) Form Nos. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be, shall be furnished electronically, —

(i) under digital signature, if the return of income is required to be furnished under digital signature;

(ii) through electronic verification code in a case not covered under clause (i).

(4) Form Nos. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be, shall be verified by the person who is authorised to verify the return of income under section 140, as applicable to the applicant.

(5) On receipt of an application in Form No. 10A, the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, authorised by the Board shall pass an order in writing granting approval under clause (i) or (iii) of the second proviso read with the ninth proviso to clause (23C) of section 10 in Form No. 10AC and issue a sixteen digit alphanumeric Unique Registration Number (URN) to the applicants making application as per clause (i) of the sub-rule (1).

(6) If, at any point of time, it is noticed that Form No. 10A has not been duly filled in by not providing, fully or partly, or by providing false or incorrect information or documents required to be provided under sub-rules (1) or (2) or by not complying with the requirements of sub- rules (3) or (4), the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, as referred to in sub-rule (5), after giving an opportunity of being heard, may cancel the approval granted in Form No. 10AC and Unique Registration Number(URN) issued under sub-rule (5), and such approval in Form No.10AC or such Unique Registration Number (URN) shall be deemed to have never been granted or issued.

(7) In case of an application made under clause (iv) of first proviso to clause (23C) of 5[section 10 as it stood immediately before its amendment by the Finance Act, 2023,] during previous year beginning on 1st day of April, 2021, the provisional approval shall be effective from the assessment year beginning on 1st day of April, 2022.

(8) In case of an application made in Form 10AB under clause (ii) of the sub-rule (1), the order of approval or rejection or cancellation under second proviso read with the ninth proviso to clause (23C) of section 10 shall be in form 10AD and in case if the approval is granted, sixteen digit alphanumeric number Unique Registration Number (URN) shall be issued, by the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner referred to in second proviso to clause (23C) of section 10.

(9) The Principal Director General of Income-tax (Systems) or the Director General of Income-tax (Systems), as the case may be, shall:

(i) lay down the form, data structure, standards and procedure of:

(a) furnishing and verification of Form Nos. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be;

(b) passing the order under second proviso to clause (23C) of section 10.

(ii) be responsible for formulating and implementing appropriate security, archival and retrieval policies in relation to the form so furnished or the order so passed.”.

 

Ammendments :

1. Substitution iof Rule 2C and 2CA with Rule 2C by the IT (Sixth Amendment Rules,2019 w.e.f 5--11-2019

Prior to their substitution, rules 2C and 2CA, read as under:

[Guidelines for approval under sub-clauses (iv) and (v) of clause (23C) of section 10.

2C. (1) The prescribed authority under sub-clauses (iv) and (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 shall be the Chief Commissioner or Director General, to whom the application shall be made as provided in sub-rule (2):

[Provided that on or after the specified date, the prescribed authority under sub-clauses (iv) and (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 shall be the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, to whom the application shall be made as provided in sub-rule (2).]

(2) The application to be furnished under sub-clauses (iv) and (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 by a fund, trust or institution shall be in Form No. 56.

[ Explanation — For the purposes of this rule,—

(i) "Chief Commissioner or Director General" means the Chief Commissioner or Director General whom the Central Board of Direct Taxes may, authorize to act as prescribed authority for the purposes of sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 in relation to any fund or trust or institution;

(ii) "Principal Commissioner or Commissioner" means the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner whom the Central Board of Direct Taxes may, authorize to act as prescribed authority for the purposes of sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 in relation to any fund or trust or institution;

(iii) "specified date" means the date which the Central Board of Direct Taxes may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf.] 

[Guidelines for approval under sub-clauses (iv) and (v) of clause (23C) of section 10.

2C. (1) The prescribed authority under sub-clauses (iv) and (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 shall be the Chief Commissioner or Director General, to whom the application shall be made as provided in sub-rule (2):

[Provided that on or after the specified date, the prescribed authority under sub-clauses (iv) and (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 shall be the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, to whom the application shall be made as provided in sub-rule (2).]

(2) The application to be furnished under sub-clauses (iv) and (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 by a fund, trust or institution shall be in Form No. 56.

[ Explanation — For the purposes of this rule,—

(i) "Chief Commissioner or Director General" means the Chief Commissioner or Director General whom the Central Board of Direct Taxes may, authorize to act as prescribed authority for the purposes of sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 in relation to any fund or trust or institution;

(ii) "Principal Commissioner or Commissioner" means the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner whom the Central Board of Direct Taxes may, authorize to act as prescribed authority for the purposes of sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) of clause (23C) of section 10 in relation to any fund or trust or institution;

(iii) "specified date" means the date which the Central Board of Direct Taxes may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf.] 

 

2. Substituted by Income-tax (6th Amendment) Rules, 2021 w.e.f 01.04.2021 Notification dated 26.03.2021

Prior to their substitution, rule 2C were read as under

1[Application for the purpose of grant of approval for the exemption under sub-clause (iv), sub-clause (v), sub-clause (vi) and sub-clause (via) of clause (23C) of section 10.

2C. (1) The prescribed authority under sub-clause (iv), sub-clause (v), sub-clause (vi) and sub-clause (via) of clause (23C) of section 10 shall be the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner whom the Central Board of Direct Taxes may authorise to act in this behalf.

(2) An application for grant of approval for the exemption under sub-clause (iv), sub-clause (v), sub-clause (vi) or sub-clause (via) of clause (23C) of section 10 to any fund or institution, any trust (including any other legal obligation) or institution, any university or other educational institution and any hospital or other institution (hereinafter referred to as 'the applicant') shall be made in Form No. 56 and shall be verified by the person who is authorised to verify the return of income under section 140, as applicable to the assessee.

(3) Form No. 56 shall be furnished electronically, —

(i) under digital signature, if the return of income is required to be furnished under digital signature; or
(ii) through electronic verification code in a case not covered under clause (i).

(4) The Principal Director General of Income-tax (Systems) or the Director General of Income-tax (Systems), as the case may be, shall lay down the data structure, standards and procedure of furnishing and verification of Form No. 56 and shall be responsible for formulating and implementing appropriate security, archival and retrieval policies in relation to the said form so furnished.]

 

3. Substituted by the Income-tax (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2023 Notification No. 45/2023 dated 23.06.2023

 in sub-rule (1),in clause (i), for the words-

“clause (i) or”

Following shall be substituted:

"clause (i) or sub-clause (A) of "

 

4. Substituted by the Income-tax (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2023 Notification No. 45/2023 dated 23.06.2023

 in sub-rule (1),in clause (ii), for the words-

“clause (iii)”

Following shall be substituted:

"clause (iii) or sub-clause (B) of clause (iv)”  

 

5. Substituted by the Income-tax (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2023 Notification No. 45/2023 dated 23.06.2023

In sub-rule (7), for the word-

“section 10”

Following shall be substituted:

“section 10 as it stood immediately before its amendment by the Finance Act, 2023,”