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Microlesson · 5-min read

Corporate Social Responsibility (Section 135) — Applicability

# CSR — Applicability Trigger (Section 135)

## 1. Threshold Test

Every company having any one of the following during the immediately preceding financial year must constitute a CSR Committee and frame a CSR policy:

ParameterThreshold
Net Worth> ₹500 crore
Turnover> ₹1,000 crore
Net Profit> ₹5 crore

The word is 'or' — meeting any one trigger brings the company within Section 135.

## 2. What the Company Must Do

  • Constitute a CSR Committee of the Board.
  • Frame a CSR Policy indicating the activities to be undertaken.
  • The activities must fall within those listed in Schedule VII to the Act (e.g., eradicating hunger, promoting education, gender equality, environmental sustainability).
  • Spend, in every financial year, at least 2% of the average net profits of the immediately preceding three financial years on CSR activities (this part is in the main body of Section 135).

Worked example

### Example 1

Example — Trigger via Profit Only

N Ltd. has Net Worth ₹100 cr, Turnover ₹400 cr, Net Profit ₹7 cr in FY 2024-25. Does CSR apply?

Answer: Net Worth and Turnover are below the thresholds, but Net Profit (₹7 cr) exceeds ₹5 cr. CSR applies — N Ltd. must constitute a CSR Committee and spend on CSR for FY 2025-26.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Treating the trigger as cumulative ('and') — it is alternative ('or').
  • Quoting the thresholds in lakhs or wrong magnitudes — they are crores: 500 / 1,000 / 5.
  • Forgetting that activities must be drawn from Schedule VII, not chosen at will.
Reference: Section 135 read with Schedule VII — Companies Act, 2013
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