Changes in GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C for FY 2024-25 – Complete Guide to
file Annual Return
As the financial year
2024-25 comes to a close, registered taxpayers will soon begin preparing their
annual GST returns — Form GSTR-9 and the reconciliation statement GSTR-9C.
These forms serve as a comprehensive summary of all GST activities carried out
during the year and help reconcile the data filed in the monthly or quarterly
returns with the books of accounts.
For this year, the GST
Network (GSTN) has brought in several clarifications and minor structural
changes to make reporting more accurate and transparent. Let’s understand how
to prepare GSTR-9 and 9C for FY 2024-25 in a systematic way.
Enabling of
GSTR-9 and 9C
Before you can begin
filing, it’s important to know that GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C for FY 2024-25 will be automatically
enabled on the GST portal only after all GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B returns for the
year are filed. If even one return remains pending, the system will not
allow access to the annual return.
Once enabled, the portal
auto-populates various tables using data from the returns you’ve already filed.
The values are drawn from:
- GSTR-1/1A/IFF,
which covers outward supplies,
- GSTR-2B,
which reflects inward supplies and ITC, and
- GSTR-3B,
which contains the tax liability and payment data.
This automation ensures
consistency and minimizes manual errors while reconciling figures across forms.
Understanding
Table 8A – ITC as per GSTR-2B
Table 8A is one of the
most crucial sections in GSTR-9, as it reflects the total input tax credit
(ITC) available to you based on GSTR-2B. For FY 2024-25, this table includes
all inward supply documents (invoices, debit and credit notes) relating to that
financial year which appear in GSTR-2B up to October 2025.
At the same time, it
excludes any documents related to FY 2023-24 that appeared in GSTR-2B between
April 2024 and October 2024.
To make verification
easier, the portal now provides an Excel download titled “Download Table
8A Document Details.” This contains invoice-wise data for every document that
forms part of Table 8A, allowing taxpayers to cross-verify and correct any
discrepancies before filing.
Claiming,
Reversing and Reclaiming ITC
One of the most complex
areas in annual return preparation is reporting input tax credit when it has
been claimed, reversed, and later reclaimed. The GSTN has simplified
this with clear rules on how to report each scenario.
If the ITC has been
claimed, reversed, and reclaimed within the same year, the treatment is
straightforward. The initial claim should be shown in Table 6B, the
reversal in Table 7, and the reclaim in Table 6H.
However, if the ITC
pertains to an earlier year (for example, FY 2023-24) and is reclaimed during
FY 2024-25, the reporting will depend on the reason for reclaim. If the reclaim
is for reasons other than Rule 37 or 37A (such as missing documents or
corrections), it will appear in Table 6A1. But if the reclaim is due
to Rule 37 or 37A — which deal with non-payment to suppliers or payment
delays — it will be reported in Table 6H of the current year.
In cases where the credit
is claimed and reversed in FY 2024-25 but reclaimed in FY 2025-26, it should
not be shown in Table 8C. Instead, such reclaim will either be reflected in Table
13 of GSTR-9 for FY 2024-25 and Table 6A1 of the next year (if the
reason is other than Rule 37/37A), or in Table 6H of GSTR-9 for FY
2025-26 (if reclaimed under Rule 37/37A).
This distinction is vital
because ITC reclaimed under Rule 37 or 37A is always considered the credit of
the year in which it is actually reclaimed, not the year of the original
invoice.
Changes in
ITC Reporting for FY 2024-25
A few structural
adjustments have been made this year to streamline ITC reporting.
A new sub-table 6A1 has been introduced to capture ITC of previous years
that is claimed in the current year. This avoids the earlier mismatch in Table
6J between current and prior-year credits.
Similarly, Table 8C
now only reflects ITC that belongs to FY 2024-25 but was not claimed during the
year and was first availed in the next financial year (till October 2025). For
example, if you missed claiming ITC on a January 2025 invoice and later availed
it in May 2025, such credit will appear in both Table 8C and Table 13.
However, if you claimed
and reversed ITC in FY 2024-25 and later reclaimed it in FY 2025-26, that
reclaim should not appear in Table 8C — it must be reported in Table 13
only. This prevents duplication and maintains the accuracy of Table 8D, which
compares ITC as per books and 2B.
Reporting
of Imports and Table 8H1
A significant update for
FY 2024-25 is the introduction of Table 8H1. This table covers cases
where goods were imported during the financial year, but the corresponding ITC
on import IGST was claimed only in the next year.
In such cases, the IGST
paid on imports is reported in Table 8G, while the ITC claimed in
the next financial year is to be reported in Table 8H1. The same
credit should also be shown in Table 13 of GSTR-9 for FY 2024-25. This
new reporting structure ensures that import-related credits are tracked
year-wise and clearly reconciled.
Late Fee
Computation under GSTR-9 and 9C
Starting from FY 2024-25,
the GSTN has aligned the late-fee mechanism for both GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C. Under Section
47(2) of the CGST Act, the late fee applies for delays in furnishing the
complete annual return, which includes both these forms.
A new table titled “Late
Fee Payable and Paid” has been added in GSTR-9C to capture this
information. The system automatically calculates the late fee based on the due
date of the annual return (31 December 2025) and the actual dates of filing
GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C.
For example, if you file
GSTR-9 on 25 December 2025 and GSTR-9C on 7 January 2026, there will be no late
fee for GSTR-9 but a seven-day late fee for GSTR-9C. If GSTR-9 itself is filed
after the due date, the delay will be counted from that date until the filing
of GSTR-9C.
Simplified
HSN Reporting
To make HSN reporting
more convenient, the GST portal now offers an additional download named “Download
Table 12 of GSTR-1/1A HSN Details.” This Excel sheet consolidates all
HSN-wise details from your outward supplies and provides them in a format
compatible with Table 17 of GSTR-9. Taxpayers can directly use this data
while preparing their annual return, saving time and reducing manual
compilation errors.
Other Key
Updates for FY 2024-25
A few other small but
noteworthy updates have also been introduced. The checkbox for the 65%
concessional rate of tax, which was available in earlier years, has now
been completely removed from both the online and offline tools, as the
concessional rate is no longer applicable.
The description for Table
6M has been updated for better clarity; it now explicitly covers ITC
claimed through Forms ITC-01, ITC-02, and ITC-02A.
Further, Table 12
continues to capture ITC of FY 2024-25 that is reversed in the following year,
while Table 13 records ITC of FY 2024-25 that is availed in the next
financial year.
Final
Thoughts
Preparing GSTR-9 and
GSTR-9C requires careful reconciliation of your GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, and books of
accounts. Before filing, ensure that all figures — particularly ITC, outward
supplies, and tax paid — are cross-verified with GSTR-2B and the new
downloadable Excel tools for Tables 8A and 17.
Taxpayers should also
remember that ITC reclaimed under Rule 37 or 37A belongs to the year
of reclaim and not the year of the original invoice. Filing within the due
date — 31 December 2025 — will help avoid late fees, and filing GSTR-9C
soon after GSTR-9 ensures smooth compliance.
The 2024-25 version of
GSTR-9 and 9C reflects the GST system’s move toward automation and
transparency. By understanding these updates and preparing methodically, both
students and professionals can handle annual return filing with confidence and
accuracy.
Disclaimer: All the Information is based on the notification, circular advisory and order issued by the Govt. authority and judgement delivered by the court or the authority information is strictly for educational purposes and on the basis of our best understanding of laws & not binding on anyone.
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