[Pursuant to Rule 5(1) of the Companies (Cost Records and Audit) Rules, 2014]

Form in which Cost Records shall be maintained

PARTICULARS RELATING TO THE ITEMS OF COSTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BOOKS OF ACCOUNTS:

1. INPUT MATERIAL(S)/SERVICE(S):

(1) Proper records shall be maintained showing separately all receipts, issues and balances both in quantities and cost of each item of raw material/input services (including all direct charges up to the works) required for the production of goods or rendering of services under reference. The basis, on which quantities, cost of issue and consumption are calculated, shall be indicated in the cost records and followed consistently. In the case of imported raw materials/input services, proper records shall be maintained showing quantity of imported material/service, Free On Board value, overseas freight, insurance, customs duty and inland freight charges along with license-wise quantities allowed, actual quantities imported, actual quantities consumed, quantities in stock and quantities yet to be imported out of total licensed quantities. If both indigenous and imported materials/services are consumed, the records showing details of percentage mix of the same have to be maintained for each item.

(2) Proper records shall be maintained separately showing the receipts, issues and balances both in quantities and cost of each item of intermediate material/service, process material, additives, bought out components, sub-assemblies, accessories, semi-finished goods, consumable stores, spares, other indirect materials/services etc. used in the production of the goods/rendering of services under reference. The cost shall include all direct charges up to works/services delivered. In case of additives, bought out components/bought out services, sub-assemblies, accessories, semi-finished goods, consumable stores, spares and other indirect materials/services, proper records shall be maintained for the value and quantity issued/rendered in a financial year suitably adjusted for consumption. If the life of any input material/service is more than one financial year, necessary adjustment should be made. If the life of any input material/service is not known, consumption may be assessed on technical basis.

(3) Where the company produces these raw materials/input services, intermediates or process materials, separate records showing the cost of production/cost of service of such items, shall be maintained. The basis on which quantities and cost of issues and consumption of such materials/services produced or processed by the company are calculated, shall be indicated in the cost records and followed consistently.

 (4) The issues, consumption of all raw materials/input services, intermediates, process materials, additives, manufactured, bought out components/ bought out services, sub-assemblies, accessories, semi-finished goods, consumable stores, spares and other indirect materials/services shall be identified with the process wise production of goods/rendering of services.

(5) Proper records shall be maintained indicating the quantity as well as value of recoveries at different stages/processes having significant value in relation to cost of material/service. In case the recoveries are not reused in the process and are sold/rendered or disposed of without further processing/rendering, the realisation from such sales shall be recorded and adjusted against the process concerned. In case further processing/augmentation is necessary to make the recoveries usable or saleable, as the case may be, proper records of the cost involved for such further processing/augmentation shall be maintained. If such processing/augmentation is done by any outside agency, proper records to show the quantity sent for processing/augmentation, quantity received back after processing/augmentation and cost incurred thereon shall be maintained. The net realization, if any, shall be adjusted against the major process relating to such recoveries. The cost of recoveries shall be determined on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. The records indicating the actual sales realization of recoveries shall also be maintained.

(6) Proper records shall be maintained to show the receipts, issues and balances, both in quantities and cost of each item of consumable stores, other process materials/services not covered above, small tools and machinery spares, indirect materials/services etc. The cost shall include all direct charges up to works/services delivered.

(7) The cost of consumable stores, small tools and machinery spares shall be charged to the relevant cost center/service centre or department or production process of goods or rendering of services on the basis of actual issues. In the case of consumable stores and small tools, indirect services, the cost of which are insignificant (less than 5% of the cost of material consumed), the company may, if it so desires, maintain such records for the group of such consumable stores, tools and indirect services.

 (8) Proper records shall be maintained showing the quantity and value of wastage, spoilage, rejections and losses of raw materials/input services, intermediates, process materials/services, consumable stores, small tools and machinery spares, whether in transit, storage, manufacture or at any other stage. The method followed for adjusting the above losses as well as the income derived from the disposal of rejected and waste materials/services including spoilage, if any, in determining the cost of good(s)/service(s), shall be indicated in the cost records. Any abnormal wastage or spoilage or rejection or losses shall be indicated distinctly and separately along with reasons thereof.

(9) Proper records shall also be maintained to indicate the value of raw materials/input services, intermediates and process materials/services, finished and semi-finished goods/services, consumable stores, small tools and machinery spares, additives, manufactured, bought out components/bought out services, subassemblies, accessories, semi-finished goods/services, consumable stores, spares and other indirect materials/services which have not moved/utilized for more than twelve months.

(10) Where any credit under Central Value Added Tax (CENVAT) under the Central Excise Act, 1944 (1 of 1944) or Finance Act in case of service tax, any other benefits of the nature of CENVAT/Service Tax credit, are available on any item of material/service, the cost of such material/service shall be shown after adjusting such credit or benefits.

(11) If any of the input materials/services is processed through an outside party, proper records shall be maintained for the quantity sent for processing, quantity received after processing, balance quantity of material/service, losses and wastage of material/service during processing, by-products recovered, if any, and the cost involved in processing/rendering of service.

2. SALARIES AND WAGES:

(1) Proper records shall be maintained to show the attendance and earnings of all employees assigned to the cost centres or departments and the work on which they are employed. The records shall also indicate the following separately for each cost centre or department:

(a) piece rate wages (wherever applicable);

(b) incentive wages, either individually or collectively as production bonus or under any other scheme based on output;

(c) overtime wages;

(d) earnings of casual or contractual labour;

(e) bonus or gratuity, statutory as well as other;

(f) contribution to superannuating scheme;

(g) cost of employees stock option;

(h) leave travel concession;

(i) paid holidays;

(j) leave with pay;

(k) Training, workshop, seminar expenses;

(l) Medical/health, safety, education expenses;

(m) any other statutory provision for labour welfare;

(n) any other free or subsidized facility.

(2) The records shall be maintained in such a manner as to enable the company to book these expenses cost centre wise or department wise with reference to goods/services under reference and to furnish necessary particulars. Where the employees work in such a manner that it is not possible to identify them with any specific cost centre/service centre or department, the employees cost shall be apportioned to the cost centre/service centres or departments on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently.

(3) The idle labour cost shall be separately recorded under classified headings indicating the reasons therefor. The method followed for accounting of idle time payments shall be disclosed in the cost records.

(4) Any wages and salaries allocable to capital works, such as, additions to plant and machinery, buildings or other fixed assets shall be accounted for under the relevant capital heads. The method followed for accounting of such payments in determining the cost of the goods/services under reference shall be on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. The said method shall be disclosed in the cost records also.

(5) The cost of normal retirement benefits payable to employees shall be recorded separately and charged to cost. The method followed for accounting of such costs in determining the cost of the goods/services under reference shall be on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently and disclosed separately. Termination benefits which are payable in addition to the normal retirement benefits, such as benefits under voluntary retirement Scheme, expenses treated as abnormal and not forming part of salaries and wages and cost of production of goods/rendering of services.

3. UTILITIES:

 (1) Proper records shall be maintained showing the quantity and cost of each major utility such as power, water, steam, effluent treatment, etc. produced and consumed by the different cost centres in such detail as to have particulars for each utility separately.

    (2) If a utility is purchased, proper records showing the delivered cost including all direct charges shall be maintained for the quantity and value of each utility purchased.

    (3) Where a utility is produced and supplied by any other unit of the company or any related party, proper records shall be maintained to assess cost and the quantity of the utility so procured.

    (4) The cost of utility, if any, supplied to any other unit(s) of the company or any related party, shall be calculated on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently.

    (5) The cost of utility allocated/apportioned to the cost centers and further to the individual goods/services shall be on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently.

    (6) Where any utility is one of the major inputs to the raw material used in production or manufacture of any of the goods/services under reference, such direct utility shall be included in the cost of such raw material/input service and shown accordingly.

    (7) Proper records indicating any subsidy, grant/incentive, credits, recoveries, abnormal costs, penalties or damages paid etc. in respect of utilities shall be maintained.

    (8) The records shall also indicate the measures taken on conservation of energy and its corresponding impact on per unit cost of goods/services.

4. SERVICE DEPARTMENT EXPENSES:

Proper records shall be maintained to indicate expenses incurred in respect of each service cost centre like engineering, work shop, designing, laboratory, safety, transport, computer cell, welfare etc. These expenses shall be apportioned to other services and production departments on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. Where these services are utilized for other goods/services of the company also, the basis of apportionment of such expenses to goods/services under reference and to the other goods/services shall be on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. The said basis shall be disclosed in the cost records also. Proper records shall be maintained to indicate cost of purchase, production, distribution, marketing and price of services with reference to sales to outside parties. Proper records shall also be maintained regarding cost of services received from/rendered to related parties and cost of service cost centre incurred in foreign exchange besides proper maintenance of records in respect of any subsidy grants, incentives, credits/recoveries, any abnormal cost, penalty and damages.

5. REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE:

 (1) Proper records showing the expenditure incurred by the workshop, tool room and on repairs and maintenance in the various cost centres or departments shall be maintained under different heads. The records shall also indicate the basis of charging such expenses to different cost centres or departments. Records in respect of repairs and maintenance cost of jobs done in-house and outsourced, cost of major overhauls, repair and maintenance paid/payable to the related party, incurred in foreign exchange and any subsidy, grant, incentive, credits/recoveries, penalty and damages and any abnormal portion of this item of cost shall be maintained. The manner of charging a share of the cost of workshop, tool room and repairs and maintenance expenses shall be on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently.

(2) In addition to the above, records shall indicate the amount and also the proportion of closing inventory of stores and spare parts representing items which have not moved for over twenty four months.

(3) The expenditure on major repair works from which benefit is likely to accrue for more than one financial year shall be shown separately and absorbed in the cost over the period for which such benefits are expected to accrue on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. Method of accounting along with the basis of allocation of such costs shall also be clearly indicated in cost records.

 6. FIXED ASSETS, DEPRECIATION AND LEASE CHARGES:

(1) Proper and adequate records shall be maintained for assets used for production of goods/rendering of services under reference in respect of which depreciation has to be provided for. These records shall, interalia, indicate grouping of assets under each good/service, the cost of acquisition of each item of asset including installation charges, date of acquisition and rate of depreciation.

(2) Those records which enable to identify and/or allocate gross fixed assets, accumulated depreciation up to the year and net fixed assets under the heads; land and building, plant and machinery, furniture and fixtures etc. employed for goods/services under reference shall be maintained. The basis of apportionment of common assets to the goods/services under reference shall be on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. In case of revaluation of assets, the same shall be indicated separately and depreciation on revaluation shall also be indicated separately.

(3) The basis on which depreciation is calculated and allocated or apportioned to various cost centre/service centres or departments and absorbed on all goods/services shall be clearly indicated in the cost records. If depreciation charged or chargeable to the cost centres or departments is in excess or lower than the depreciation calculated by applying the rates of depreciation prescribed under the Companies Act, 2013 , such amount of excess or lower depreciation shall be indicated clearly in the cost records. The cost records shall also show the effect of such excess or lower depreciation, as the case may be, on per unit cost of each good/service. The cumulative depreciation charged in the cost records, against any individual item of asset shall not, however, exceed the original cost of the respective asset.

(4) Proper records shall be maintained giving details of assets taken or given on lease. The break-up of lease rental in terms of financial charges, depreciation etc. paid or received shall be maintained separately. The details shall be maintained separately for assets taken from or given to related party.

7. OVERHEADS:

(1) Proper records shall be maintained for various items of indirect expenses comprising overheads pertaining to goods/services under reference. These expenses shall be analyzed, classified and grouped according to functions, namely, works, administration, selling and distribution, Head Office expenses.

 (2) Proper records shall be maintained in respect of overheads incurred in foreign exchange, any subsidy, grant, incentive, credits/recoveries, unabsorbed overheads and any abnormal portion and also relating to resources received from or supplied to any related party.

(3) Where the company is also manufacturing goods/rendering services other than the goods/services under reference, the records shall clearly indicate the basis followed for apportionment of the common overheads including head office expenses of the company to such other goods/services and the goods/services under reference, including capital works. Where certain expenses forming part of overheads can be identified with particular goods/services, such expenses shall be first segregated and charged to the relevant goods/services in the first instance and thereafter the residual expenses under the above categories of overheads shall be apportioned on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. The overheads chargeable to capital works shall be indicated separately in the cost records. The basis of apportionment or absorption of overheads to the cost centres or departments and the goods/services shall be indicated in the cost records. The records shall be maintained in such a manner as to indicate the details of works, administration, selling and distribution overheads, H.O. expenses etc.

8. ROYALTY AND TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW FEE:

Adequate records shall be maintained showing royalty and/or technical know-how fee including other recurring or non-recurring payments of similar nature, if any, made for the goods/services under reference to collaborators or technology suppliers in terms of agreements entered into with them. Such records shall be kept separately in respect of each such agreement or arrangement. The basis of charging such amount, including lump sum payment and its treatment shall be indicated in the cost records.

9. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES:

(1) Proper records showing the details of expenses, if any, incurred by the company for research and development work on the goods/services covered under these rules, according to the nature of development of goods/services - existing and new, design and development of new facilities and market research for the existing and new goods/services, shall be maintained separately. The records shall also indicate the payments made to outside parties for the research and development work. The basis of charging such amount, including lump sum payment and its treatment shall be indicated in the cost records.

(2) The basis of charging these expenses to the cost of production of goods/services under reference and to other goods/services shall be indicated in the cost records. Where the utility of research and development work extends to over more than one financial year, such expenses shall be charged to the cost of goods/services under reference and to all other goods/services on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently indicating the criteria on the basis of which it has been decided to extend the utility period of these expenses to more than one financial year.

 (3) Proper records shall be maintained in respect of such expenses incurred in foreign exchange and any subsidy, grant, incentive, credits/recoveries, penalty or damages paid and any abnormal portion and also for resources received from or supplied to any related party.

(4) The expenses incurred by the research and development department for providing technical know-how to outsiders shall be recorded separately and excluded from the cost of goods/services under reference. The amount recovered for providing technical know-how to outsiders shall also be indicated separately and excluded from the income arising from the sale of goods/services under reference.

10. QUALITY CONTROL:

Adequate records shall be maintained to indicate the expenses incurred in respect of quality control department or cost centre/service centre for goods/services under reference. Where these services are also utilized for other goods/services of the company, the basis of apportionment to goods/services under reference and to other goods/services shall be on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. Proper records shall be maintained in respect of such expenses relating to resources received from or supplied to the related party, incurred in foreign exchange and any subsidy, grant, incentive, credits/recoveries, unabsorbed overheads and any abnormal portion etc.

11. WORK-IN-PROGRESS AND FINISHED STOCK:

The method followed for determining the cost of work-in-progress and finished stock of the goods and for services under delivery or in-process shall be appropriate and shall be indicated in the cost records so as to reveal the cost element that have been taken into account in such computation. All conversion costs incurred in bringing the inventories to their present location and condition shall be taken into account while computing the cost of work-in-progress and finished stock. The method adopted for determining the cost of work-in-progress and finished goods shall be followed consistently.

12. CAPTIVE CONSUMPTION:

If the goods/services under reference are used for captive consumption, proper records shall be maintained showing the quantity and cost of each such goods/services transferred to other departments or cost centres or units of the company for self-consumption and sold to outside parties separately.

13. BY-PRODUCTS:

Proper Records shall be maintained for each item of by-product, if any, produced showing the receipt, issues and balances, both in quantity and value. The basis adopted for valuation of by-product for giving credit to the respective process shall be equitable and consistent and should be indicated in cost records. Records showing the expenses incurred on further processing, if any, as well as actual sales realization of by-product shall be maintained. The proper records shall be maintained in respect of credits/recoveries from the disposal of by-products.

14. JOINT PRODUCTS/SERVICES:

Where more than one product/service which is of equal economic importance arises from a process, the cost up to the point of separation of products/services shall be apportioned to joint products/services on reasonable and equitable basis and shall be applied consistently. The basis on which such joint costs are apportioned to different products/services arising from the process shall be indicated in the cost records. Proper records shall be maintained in respect credits/recoveries from the disposal of joint products/services.

15. PACKING EXPENSES:

Proper records shall be maintained separately for domestic and export packing showing the quantity and cost of various packing materials and other expenses incurred on primary and/or secondary packing indicating the basis of valuation. Where such expenses are incurred in common for other goods also, the basis of apportioning the expenses between the relevant goods shall be on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. Proper records shall be maintained in respect of packing materials received from or supplied to the related party, costs incurred in foreign exchange and any subsidy, grant, incentive, credits/recoveries, unabsorbed overheads, penalty and damages, any abnormal portion etc.

16. INTEREST AND OTHER BORROWING COSTS:

 (1) Proper records shall be maintained for money borrowed for each project and/or working capital and interest charged thereon. The amount of net interest and other borrowing costs shall be allocated or apportioned to the goods/services under reference and other goods/services on equitable and reasonable basis and applied consistently. The basis of further charging of the share of interest to the various types of such goods/services shall also be equitable and reasonable and applied consistently. The basis of such allocation or apportionment shall be spelt out clearly in the cost records.

 (2) Net interest and other borrowing costs incurred for project under execution shall be capitalized for the period up to the date the project is commissioned.

(3) Proper records shall be maintained in respect of such expenses paid/payable to the related party, incurred in foreign exchange and any subsidy, grant, incentive and any amount of similar nature received/receivable, payment of penal interest or fine/damages paid.

(4) Proper records shall be maintained in respect of such expenses incurred relating to prior periods and taken to reconciliation directly.

17. EXPENSES OR INCENTIVES ON EXPORTS:

(1) Proper records showing the expenses incurred on the export sales, if any, of the goods/services under reference shall be separately maintained so that the cost of export sales can be determined correctly. Separate cost statements shall be prepared for goods/services exported giving details of export expenses incurred or incentive earned.

(2) Proper records shall be maintained giving the details of export commitments licensewise and the fulfillment of these commitments giving the reasons for non-compliance, if any. In case, duty free imports are made, the cost statements should reflect this fact. If the duty free imports have been made after actual production, the statement should reflect this fact also.

18. POLLUTION CONTROL :

(1) Expenditure incurred by the company on various measures to protect the environment like effluent treatment, control of pollution of air, water, etc., should be properly recorded. Records relating to basis of distribution of pollution control expenses, such costs of jobs done in-house and outsourced separately, pollution control costs paid/payable to related parties, incurred in foreign exchange and any subsidy, grant, incentive, credits/recoveries, any abnormal portion of such costs, penalty and damages paid and any amount received/receivable from pollution control agency.

19. PRODUCTION RECORDS :

 Quantitative records of all finished goods (packed or unpacked)/services rendered showing production, issues for sales and balances of different type of the goods/services under reference, shall be maintained. The quantitative details of production of goods/services rendered shall be maintained separately for self-produced, third party on job work, loan license basis etc.

 20. SALES RECORDS:

Separate details of sales shall be maintained for domestic sales at control price, domestic sales at market price, export sales under advance license, export sales under other obligations, export sales at market price, and sales to related party/inter unit transfer. In case of services details of domestic delivery/sales at control price, domestic delivery/sales at market price, export delivery/sales under advance license, export delivery/sales under other obligations, export delivery/sales at market price, and delivery/sales to related party/inter unit transfer. Such details shall be maintained separately for each plant/unit wise or service centre wise for total as well as per unit sales realization.

21. ANY OTHER ITEM OF COST:

Proper records shall be maintained for any other item of cost being indispensable and considered necessary for inclusion in cost records for calculating cost of production of goods/rendering of services, cost of sales, margin in total and per unit of the goods/services under reference.

22. ADJUSTMENT OF COST VARIANCES:

Where the company maintains cost records on any basis other than actual such as standard costing, the records shall indicate the procedure followed by the company in working out the cost of the goods/services under such system. The cost variances shall be shown against separate heads and analyzed into material, labour, overheads and further segregated into quantity, price and efficiency variances. The method followed for adjusting the cost variances in determining the actual cost of the goods/services shall be indicated clearly in the cost records. The reasons for the variances shall be duly explained in the cost records and statements.

23. COST STATEMENTS:

(1) Cost statements (quarterly and annually) showing quantitative information in respect of each good/service under reference shall be prepared showing details of available capacity, actual production, production as per excise records, capacity utilization (in-house), stock purchased for trading, stock and other adjustments, quantity available for sale, wastage and actual sale etc. during current financial year and previous year.

(2) Such statements shall also include details in respect of all major items of costs constituting cost of production of goods/services, cost of sales of goods/services and margin in total as well as per unit of the goods/services. The goods/services emerging from a process, which forms raw material or an input material/service for a subsequent process, shall be valued at the cost of production/cost of service up to the previous stage.

(3) Cost Statements (quarterly and annually) in respect of reconciliation of indirect taxes showing details of total clearances of goods/services, assessable value, duties/taxes paid, CENVAT/VAT/Service Tax credit utilized, duties/taxes recovered and interest/penalty paid.

(4) If the company is operating more than one plant, factory or service centre, separate cost statements as specified above shall be prepared in respect of each plant, factory or service centre. (5) Any other statement/information considered necessary for suitable presentation of Costs and Profitability of goods/services produced by the Company shall also be prepared.

24. RECONCILIATION OF COST AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS:

(1) The cost statements shall be reconciled with the financial statements for the financial year specifically indicating the expenses or incomes not considered in the cost records or statements so as to ensure accuracy and to adjust the profit of the goods/services under reference with the overall profit of the company. The variations, if any, shall be clearly indicated and explained.

(2) A statement showing the total expenses incurred and income received by the company under different heads of accounts and the share applicable to other goods/services and the goods/services under reference shall be prepared and reconciled with the financial statement.

 25. STATISTICAL RECORDS:

(1) The records regarding available machine hours or direct labour hours in different production departments and actually utilized shall be maintained for production of goods/rendering of services under reference and shortfall suitably analyzed. Suitable records for computation of idle time of machines and/or labour shall also be maintained and analyzed.

 (2) Proper records shall be maintained to enable the company to identify the capital employed, net fixed assets and working capital separately for the production of goods/rendering of services under reference and other goods/services to the extent such elements are separately identifiable. Non-identifiable items shall be allocated on a suitable and reasonable basis to different goods/services. Fresh investments on fixed assets for production of goods/rendering of services under reference that have not contributed to the production of goods/rendering of services during the relevant period/year shall be indicated in the cost records. The records shall, in addition, show assets added as replacement and those added for increasing existing capacity.

26. RECORDS OF PHYSICAL VERIFICATION:

Records of physical verification may be maintained in respect of all items held in the stock such as rawmaterials, process materials, packing materials, consumables stores, machinery spares, chemicals, fuels, finished goods and fixed assets etc. Reasons for shortages/surplus arising out of such verifications and the method followed for adjusting the same in the cost of the goods/services shall be indicated in the records.

 27. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS:

(1) In respect of related party transactions or supplies made or services rendered by a company to a company termed “related party relationship” and vice-a-versa, records shall be maintained showing contracts entered into, agreements or understanding reached in respect of -

 (a) purchase and sale of raw materials, finished good(s), rendering of service(s), process materials and rejected goods including scraps, etc;

(b) utilisation of plant facilities and technical know-how;

(c) supply of utilities and any other services;

(d) administrative, technical, managerial or any other consultancy services;

 (e) purchase and sale of capital goods including plant and machinery; and

(f) any other payment related to the production of goods/rendering of services under reference.

(2) These records shall also indicate the basis followed for arriving at the rates charged or paid for such goods or services so as to enable determination of the reasonableness of such rates in so far as they are in any way related to goods/services under reference.