# Current CTC and expected CTC: meaning and how to answer

> CTC (cost to company) is the total yearly amount an employer spends on you, including fixed pay, variable pay and benefits. Current CTC (also called present CTC) is your package in your present job; last drawn CTC is the package in the job you most recently left; expected CTC is what you want in the new job. Write them in lakhs per annum, such as "18 LPA". State current CTC accurately with fixed and variable parts separated, give expected CTC as a researched range (or one figure when the form needs a number), and state your contractual notice period exactly. Never inflate any of them: these figures are commonly checked later.

By Arivu, founder of Shortlist. Published 2026-10-15, updated 2026-11-04. Source: https://shortlist.cruscible.com/guides/expected-ctc-notice-period

Almost every job application form in India asks three questions that are not about your skills at all: **current CTC**, **expected CTC** and **notice period**. They are often required fields, recruiters use them to filter before anyone reads your resume, and a careless answer can rule you out of a job you would have got. This guide explains what each term means, how to write the numbers, and what to say when a recruiter asks by email or on a call.

## What CTC means

**CTC (cost to company)** is the total yearly amount an employer spends on you: fixed salary, variable pay or bonus, and benefits such as the employer's provident fund contribution, gratuity and insurance. It is usually written in lakhs per annum, as in "18 LPA".

**CTC is not your take-home pay.** Your monthly in-hand salary is lower: CTC counts money you do not receive each month, such as the employer's provident fund contribution, gratuity and variable pay paid later, and income tax and your own provident fund contribution come out of your monthly salary. When a form asks for CTC, give the full CTC, not the in-hand figure.

## What is current CTC?

**Current CTC** is your CTC in your present job, as stated in your offer letter or latest salary revision letter. When a recruiter asks "What is your current CTC?", they mean this yearly total, not your monthly salary.

**Present CTC** means the same thing as current CTC. Some forms use one, some the other.

**Answer accurately.** Offer processes commonly ask for recent payslips or relieving documents, and background checks can confirm previous employment details. An inflated figure that is discovered later can cost you the offer.

**Separate fixed and variable pay** when the form allows text. "18 LPA (16 fixed + 2 variable)" is clearer than "18 LPA", and stops a recruiter assuming all of it is guaranteed.

**Mention anything significant that is not in the number**, such as a retention bonus, joining bonus or stock, in one short line if there is space.

## What is last drawn CTC?

**Last drawn CTC** is the CTC in the job you most recently left. You will see it on forms when you are between jobs, and in background checks, where it is compared with your previous employer's records. If you are still employed, your last drawn CTC and your current CTC are the same.

**Last drawn salary** is a related term that usually means the last monthly salary you were paid, often the gross figure before deductions, as shown on your final payslip. If a form or recruiter is unclear about which one they want, give the yearly CTC and say so, for example "Last drawn CTC: 12 LPA".

## What is expected CTC?

**Expected CTC** is the yearly CTC you want in the job you are applying for. It is a starting point for negotiation, not a promise.

**Research the range first.** Look at what similar roles at similar companies pay, at offers people in your network have received recently, and at the level the posting describes. Your current pay is one input, not the starting point. Hikes are often discussed as a percentage of current CTC; use that as a reference, not a rule.

**Give a range when the form takes text,** with the lower end at a figure you would genuinely accept. A range starts a conversation; a single number can end one.

**Give a single figure when the form needs a number.** Use a number near the middle of your range rather than the bottom, since it will be negotiated down more often than up.

**Avoid "as per company standards" or "negotiable" alone.** Some recruiters accept it, but many filters treat a missing number as missing, and it gives no signal about whether the role fits.

**Do not leave a required field blank or enter 0** to get past a form. It reads as an error and can drop the application from a filtered list.

## How to write CTC in lakhs per annum

**LPA means lakhs per annum.** One lakh is 1,00,000 rupees, so 18 LPA is ₹18,00,000 a year. When a form asks for expected CTC "in lacs per annum" or "in lakhs", it wants the number of lakhs: write 18, not 1800000.

**Check the unit before you type a number.** Forms ask in different ways:

| The form asks for | For a CTC of ₹18,00,000 a year, write |
|---|---|
| CTC in lakhs per annum (LPA) | 18 |
| CTC in rupees per annum | 1800000 |
| CTC in thousands | 1800 |
| Monthly CTC | 150000 (the yearly CTC divided by 12, not your in-hand pay) |

A number in the wrong unit is one of the easiest ways to be filtered out: 1800000 in a lakhs field reads as eighteen lakh lakhs. If a form gives no unit and takes text, write the unit yourself: "18 LPA".

**Decimals are fine.** 12.5 LPA is ₹12,50,000 a year.

## Notice period

**State your contractual notice period exactly,** for example "60 days". This is the number in your appointment letter, not what you hope to negotiate.

**Then add the useful detail**, if the form allows text:

- "60 days, negotiable to 30" if your manager has indicated flexibility.
- "60 days, buyout possible" if your company allows paying out the remaining notice.
- "Serving notice, last working day 15 March" if you have already resigned. This is a strong signal, and worth stating.
- "Immediate" only if you can genuinely join within a week or two.

**Be careful with promises you cannot keep.** Saying 30 days and then needing 90 damages trust with the recruiter and the hiring manager at the point you most need it.

## Example answers

| Question | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Current CTC | 18 LPA (16 fixed + 2 variable) |
| Present CTC (number only, in lakhs) | 18 |
| Last drawn CTC | 12 LPA |
| Expected CTC | 24 to 27 LPA |
| Expected CTC (number only, in lakhs) | 25 |
| Notice period | 60 days, negotiable to 30, buyout possible |
| Notice period (serving) | Serving notice, last working day 15 March |
| Current CTC (fresher) | Not applicable (fresher) |

## How to write current and expected CTC in an email

Recruiters often ask for these figures by email or on LinkedIn before a first call. Answer in the same message, with numbers, in a few lines:

> Subject: Re: Backend Engineer role: current and expected CTC\
> Hi Priya,\
> Thank you for reaching out. Here are my details:\
> Current CTC: 18 LPA (16 fixed + 2 variable)\
> Expected CTC: 24 to 27 LPA, depending on the role's scope and benefits\
> Notice period: 60 days, negotiable to 30\
> Happy to discuss on a call.\
> Regards,\
> Arjun

If you are between jobs, replace the first line with your last drawn CTC and when you can join:

> Last drawn CTC: 12 LPA (at Acme, until August)\
> Expected CTC: 15 to 17 LPA\
> Availability: can join immediately

Keep the same figures you gave on the application form, so nothing looks inconsistent later. Mention flexibility, such as a negotiable notice period, only if it is real.

## When a recruiter asks on a call

The same rules apply when the question comes on a phone screen: give your current CTC with the fixed and variable split, then your expected range, then your notice period. Say the numbers plainly and stop; a long justification sounds less sure than a clear range. If you have not researched the role's pay yet, it is fine to say "I'm looking at 24 to 27 LPA for roles like this, depending on the scope" and ask what the budget is.

## Answering these once

These questions repeat on every form. [Shortlist](/) asks you for them once, stores your exact answers in your profile, and fills them into each application for you to review; check the unit on forms that ask for a bare number. It never guesses a number you have not given it. Our guide to [common screening questions](/guides/screening-questions) covers the other questions that appear on most forms.

## FAQ

### What is the meaning of expected CTC?

Expected CTC is the total yearly package, in cost-to-company terms, that you want in the job you are applying for. Recruiters use it to check whether your expectation fits their budget before the interviews.

### What does "What is your current CTC?" mean?

It asks for the total yearly cost to company of your present job: fixed salary, variable pay and benefits, usually in lakhs per annum. It does not ask for your monthly in-hand salary.

### What is the difference between current CTC and last drawn CTC?

Current CTC is the package in the job you have now. Last drawn CTC is the package in the job you most recently left. If you are still employed, they are the same figure.

### How do I write expected CTC in lakhs per annum?

Write the number of lakhs per year. For ₹24,00,000 a year, write 24 in a number field that asks for lakhs, or "24 LPA" in a text field. A range such as "24 to 27 LPA" works in text fields.

### What is the difference between CTC and in-hand salary?

CTC is the employer's total yearly cost, including benefits and variable pay. In-hand salary is what reaches your bank account each month, after income tax, your provident fund contribution and other deductions, so it is always lower than CTC divided by twelve.

### What should a fresher write for current CTC?

If you have never been employed, write "Not applicable (fresher)" where the field takes text, or 0 where it needs a number: both are accurate. If you were paid a stipend in an internship, you can mention it in a text field.

### Should I disclose my current CTC?

On most Indian application forms it is a required field and is commonly verified later, so give it accurately. You can separate fixed and variable pay to give the full picture.

### Is it OK to write "negotiable" for expected CTC?

It is acceptable in a free-text field, but a researched range is better: it shows you know the market and keeps you inside filters that need a number.

### Can I negotiate my notice period?

Often, yes: many employers agree to an earlier release, especially once work is handed over, and some allow a buyout. State the contractual period on the form and mention any flexibility you have actually agreed.

### What does "notice buyout" mean?

Paying your current employer, or having your new employer pay, for the unserved part of your notice period so you can leave early. Whether it is allowed depends on your contract and employer.