Differences between Provision and Reserves

Book keeping -1984, 1987, 1988, 1995 (Most Important question)

Differences between

Provision	Reserves
1.       Meaning: Provide for a future expected liability.	1.       Meaning: Retain a part of profit for future use.
2.       Charge against profit.  That means Provision is created before arriving Profit/Loss. That is Debiting the P&L A/c	2.       Appropriation of profit.  That means Reserve is created after arriving the profit only. That is debiting P&L Appropriation A/c
3.       Provides for known liabilities and anticipated losses. Example:  Reserve for Bad & Doubtful Debts (RBDD)	3.       Provides for increase in capital employed.  Example: Reserve for creation of Capital Asset/General Reserve
4.       Presence of profit is not required to create Provision	4.       Profit must be present for the creation of reserves.
5.       In case of assets it is shown as a deduction from the concerned asset while if it is a provision for liability, it is shown in the liabilities side.	5.       Shown on the liabilities side.
6.       Dividend can never be paid out of provisions.	6.       Dividend can be paid out of reserves.
7.       Provisions can only be used, for which they are created.	7.       Reserves can be used for any use as per the decision of Management.

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Differences between Government & Commercial Accounts

      Are the Government Accounts and Commercial Accounts are same or not?  If not explain the differences between both with the backdrop of Indian Railways ? 

      The Indian Railways is a departmental commercial undertaking of the Government of India. That means on one side, It performs as departmental functions like other Government depts such as Defence, Finance, CPWD, etc and on other side act as Commercial undertaking since Railways manufacture and sells the perishable commodity "TRANSPORT".  Hence the accounts of Indian Railways should comply the Government Accounts as well as Commercial Accounts.

       To achieve this distinguishing accomplishment,  Indian Railways has performing dual role of maintaining  the both sets of Accounts with the help of Four suspense Heads i.e., 1. Demands Payable (DP) 2. Labour  3. Traffic Account  4. Demands Recoverable.  These are called "LINK HEADS", since the same are linking Government accounts and Commercial Accounts.  The discussion on LINK HEADS will be discussed separately in the same blog.

      The following features are the differences between Government accounts and Commercial Accounts.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS	COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS
1. Government Accounts are maintained on CASH basis. It accounts Actual cash receipts and actual cash payments during the financial year.	A.  In Commercial Accounts, ACCRUAL is the basis. That means Accrued earnings, whether realised or not, and the liabilities incurred, whether actually disbursed or not.   In the above example,
2. The Govt. Accounts are technically known as "FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS"  and maintained in accordance with the requirements of Government Accounts.  These accounts compiled annually for the purpose of representing a Consolidated Fund duly classified under the heads of accounts prescribed for Government accounting system.	B.  The Commercial Accounts are technically knows as "CAPITAL AND REVENUE ACCOUNTS".   These accounts facilitate a review of finances of the Railway as Commercial undertaking.  These are compiled every and included in the Annual Report of the Railway.
3. Mostly Government Accounts are maintained on Single entry system.	C. Commercial Accounts are maintained on Double entry system. (For every Debit, there is equivalent Credit existed)
4. Government prepares Accounts of its incomings and outgoings only. (Not Profit & Loss A/c and Balance Sheet, since it is not commercial oriented)	D. Commercial firms prepares Profit & Loss A/c and Balance Sheet to know how much profit they earned during the year and what is their position (Assets and Liabilities) at the end of the year.
E. Government Accounts are designed "How little money it (Govt) need to take out of the pocket of the tax payer (citizen) in order to maintain its necessary activities i.e., welfare of the people, defence of the country etc".	E. Commercial Accounts are designed to show how much money the firm can put into the pockets of the owner/business in the form of Profit.

Differences between Gross Receipts and Gross Earnings

1989 (wo), 1990 (wo) & 1995 (w) - 5 marks

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

S.N.	Gross Receipts	Gross Earnings
1	Actual is the basis	Accrual is the basis.
2	Actually realized during the accounting period i.e., financial year. (irrespective of pertaining to previous year or next year)	Accrued during the accounting period i.e., financial year ( irrespective of whether actually realized or not)
3	Represents Gross earnings plus Traffic Suspense.	Represents Coaching Earnings plus Goods Earnings plus Sundry Earnings ( less refunds)
4	Conforms Government accounts	Conforms Commercial Accounts

Differences between Dividend and Interest

                             (2016 Books & Budget- Without Books -5 marks)

                                                                                                Differences between

Dividend	Interest
1. It is the return paid by the organisation to its owners/shareholders for the capital invested by them	1. It is the charge paid to the Lender at specified rate and intervals , for the use of money.
2.  Appropriation of Profit.  That means it is distributed to the shareholders/owners only, if profit is available.	2. Charge against Profit.  That means irrespective of profit available or not, it is an expense.
3. Paid to Shareholders/Owners	3. Paid to the Lenders/Creditors/Debenture Holders
4. It is not fixed.  It is depends on the available of profit after charging all legitimate expenses and at the discretion of Management.	4. It is fixed and paid at regular intervals as agreed mutually by the Lender & Borrower.
5. Not eligible for tax deduction	5.Eligible for tax deduction.
6. It is not a expense to the Organization	6. It is an expense to the Organization
7.There is no liability on the Organization, If payment of Dividend is not made.	7. If payment of interest is not made, the Organization will face legal consequences.

Book keeping paper - Important questions - Differences between

Important Differences between questions

in Advanced Book keeping paper of Appendix 3 Exam

Note:

A very commendable effort by Shri Satbir Singh , Bhopal in compiling the Distinguished questions in Advanced Book Keeping paper. 

4 times Asked

1.      Equity shares and preference shares-1989, 1994, 1995, 1996

2.      Provision and reserves -1984, 1987, 1988, 1995

3 times asked

1.      Bill of exchange and promissory note-1986, 1991, 1997

2.      Consignment and sale-1987, 1989, 1997

3.      Fixed assets and current assets-1994, 1996, 2004

4.      Shares and debentures-1997, 2000, 2006

2 times asked

1.      Amalgamation and absorption-1986, 1988

2.      Bad debts and doubtful debts-1983, 2004

3.      Capital and revenue expenditure-1991, 2000

4.      Debentures and preference shares-1983, 1987

5.      Joint venture and partnership-2001, 2004

6.      Fixed and floation assets-1991, 1997

7.      Memorandum of association and articles of association-2001, 2006

8.      Good will and royalty-1986, 1989

9.      Ledger and journal-1995,  2016

10.  Renewal of bill and retiring a bill-1996, 2001

11.  Straight line method and diminishing balance method of providing depreciation-2000, 2006

12.  Trade discount and cash discount-1988, 1997

13.  Wasting and fictitious assets-1987, 1989

1 time asked

1.      Accrual and cash basis of accounting-1988

2.      Bonus shares and right shares-1984

3.      Business entity concept and going concern concept-1996

4.      Capital expenditure and capitalized expenditure-1984

5.      Capital receipts and revenue receipts-1988

6.      Carriage inward and carriage outwards-2004

7.      Cash credit and over draft-1986

8.      Consignment account and joint venture accounts.-1983

9.      Consignment and joint venture-2000

10.  Convertible debentures and redeemable debentures-2001

11.  Current ratio and acid test ratio-2000

12.  Current ratio and quick ratio-1989

13.  Debit note and credit note-1980

14.  Dividend and interest-2006

15.  Errors of principle and compensatory errors-1997

16.  Fifo and lifo method of inventory valuation-1988

17.  Financial and cost accounting-1995

18.  Fixed capital and working capital-1994

19.  Hire purchase and installment system-2006

20.  Issue of debentures at prememium and issue of debentures at discount-1980

21.  Limited company and partnership-1980

22.  Nominal capital and paid-up capital-1980

23.  Partnership concern and joint stock company-1995

24.  Preference and deferred shares-1991

25.  Private limited and public limited company-2006

26.  Promissory note and bill of exchange-1994

27.  Receipt and payment account and income and expenditure account-2001

28.  Reserve fund and capital reserve-1994

29.  Reserve fund and dividend equalisation fund-1983

30.  Revenue expenditure and deferred revenue expenditure-1984

31.  Revenue fund and sinking fund-1991

32.  Sale and consignment-2001

33.  Single entry and double entry system-2004

34.  Trade bill and accommodation bill-1995

35.  Trade discount and quantity discount-1983

36.  Trade mark and patent rights-1989

37.  Trading account and p&l account-2004

38.  Trial balance and balance sheet-2000

for PDF version, click below

Book keeping - Important questions - Distinguish between

    

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