Per day salary calculation is the monthly salary divided by the number of days you count the month as. Businesses in India use one of three bases. The 26-day basis leaves out the four Sundays, so a ₹15,000 salary is ₹576.92 a day. The 30-day basis treats every month as 30 days, so the same salary is ₹500 a day. The calendar basis uses the actual days in that month, 28 to 31, so the day rate changes month to month: ₹483.87 in a 31-day October and ₹535.71 in a 28-day February. One absent day in October therefore cuts ₹576.92, ₹500 or ₹483.87 from the same person's pay, depending only on the basis you chose. None of the three is wrong. What matters is that you pick one, write it in the appointment letter or staff rules, and use it for everyone every month. The worked examples below cover absent days, half days, paid leave and the hourly rate for overtime.
Key Highlights
- Per day salary is monthly salary ÷ 26, ÷ 30 or ÷ the days in the month: on ₹15,000 that is ₹576.92, ₹500 or ₹483.87 in October.
- A half day is half the day rate on the same basis, so ₹288.46, ₹250 or ₹241.94 on a ₹15,000 salary in October.
- Approved paid leave is paid like a working day, so it never reduces the month's salary on any basis.
In This Article
- The three bases side by side
- An absent day, a half day and paid leave
- What happens in February and in 31-day months
- From the day rate to an hourly rate
- Which basis to choose
- How the app counts the month
- Frequently Asked Questions
The three bases side by side
| Basis | Divide monthly salary by | Day rate on ₹15,000 | What it assumes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 days | 26 | ₹576.92 | Sundays are weekly offs and are paid as part of the month |
| 30 days | 30 | ₹500.00 | Every month is the same length |
| Calendar month | 28, 29, 30 or 31 | ₹483.87 in October, ₹500.00 in November, ₹535.71 in February | Each day of the month is worth the same |
The 26-day basis gives the highest day rate, so absences cost the most. The calendar basis gives the lowest day rate in long months. The 30-day basis keeps the figure fixed, which is easy to explain at the counter.
An absent day, a half day and paid leave
Take Ramesh on ₹15,000 a month in October 2026, a 31-day month with four Sundays.
| October, ₹15,000 salary | 26 days | 30 days | Calendar (31) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full month present | ₹15,000.00 | ₹15,000.00 | ₹15,000.00 |
| 1 absent day | ₹14,423.08 | ₹14,500.00 | ₹14,516.13 |
| 1 half day | ₹14,711.54 | ₹14,750.00 | ₹14,758.06 |
| 2 absent days | ₹13,846.15 | ₹14,000.00 | ₹14,032.26 |
| 1 paid leave day | ₹15,000.00 | ₹15,000.00 | ₹15,000.00 |
The working for one absent day on the calendar basis is ₹15,000 − 1 × ₹15,000 ÷ 31 = ₹14,516.13. Write it that way on the payslip, so the person can check it. A half day is half the day rate, so ₹15,000 − ₹483.87 ÷ 2 = ₹14,758.06.
Paid leave is a day the person did not come in but is still paid for. As long as the leave was approved and they have paid leave left for the year, the salary stays at ₹15,000.
What happens in February and in 31-day months
On the calendar basis, the day rate moves with the month. One absent day in February 2027 (28 days) costs ₹535.71. One absent day in October costs ₹483.87. Staff sometimes notice that the same absence cost more in February, and that is the basis working as intended.
On the 30-day basis the cut is ₹500 in every month. On the 26-day basis it is ₹576.92 in every month, even though a 31-day month with four Sundays has 27 working days. Someone present all 27 days still gets ₹15,000, not more.
From the day rate to an hourly rate
Overtime and hourly pay start from the day rate. On the 26-day basis with an 8-hour day, ₹576.92 ÷ 8 = ₹72.12 an hour. Overtime is paid at not less than twice the normal rate under the Code on Wages, 2019, which makes ₹144.23 for each overtime hour in this example. The full working, including weekly-off overtime and late fines, is in our guide to the overtime calculation formula.
Which basis to choose
- Follow what you already promised. If the appointment letter or staff rules name a basis, use it.
- Use one basis for everyone. Mixing bases between two people doing the same job causes arguments on salary day.
- Think about the weekly off. The 26-day basis fits a six-day week with Sunday off. A business open seven days with rotating offs often prefers 30 days or the calendar month.
- Ask your CA once. Deductions for absence have to stay in proportion to the time absent under the Code on Wages, and your state's rules can matter. A short check before the first month avoids rework.
Daily-wage workers are counted differently, by paid days times the day rate. See our daily wage salary calculation guide, and the daily wage salary app page for how daily and piece-rate pay is worked out. If you prefer Hinglish, the same examples are in salary kaise calculate kare.
How the app counts the month
In Takkada's Staff and Payroll add-on you choose how a month's salary is counted: calendar month, 30 days or 26 days. The app then works out every salary for the month from attendance, overtime, fines, bonus, advances and deductions, and shows the working for every line, such as "₹15,000 − 1 day × ₹15,000 ÷ 31". You can see salary so far at any point in the month and confirm it on the last day, when the month locks. That is how you work out every salary from attendance without a calculator.
For the full checklist, read what to look for in payroll for a Tally business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is salary calculated on 26 or 30 days?
A: Either, depending on what your business has chosen. The 26-day basis leaves out Sundays and gives ₹576.92 a day on ₹15,000; the 30-day basis gives ₹500 a day. Some businesses use the actual days in the month instead. Pick one, write it down and use it for every staff member.
Q: How to calculate salary for absent days?
A: Work out the day rate on your basis, multiply it by the absent days and subtract it from the monthly salary. On ₹15,000 in a 31-day month on the calendar basis, 2 absent days cost 2 × ₹483.87 = ₹967.74, so the salary is ₹14,032.26. Approved paid leave is not counted as absent.
Q: How is half day salary calculated?
A: A half day is half the day rate on the same basis. On ₹15,000 that is ₹288.46 on 26 days, ₹250 on 30 days and ₹241.94 in a 31-day month. Two half days cost the same as one absent day.
Q: Is Sunday counted in the monthly salary?
A: Yes, for monthly-paid staff the weekly off is paid as part of the month on every basis. On the 26-day basis Sundays are left out of the divisor but the full ₹15,000 still covers them. Daily-wage workers are different: they are usually paid only for the days they work and their paid leave, so check your agreement and your state's rules.
Takkada's Staff and Payroll add-on counts the month the way you choose and shows the working on every payslip. It is switched on for each company separately; message us on WhatsApp to see it on your own staff.