u/Yoyo_Bantai-Rapper

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice because this situation doesn't seem right to me.

Here's the timeline:

- I joined an IT company as an intern for 6 months with ₹0 stipend.

- After completing the internship, I was offered a full-time role as a Software Engineer.

- My Software Engineer offer letter does not mention NATS, apprenticeship, DBT, or any salary adjustment related to a Government scheme.

- A few months later, the company enrolled our entire batch (around 58 employees) under the NATS scheme.

- Since then, the Government has been crediting ₹4,500/month (DBT) directly to our bank accounts.

- At the same time, the company deducts ₹4,500 from our salary every month. On the payslip, it's shown as "Performance Linked Incentive Deduction."

When I asked HR why this deduction is happening, they replied that it's just an "adjustment" of the DBT amount and part of their compliance process. They also said this had been communicated earlier.

The problem is:

- I don't remember receiving any written communication or signing any document agreeing to this.

- My offer letter doesn't mention this arrangement.

- From my perspective, it feels like the Government is paying ₹4,500, but instead of us receiving that benefit, the company is reducing our salary by the exact same amount.

My questions are:

1. Is this a common practice under NATS?

2. Can a company legally deduct the exact Government DBT amount from a full-time employee's salary?

3. Has anyone else experienced something similar?

4. Should we ask for the policy or employment clause that authorises this deduction?

5. If this isn't normal, what would be the appropriate next step?

I'm not trying to accuse the company of anything, I genuinely want to understand whether this is a standard NATS practice or something that should be questioned.

Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.