Nifty 50 grew from ~1,000 (2003) to ~22,000+ (2025) — a 22x increase.
Getting Started
Need: PAN, bank account, demat+trading account. Brokers: Zerodha (₹0 delivery), Groww, Angel One. Account opening: 15-30 min with eKYC.
Basics
Stock = ownership share. NSE and BSE are India's exchanges. Nifty 50 = top 50 companies. Sensex = top 30.
Start Simple
80-90% in Nifty 50 index fund via SIP. Add individual stocks (10-20%) after 6-12 months of learning. If picking stocks: 10-15 across sectors, profitable companies, hold 3+ years.
Mistakes to Avoid
1. Trading (90% lose money) — invest long-term instead. 2. Following WhatsApp tips. 3. Panic selling during crashes. 4. No diversification. 5. Trying to time the market.
Tax
STCG (<1yr): 20%. LTCG (>1yr): 12.5% above ₹1.25L. Harvest ₹1.25L LTCG annually tax-free. Use [Stock Average Calculator](/calculators/stock-average-calculator) and [XIRR Calculator](/calculators/xirr-calculator).