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Q.Which of the following items cannot be recorded in the capital account of partners if the capital accounts of partners are fixed ? (A) Drawings (B) Withdrawal of capital (C) Introduction of additional capital (D) Opening balance of capital

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2024MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★
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Fixed Capital Accounts: What Can and Cannot Be Recorded

When partners maintain fixed capital accounts, only the opening balance and permanent changes (additional capital introduced or capital withdrawn permanently) appear in the Capital Account. All other transactions — drawings, interest, salary, profit share — flow through the Current Account. The answer is (A) Drawings.


The Concept: Fixed vs. Fluctuating Capital

In partnership accounting, capital can be maintained under two methods:

1. Fluctuating Capital Method

A single Capital Account for each partner records everything: opening balance, additional capital, drawings, interest on capital, salary, commission, share of profit/loss, interest on drawings. The balance keeps changing (fluctuating) every year.

2. Fixed Capital Method

Each partner has two accounts:

  • Capital Account — records only the permanent capital: opening balance, any fresh capital introduced, and any capital withdrawn permanently. The balance remains fixed unless there is a deliberate change in the capital structure.
  • Current Account — records all operational items: drawings, interest on capital, salary, commission, share of profit/loss, interest on drawings. This account fluctuates.

The logic is simple: the Capital Account represents the partner's stake in the firm (what they have invested), while the Current Account tracks their running transactions with the firm.


Treatment of Each Item

Let's examine the four options:

(A) Drawings

Drawings are amounts withdrawn by a partner for personal use during the year. They are temporary reductions in what the partner is owed, not a permanent reduction in capital. Under the fixed capital method, drawings are debited to the Current Account, not the Capital Account.

Watch out

A common mistake is to confuse drawings with withdrawal of capital. Drawings are regular, operational withdrawals (salary, personal expenses); withdrawal of capital is a permanent reduction in the partner's investment, often requiring mutual consent and recorded in the Capital Account itself.

(B) Withdrawal of Capital

If a partner permanently reduces their capital (say, the partnership deed is amended and A's capital is reduced from ₹2,00,000 to ₹1,50,000), this is recorded in the Capital Account:

  • Debit A's Capital Account ₹50,000
  • Credit Cash/Bank ₹50,000

This can be recorded in the Capital Account because it is a structural change.

(C) Introduction of Additional Capital

When a partner brings in more capital (say, B introduces an additional ₹1,00,000), the entry is:

  • Debit Cash/Bank ₹1,00,000
  • Credit B's Capital Account ₹1,00,000

This can be recorded in the Capital Account — it increases the fixed capital.

(D) Opening Balance of Capital

The opening balance is the very foundation of the Capital Account. It must appear in the Capital Account as the starting figure.


The Answer

Under the fixed capital method, the Capital Account is reserved for:

  • Opening balance
  • Additional capital introduced
  • Capital withdrawn permanently

All other items — drawings, interest on capital, salary, commission, profit/loss share, interest on drawings — are routed through the Current Account.

Drawings are operational withdrawals, not a permanent change in capital. They cannot be recorded in the Capital Account when capitals are fixed.

✓Final answer

The correct answer is (A) Drawings. When partners maintain fixed capital accounts, drawings are recorded in the Current Account, not the Capital Account. Only the opening balance, additional capital introduced, and permanent withdrawal of capital appear in the fixed Capital Account.

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