Your CTC vs In-hand! Most employees get confused when they receive their first payslip because the amount is much lower than expected. This happens because people don't understand the difference between CTC, gross salary, and take-home salary. CTC stands for Cost to Company - it's the total amount your employer spends on you annually. This includes your gross salary plus various benefits, allowances, and employer contributions. Gross salary is your actual salary before any deductions like income