Dividend alert! Last day to buy NTPC, GAIL and 11 other stocks to qualify for dividend payouts

Under Sebi's T+1 settlement cycle, investors need to purchase a company's shares at least one trading day before the record date to ensure the shares are credited to their demat accounts in time, and they become eligible for the corporate action. Accordingly, today is the last opportunity for investors to buy the shares so that they are credited to their accounts by the record date (September 2), making them eligible for the dividend.