Face value (or par value) is the nominal value assigned to a share in a company's records — commonly ₹1, ₹2, ₹5 or ₹10. It is an accounting figure fixed at issuance and has little to do with what the share is actually worth in the market.
Why it matters to you
Face value is the base for several corporate actions you care about as an unlisted-share holder. A stock split changes the face value (a ₹10 share split into ten ₹1 shares); a bonus issue is credited at face value; and dividends are sometimes declared as a percentage of face value. Knowing it helps you interpret these events correctly.
Example: A "200% dividend" sounds huge but, on a ₹10 face value, means just ₹20 per share. Don't confuse face value with book value or market price.