Central government posts, including SSC and railway jobs, are paid on the 7th CPC pay matrix. Each post sits in a pay level, and the level decides your starting basic pay: ₹18,000 at Level 1 up to ₹56,100 at Level 10.
Entry pay at each level
These figures are from the CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016, as printed in the Gazette. Each level has 40 cells. You start in the first cell, and each annual increment moves you one cell up, about 3% more, rounded to the nearest ₹100.
| Level | Entry basic pay | Cell 40 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₹18,000 | ₹56,900 |
| 2 | ₹19,900 | ₹63,200 |
| 3 | ₹21,700 | ₹69,100 |
| 4 | ₹25,500 | ₹81,100 |
| 5 | ₹29,200 | ₹92,300 |
| 6 | ₹35,400 | ₹1,12,400 |
| 7 | ₹44,900 | ₹1,42,400 |
| 8 | ₹47,600 | ₹1,51,100 |
| 9 | ₹53,100 | ₹1,67,800 |
| 10 | ₹56,100 | ₹1,77,500 |
Which level is your post?
From the post tables in the latest notices:
| Exam (notice) | Post | Level |
|---|---|---|
| SSC CGL 2026 | Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer | 8 |
| SSC CGL 2026 | Assistant Section Officer; Inspector (Income Tax, CBIC, Posts, CBN); Sub-Inspector CBI; Assistant Enforcement Officer | 7 |
| SSC CGL 2026 | Junior Statistical Officer; Executive Assistant; Divisional Accountant; SI NIA; Statistical Investigator Gr-II | 6 |
| SSC CGL 2026 | Auditor; Accountant / Junior Accountant | 5 |
| SSC CGL 2026 | Postal / Sorting Assistant; UDC / SSA; Tax Assistant; Senior Administrative Assistant; SI CBN | 4 |
| SSC CHSL 2026 | Data Entry Operator | 4 or 5, by post |
| SSC CHSL 2026 | LDC / Junior Secretariat Assistant | 2 |
| SSC CPO 2026 | Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and CAPFs | 6 |
| SSC JE 2026 | Junior Engineer (all posts) | 6 |
| SSC GD 2026 | Constable (GD); Rifleman (GD) | 3 |
| SSC MTS 2025 | Multi-Tasking Staff; Havaldar | 1 |
| RRB NTPC Graduate (CEN 06/2026) | Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor | 6 |
| RRB NTPC Graduate (CEN 06/2026) | Goods Train Manager; Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist; Senior Clerk cum Typist | 5 |
| RRB NTPC Under Graduate (CEN 07/2026) | Commercial cum Ticket Clerk | 3 |
| RRB NTPC Under Graduate (CEN 07/2026) | Accounts Clerk cum Typist; Junior Clerk cum Typist; Trains Clerk | 2 |
| RRB ALP (CEN 01/2026) | Assistant Loco Pilot | 2 |
| RRB JE (CEN 04/2026) | Junior Engineer and Depot Material Superintendent | 6 |
| RRB Group D (CEN 09/2025) | All posts | 1 |
The same exam can lead to very different pay. SSC CGL 2026 posts range from Level 4 to Level 8, so the post you rank high in your preferences matters.
Basic pay is not your salary
Your monthly pay is basic pay plus allowances. Allowance rates change by government order, so check the latest one:
- Dearness Allowance (DA): a percentage of basic pay, revised from time to time. Our data shows 63% from 1 July 2026; confirm it in the latest Department of Expenditure order.
- House Rent Allowance (HRA): 30%, 20% or 10% of basic pay in X, Y and Z class cities, the rates since DA reached 50%. This too should be checked against the current order.
- Transport Allowance (TA): a fixed amount that depends on your level and city, with DA added on it.
Deductions such as pension contribution and income tax then come off the gross amount, so in-hand pay is lower than the gross.
Things to keep in mind
- Pay levels come from that year's notice. Always check the post table in your own notice.
- Where you are posted changes HRA and TA, so two people at the same level can get different gross pay.
- These are 7th CPC figures. When a new pay commission's matrix comes into effect, the numbers will change.
What to do next
See every cell on the pay matrix page, estimate your gross pay with the salary calculator, and check age and education rules in the eligibility finder.