Wondering how much you’ll actually take home in a government job? This calculator turns any Basic Pay into a complete salary breakdown — your monthly in-hand pay, your gross salary, and the full cost to the government — using the current 7th Pay Commission structure and the latest 60% Dearness Allowance (effective January 2026).

Whether you’re preparing for SSC, Banking, Railways, UPSC, State PSC or a Bihar/UP/other state exam, knowing the real salary of a post helps you set the right target and stay motivated through the grind.

How to use the calculator

1. Choose your pay level from the dropdown (or select Custom and type the Basic Pay yourself). Every 7th CPC level maps to a familiar post — for example Level 6 is Inspector/Sub-Inspector grade, and Level 7 is around teacher and Assistant Section Officer grade.
2. Select your city category (X, Y or Z). This sets your House Rent Allowance automatically.
3. Check the DA rate. It’s pre-filled at the current 60%. Update it whenever a new DA hike is announced.
4. Add any allowances — Transport Allowance and any medical or other allowance, if your post has them.
5. Pick your pension scheme — NPS, UPS or the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). This changes what’s deducted and what the government contributes.
6. Read your payslip. The tool shows earnings, deductions, your net in-hand salary, and the money going into your pension corpus — as a monthly figure or a yearly one.

What the three main numbers mean

Gross salary is everything you earn in a month before any deduction — Basic Pay plus DA, HRA and allowances.

In-hand (net) salary is what actually reaches your bank account, after your pension contribution, insurance, professional tax and income tax are taken out. This is the number most people care about.

Cost to Government (CTC) is the gross salary plus the government’s own contribution to your pension. It’s the total the department spends on you — usually higher than both your gross and your in-hand pay.

Understanding each part of a government salary

Basic Pay

The core figure fixed by your pay level in the 7th CPC pay matrix. Every other allowance is calculated as a percentage of it, so a higher Basic Pay lifts your entire salary.

Dearness Allowance (DA) — currently 60%

DA protects your salary against inflation and is revised twice a year (usually January and July). It is calculated as a percentage of Basic Pay. The rate rose to 60% from 1 January 2026. Because DA is charged on Basic Pay, it’s one of the biggest components of your gross salary.

House Rent Allowance (HRA)

HRA depends on where you’re posted. Since DA has crossed 50%, the HRA slabs have moved up to:

City category	Rate	Typical examples
X (metro)	30%	Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune
Y (larger cities)	20%	Most state capitals and bigger cities
Z (other areas)	10%	Smaller towns and rural postings

Transport Allowance

A fixed allowance to cover commuting, which varies by pay level and city. DA is also payable on Transport Allowance, so the calculator adds that on top when you enter a TA amount.

Deductions

• NPS / UPS contribution — under the contributory schemes you pay 10% of (Basic + DA) every month.
• Group Insurance (GIS/CGEGIS) — a small monthly premium that depends on your group/cadre.
• Professional tax — levied by some states, capped at ₹2,500 a year (about ₹200 a month).
• Income tax (TDS) — deducted based on your total income and your chosen tax regime.

Government (employer) contribution

On top of your salary, the government adds to your pension corpus — 14% of (Basic + DA) under NPS, or 18.5% under the newer Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). This isn’t deducted from you; it’s extra money invested for your retirement, which is why it appears in the Cost to Government figure.

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7th CPC pay levels and entry Basic Pay

Level	Entry Basic Pay	Example posts
Level 1	₹18,000	MTS, Peon
Level 2	₹19,900	LDC
Level 3	₹21,700	Constable
Level 4	₹25,500	Stenographer, JE grade
Level 5	₹29,200	Senior clerk
Level 6	₹35,400	Inspector, Sub-Inspector, AAO
Level 7	₹44,900	Assistant Section Officer, teacher
Level 8	₹47,600	Section Officer
Level 9	₹53,100	Under Secretary grade
Level 10	₹56,100	Group A entry (IAS/IPS and allied)
Level 11	₹67,700	—
Level 12	₹78,800	—
Level 13	₹1,23,100	—
Level 13A	₹1,31,100	—
Level 14	₹1,44,200	—

The formulas used

DA               = Basic × DA%            (DA% is currently 60)
HRA              = Basic × HRA%           (30% / 20% / 10% by city)
Gross salary     = Basic + DA + HRA + Transport + other allowances

NPS/UPS (you)    = 10% × (Basic + DA)
Govt share       = 14% × (Basic + DA)     (18.5% under UPS)

In-hand salary   = Gross − (your NPS/UPS + GIS + professional tax + income tax)
Cost to Govt     = Gross + Govt share

NPS vs UPS vs OPS — which pension scheme?

NPS (National Pension System) is the default for most employees who joined on or after 1 January 2004. You contribute 10% of Basic + DA, the government adds 14%, and the pooled amount is invested — your final pension depends on the market value at retirement.

UPS (Unified Pension Scheme), available from 1 April 2025, keeps your 10% contribution but raises the government’s share to 18.5% and promises an assured pension, giving more certainty than NPS.

OPS (Old Pension Scheme) applies to older employees. There’s no monthly pension deduction from your salary — the pension is a fixed, defined benefit paid after retirement. That’s why in-hand pay looks higher under OPS in the calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between in-hand salary and gross salary? Gross salary is your total earnings before deductions. In-hand salary is what’s left after your pension contribution, insurance, professional tax and income tax are removed — the amount that actually reaches your bank account.

What is the current DA rate for government employees? DA is 60% of Basic Pay, effective 1 January 2026. It’s revised roughly every six months in line with inflation, so it changes over time. Update the DA field in the calculator whenever a new rate is announced.

How much HRA will I get? It depends on your posting city — 30% of Basic in X (metro) cities, 20% in Y cities, and 10% in Z areas. These raised slabs apply because DA has crossed 50%.

What gets deducted from a government salary? Typically your NPS or UPS contribution (10% of Basic + DA), Group Insurance (GIS), professional tax where your state charges it, and income tax (TDS). OPS employees don’t have a monthly pension deduction.

Is the government’s NPS contribution part of my salary? No. It’s an extra amount the government invests into your pension corpus on top of your salary — it isn’t deducted from you and doesn’t appear in your in-hand pay. It’s included in the Cost to Government figure.

What is Cost to Government (CTC)? It’s your gross salary plus the government’s pension contribution — the total the department spends on your post. It’s normally higher than your in-hand salary.

How accurate is this calculator? It gives a close, realistic estimate using standard 7th CPC rules. Exact figures for professional tax, GIS, income tax and specific allowances vary by state, department and cadre, so always confirm against your official pay slip once you’re appointed.

Will the 8th Pay Commission change these numbers? Yes, eventually. The calculator uses the 7th CPC pay matrix and current DA, which remain the working basis until the 8th Pay Commission’s recommendations are officially implemented. Once new pay levels and a revised structure are notified, the figures will change.

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Disclaimer: These figures are indicative estimates provided for guidance and planning only. For anything official — pay, allowances, deductions or eligibility — always verify against the respective department’s or commission’s official notification and your appointment order. GovAdmit is an independent portal and is not affiliated with any government agency, nor responsible for decisions made on the basis of this calculator.