SSC CGL Salary 2026: Quick Answer
SSC CGL 2026 posts are in Pay Level 4 to Pay Level 8 of the 7th CPC pay matrix, so the starting basic pay is ₹25,500 to ₹47,600 a month, as printed in the SSC CGL 2026 notice. Add Dearness Allowance at 60% (rate in force from 01.01.2026), HRA of 30%, 20% or 10% depending on the city, and Transport Allowance. Roughly, that works out to a gross of about ₹46,000 to ₹96,000 a month and an in-hand of about ₹42,000 to ₹89,000 before income tax.
Key takeaway: The pay level and starting basic pay below are official. The gross and in-hand figures are our approximate calculations using official rates; your actual pay slip will differ with your city, your joining date, your department's own allowances and tax.
SSC CGL Post-Wise Salary (Pay Level From the Official Notice)
| Pay Level (basic pay range) | Posts in CGL 2026 (as listed in Para 2 of the notice) | Group |
|---|---|---|
| Level 8 (₹47,600 to ₹1,51,100) | Assistant Audit Officer (Central and State cadre), Assistant Accounts Officer (State cadre) in IA&AD under C&AG | B Gazetted |
| Level 7 (₹44,900 to ₹1,42,400) | Assistant Section Officer (CSS, IB, Railways, MEA, AFHQ, MeitY, other ministries), Inspector of Income Tax (CBDT), Inspector (Central Excise / Preventive Officer / Examiner) (CBIC), Assistant Enforcement Officer (ED), Sub Inspector (CBI), Inspector Posts, Inspector (CBN) | B |
| Level 6 (₹35,400 to ₹1,12,400) | Assistant/ASO (other ministries), Executive Assistant (CBIC), Research Assistant (NHRC), Divisional Accountant (C&AG), Sub Inspector (NIA), SI/Junior Intelligence Officer (NCB), Junior Statistical Officer, Statistical Investigator Grade-II, Office Superintendent (CBDT), Section Head (DGFT) | B |
| Level 5 (₹29,200 to ₹92,300) | Auditor (C&AG, CGDA, other departments), Accountant (C&AG, CGA), Accountant/Junior Accountant (other departments) | C |
| Level 4 (₹25,500 to ₹81,100) | Postal/Sorting Assistant, Senior Secretariat Assistant/UDC, Senior Administrative Assistant (MES), Tax Assistant (CBDT and CBIC), Sub-Inspector (CBN) | C |
The starting basic pay is the first figure of each range. You join at that figure in your level, and annual increments move you up the cells of the same level.
SSC CGL Salary Components in 2026
| Component | Rate in October 2026 | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pay | First cell of your pay level (above) | CGL 2026 notice, Para 2 |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | 60% of basic pay, from 01.01.2026 | PIB, Cabinet decision of 18.04.2026; DoE OM 22.04.2026 |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) | 30% (X city), 20% (Y city), 10% (Z city) of basic, because DA has crossed 50% | DoE OM No. 2/5/2017-E.II(B), 07.07.2017 |
| Transport Allowance (TA), Levels 3 to 8 | ₹3,600 + DA in the cities listed in the TA order; ₹1,800 + DA at all other places | DoE OM No. 21/5/2017-E.II(B), 07.07.2017 |
| NPS deduction | Employee 10% of (basic + DA); Government adds 14% | PFRDA, NPS for Central Government |
Dearness Allowance for SSC CGL employees (status on 20 October 2026)
The Union Cabinet on 18 April 2026 raised DA by 2% over the existing 58%, so DA is 60% of basic pay with effect from 1 January 2026, and the Department of Expenditure issued the order on 22 April 2026. DA is revised twice a year (instalments due from 1 January and 1 July). As of 20 October 2026 we could find no PIB release or Department of Expenditure order for the instalment due from 1 July 2026, so we use 60%. When the July 2026 instalment is announced, add the new percentage of basic to the DA row.
HRA by city class (X, Y, Z)
The 7th CPC HRA order of 7 July 2017 set HRA at 24/16/8% and said it would rise to 27/18/9% when DA crosses 25% and to 30/20/10% when DA crosses 50%. DA reached 50% from 1 January 2024 (DoE OM of 12.03.2024) and is 60% now, so the 30/20/10 rates apply. Examples from the order's annexure: X includes Delhi, Greater Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Pune; Y includes cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Bhopal, Chandigarh and Dehradun; every city or town not listed as X or Y is Z (for example, the order lists no X or Y city in Himachal Pradesh). If you get government housing, you do not get HRA.
SSC CGL In-Hand Salary 2026 (Approximate, Worked Examples)
How we calculated (approximate): basic pay (first cell) + DA 60% + HRA + TA with DA. Deduction shown: NPS 10% of (basic + DA). Not deducted: income tax, professional tax (state-wise), CGEGIS and any department-specific deduction. Not added: department-specific allowances, such as special duty or uniform allowances.
SSC CGL salary per month in an X city (higher TA rate)
| Pay Level | Basic | DA 60% | HRA 30% | TA (₹3,600 + DA) | Gross (approx) | NPS 10% | In-hand before tax (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 8 | ₹47,600 | ₹28,560 | ₹14,280 | ₹5,760 | ₹96,200 | ₹7,616 | ₹88,584 |
| Level 7 | ₹44,900 | ₹26,940 | ₹13,470 | ₹5,760 | ₹91,070 | ₹7,184 | ₹83,886 |
| Level 6 | ₹35,400 | ₹21,240 | ₹10,620 | ₹5,760 | ₹73,020 | ₹5,664 | ₹67,356 |
| Level 5 | ₹29,200 | ₹17,520 | ₹8,760 | ₹5,760 | ₹61,240 | ₹4,672 | ₹56,568 |
| Level 4 | ₹25,500 | ₹15,300 | ₹7,650 | ₹5,760 | ₹54,210 | ₹4,080 | ₹50,130 |
SSC CGL salary in a Y city and a Z city (lower TA rate)
The higher TA rate applies only in the cities named in the TA order, so these tables use the "other places" rate of ₹1,800 + DA = ₹2,880.
| Pay Level | Gross, Y city (HRA 20%) | In-hand, Y city (approx) | Gross, Z city (HRA 10%) | In-hand, Z city (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 8 | ₹88,560 | ₹80,944 | ₹83,800 | ₹76,184 |
| Level 7 | ₹83,700 | ₹76,516 | ₹79,210 | ₹72,026 |
| Level 6 | ₹66,600 | ₹60,936 | ₹63,060 | ₹57,396 |
| Level 5 | ₹55,440 | ₹50,768 | ₹52,520 | ₹47,848 |
| Level 4 | ₹48,780 | ₹44,700 | ₹46,230 | ₹42,150 |
Worked example (Level 7, Inspector of Income Tax posted in Delhi): basic ₹44,900; DA 60% = ₹26,940; HRA 30% = ₹13,470; TA = ₹3,600 + 60% of ₹3,600 = ₹5,760. Gross = 44,900 + 26,940 + 13,470 + 5,760 = ₹91,070. NPS = 10% of (44,900 + 26,940) = ₹7,184. In-hand before income tax ≈ ₹83,886.
Worked example (Level 4, Tax Assistant in a Z-class town): basic ₹25,500; DA ₹15,300; HRA 10% = ₹2,550; TA = ₹1,800 + 60% = ₹2,880. Gross = ₹46,230; NPS ₹4,080; in-hand before tax ≈ ₹42,150.
Government's own NPS contribution (14% of basic + DA) is paid into your pension account on top of these figures. It does not show up in take-home pay.
SSC CGL Salary After 8th Pay Commission (Status in October 2026)
- The Cabinet approved the Terms of Reference of the 8th Central Pay Commission on 28 October 2025. The Commission has a Chairperson, one part-time Member and a Member-Secretary, and must give its recommendations within 18 months of its constitution (PIB release). The Terms of Reference resolution is dated 03.11.2025 on the 8th CPC website.
- The PIB release adds that pay commissions are usually implemented every ten years and that, going by that trend, the effect of the 8th CPC "would normally be expected from 01.01.2026". That is a statement of the usual pattern, not a decision.
- In its Lok Sabha reply of 10 August 2026 (Unstarred Question 3571), the Finance Ministry said the 8th CPC had not yet submitted its recommendations. As of 20 October 2026 no report, new pay matrix, fitment factor or new salary for CGL posts has been notified. Any "8th Pay Commission CGL salary" figure you see online is a guess.
Until a new pay matrix is notified, every CGL salary is paid on the 7th CPC matrix plus DA, as shown above.
SSC CGL Salary Structure: What Else Comes With the Job
- Pension: central government employees who joined on or after 1 January 2004 are covered under NPS (PFRDA; contribution figures above).
- Post-specific allowances: some departments pay extra allowances on top of the common ones. They differ by post and are not part of the SSC notice, so we have not added them.
- Probation and confirmation: for AAO/AAcO, the notice (Para 8.1.1.3) says direct recruits must pass the "Subordinate Audit/Accounts Service Examination" during probation for confirmation.
- Physical standards: Inspector (CBIC), Inspector and SI (CBN), SI/JIO (NCB), SI (CBI, NIA) and some UDC posts have physical and medical standards, checked by the department after selection (notice, Note-II under Para 2).
Highest Paid SSC CGL Post
Assistant Audit Officer and Assistant Accounts Officer are the only CGL posts at Level 8 (₹47,600 starting basic), so they have the highest starting pay. Among Level 7 posts (₹44,900 basic), ASO, Income Tax Inspector, CBIC Inspector, CBI SI and Assistant Enforcement Officer start on the same basic pay. Their in-hand differs mainly by city and department allowances, not by the pay matrix.
SSC CGL Salary FAQs
What is the SSC CGL salary per month in hand?
About ₹42,000 (Level 4, Z city) to about ₹89,000 (Level 8, X city) before income tax in October 2026, using DA at 60%. These are our approximate calculations from official rates.
What is the basic pay of SSC CGL ASO?
ASO is in Pay Level 7, so the starting basic pay is ₹44,900 (range ₹44,900 to ₹1,42,400), as per the CGL 2026 notice. For ASO in "other ministries" listed at Level 6, the starting basic is ₹35,400.
What is the SSC CGL Tax Assistant salary?
Tax Assistant (CBDT and CBIC) is Pay Level 4: starting basic ₹25,500. Approximate gross is ₹54,210 in an X city with the higher TA rate and ₹46,230 in a Z town.
What is the current DA for SSC CGL employees?
60% of basic pay from 1 January 2026 (Cabinet decision of 18 April 2026). The July 2026 instalment had not been announced as of 20 October 2026.
When will the 8th Pay Commission increase SSC CGL salary?
There is no date yet. The 8th CPC was given 18 months from its constitution to report, and it had not reported as of 20 October 2026. No fitment factor has been fixed.
Is HRA 30% for SSC CGL in Delhi?
Yes. Delhi is an X-class city and, with DA above 50%, HRA in X cities is 30% of basic pay as per the DoE order of 07.07.2017.
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