Pay Level 1 starts at a basic pay of ₹18,000 and rises to ₹56,900 over 40 cells. With DA at 63% from 1 July 2026, the entry gross salary is ₹36,941 a month in an X city and about ₹33,727 in hand.
X cities are the big metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune); Y cities are other large cities and state capitals; everywhere else is Z. Transport allowance is at the higher (TPTA) rate in X and Y cities. The government also adds 14% of basic + DA (₹4,108) to your NPS account.
📊 Level 1 pay matrix: all 40 cells
Cell
Basic pay
DA (63%)
Gross (X city)
In-hand (X city)
Cell 1
₹18,000
₹11,340
₹36,941
₹33,727
Cell 2
₹18,500
₹11,655
₹37,906
₹34,610
Cell 3
₹19,100
₹12,033
₹39,064
₹35,670
Cell 4
₹19,700
₹12,411
₹40,222
₹36,730
Cell 5
₹20,300
₹12,789
₹41,380
₹37,791
Cell 6
₹20,900
₹13,167
₹42,538
₹38,851
Cell 7
₹21,500
₹13,545
₹43,696
₹39,911
Cell 8
₹22,100
₹13,923
₹44,854
₹40,971
Cell 9
₹22,800
₹14,364
₹46,205
₹42,208
Cell 10
₹23,500
₹14,805
₹47,556
₹43,445
Cell 11
₹24,200
₹15,246
₹52,574
₹48,349
Cell 12
₹24,900
₹15,687
₹53,925
₹49,586
Cell 13
₹25,600
₹16,128
₹55,276
₹50,823
Cell 14
₹26,400
₹16,632
₹56,820
₹52,237
Cell 15
₹27,200
₹17,136
₹58,364
₹53,650
Cell 16
₹28,000
₹17,640
₹59,908
₹55,064
Cell 17
₹28,800
₹18,144
₹61,452
₹56,478
Cell 18
₹29,700
₹18,711
₹63,189
₹58,068
Cell 19
₹30,600
₹19,278
₹64,926
₹59,658
Cell 20
₹31,500
₹19,845
₹66,663
₹61,249
Cell 21
₹32,400
₹20,412
₹68,400
₹62,839
Cell 22
₹33,400
₹21,042
₹70,330
₹64,606
Cell 23
₹34,400
₹21,672
₹72,260
₹66,373
Cell 24
₹35,400
₹22,302
₹74,190
₹68,140
Cell 25
₹36,500
₹22,995
₹76,313
₹70,084
Cell 26
₹37,600
₹23,688
₹78,436
₹72,027
Cell 27
₹38,700
₹24,381
₹80,559
₹73,971
Cell 28
₹39,900
₹25,137
₹82,875
₹76,091
Cell 29
₹41,100
₹25,893
₹85,191
₹78,212
Cell 30
₹42,300
₹26,649
₹87,507
₹80,332
Cell 31
₹43,600
₹27,468
₹90,016
₹82,629
Cell 32
₹44,900
₹28,287
₹92,525
₹84,926
Cell 33
₹46,200
₹29,106
₹95,034
₹87,223
Cell 34
₹47,600
₹29,988
₹97,736
₹89,697
Cell 35
₹49,000
₹30,870
₹1,00,438
₹92,171
Cell 36
₹50,500
₹31,815
₹1,03,333
₹94,822
Cell 37
₹52,000
₹32,760
₹1,06,228
₹97,472
Cell 38
₹53,600
₹33,768
₹1,09,316
₹97,111
Cell 39
₹55,200
₹34,776
₹1,12,404
₹96,966
Cell 40
₹56,900
₹35,847
₹1,15,685
₹99,458
One annual increment moves you to the next cell (about 3%). A promotion or MACP moves you to the next level, to the cell equal to or just above your current basic after one notional increment.
ℹ️ About Level 1
Old grade pay (6th CPC)
1,800
Old pay band
PB-1 (₹5,200–20,200)
Typical posts
Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), peon, safaiwala, gardener and other Group C entry posts
Number of cells
40
Entry → maximum basic
₹18,000 → ₹56,900
Entry annual gross (X city)
₹4,43,286
Examples of posts are typical; the exact level depends on the department's recruitment rules.
At the entry basic of ₹18,000 and DA 63%, in-hand salary is about ₹33,727 (X city), ₹31,927 (Y city) and ₹29,393 (Z city) a month, after NPS, CGHS, CGEGIS and estimated income tax.
What was the grade pay for Level 1?
Level 1 corresponds to the 6th CPC grade pay 1,800 in PB-1 (₹5,200–20,200).
How much is DA on Level 1 basic pay?
At 63%, DA on the entry basic of ₹18,000 is ₹11,340 a month.