SSC CHSL In-Hand Salary 2026
A worked, step-by-step pay breakdown — Basic, DA, HRA, TA and deductions — for every CHSL post, so you can see exactly how the final number is built instead of trusting a single guessed figure.
At a Glance
- LDC/JSA: Level 2, ₹19,900 basic
- DEO: Level 4, ₹25,500 basic
- DEO Grade 'A': Level 5, ₹29,200 basic
- In-hand (X city): ~₹39,000–₹56,000/month
Pay Level & Scale
Level 2
₹19,900+
LDC / Junior Secretariat Assistant
Level 4
₹25,500+
Data Entry Operator (DEO)
Level 5
₹29,200+
DEO Grade 'A' (select departments)
| Post | Pay Level | Pay Scale | In-Hand (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| LDC / JSA | Level 2 | ₹19,900 – ₹63,200 | ~₹39,600 |
| Data Entry Operator (DEO) | Level 4 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 | ~₹49,100 |
| DEO Grade 'A' (select departments) | Level 5 | ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 | ~₹55,500 |
In-hand figures are for an X-category city, using an illustrative current DA rate — see the full worked calculation below, which you can redo with today's actual DA rate.
How In-Hand Salary Is Actually Calculated
Most salary guides quote a single in-hand figure that goes stale the moment DA is revised (it changes every January and July). Here's the actual formula, worked through once so you can redo it yourself with whatever DA rate is current when you're reading this:
Gross Pay Buildup — LDC/JSA, X City
Worked Example — LDC/JSA, X-Category City
| Basic Pay (Level 2, starting) | ₹19,900 |
| DA — illustrative 58% of Basic | + ₹11,542 |
| HRA — 30% of Basic (X city) | + ₹5,970 |
| TA (₹3,600) + DA on TA (58%) | + ₹5,688 |
| Gross Pay | ₹43,100 |
| NPS — 10% of (Basic + DA) | − ₹3,144 |
| CGHS contribution | − ₹350 |
| Net In-Hand | ≈ ₹39,600 |
HRA auto-revises to 30% / 20% / 10% (X/Y/Z cities) once DA crosses 50% under 7th CPC rules — the rates used here. Swap in the DA% current on your payslip date and the rest of the formula holds.
Dearness Allowance (DA)
Revised twice a year (January, July) as a percentage of basic pay — check the latest DoPT/Finance Ministry order for the current rate.
House Rent Allowance (HRA)
30% in X (metro) cities, 20% in Y (mid-size) cities, 10% in Z (smaller towns) of basic pay, at the current DA band.
Transport Allowance (TA)
A fixed amount (₹3,600 in X cities, ₹1,800 in Y/Z) plus DA calculated on that TA amount.
NPS Pension Contribution
10% of (Basic + DA) from the employee, matched by a government contribution into the National Pension System.
CGHS Health Coverage
A small fixed monthly deduction, scaled to your basic pay slab, for Central Government Health Scheme coverage.
Other Perks
Leave Travel Concession, group insurance, and standard central government leave rules.
LDC/JSA vs DEO vs DEO Grade 'A' — Side by Side
Net In-Hand by Post (X City)
| Factor | LDC / JSA | DEO | DEO Grade 'A' |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay Level | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Starting Basic | ₹19,900 | ₹25,500 | ₹29,200 |
| In-Hand (X city, approx.) | ~₹39,600 | ~₹49,100 | ~₹55,500 |
| Qualification Needed | 12th, any stream | 12th, any stream | 12th, Science + Maths |
| Skill Test Requirement | Typing 35/30 WPM | 8,000 KDPH | 15,000 KDPH |
Standard Deductions
- NPS contribution — 10% of basic pay plus DA, matched by a government contribution.
- CGHS contribution — a small fixed monthly deduction, scaled to your basic pay slab.
- Professional tax — where applicable, set by the state the employee is posted in.
- Income tax (TDS) — depends on the tax regime chosen and total annual income.
Gross salary minus these deductions typically lands at roughly 85-90% of gross — the exact figure depends on your tax regime and posting city.
Job Profile by Post
LDC / Junior Secretariat Assistant
Clerical and administrative work — maintaining office records, data entry, correspondence, and day-to-day support for the department's operations.
Data Entry Operator (DEO)
Data entry and database management, maintaining accuracy of official records, and working with department-specific software systems.
DEO Grade 'A' (select departments)
Similar to DEO but at a higher pay level — often handles larger datasets or more sensitive/critical information in departments like C&AG.
Postal / Sorting Assistant
Based in post offices or mail-sorting departments — handles sorting, dispatching and processing of mail and official communication.
Career Growth & Promotion
LDC to Upper Division Clerk (Level 2 → Level 4) — by seniority or a departmental limited competitive exam.
UDC to Assistant / Assistant Section Officer (Level 4 → Level 7) — again by seniority or limited departmental exam.
MACP Scheme — a pay-level bump after 10, 20 or 30 years of service, or after 10 years at the same level, subject to a satisfactory service record — even if no promotion post is available.
Lateral move to SSC CGL — graduates already in a CHSL post can apply for SSC CGL while in service for a jump to Group B posts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pay Level 2, starting basic pay ₹19,900. Working through DA, HRA and TA at current rates for an X-category city gives a gross of roughly ₹43,000, landing around ₹39,000–₹40,000 in-hand after NPS and CGHS deductions.
This uses an illustrative current DA rate — see the full worked calculation below, which you can redo with whatever DA rate is current when you're reading this.
DEO posts sit in Pay Level 4 (₹25,500 basic); DEO Grade 'A' in select departments sits in Pay Level 5 (₹29,200 basic). In an X-category city, that works out to roughly ₹48,000–₹49,000 in-hand for DEO and ₹55,000–₹56,000 for DEO Grade 'A'.
Y and Z category cities come in lower since HRA drops from 30% to 20% or 10% of basic — the worked table below shows the full breakdown.
Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Transport Allowance, NPS pension contribution, and CGHS health coverage.
DA is revised twice a year by the government (January and July); HRA varies by whether your posting city is X, Y or Z category.
Yes — House Rent Allowance is paid at different rates for X, Y and Z category cities.
Gross and in-hand salary for the same post and pay level is higher in a metro (X category) city than a smaller town.
LDC/JSA can be promoted to Upper Division Clerk, then to Assistant/Assistant Section Officer, by seniority or departmental exam.
The MACP scheme also grants a pay-level bump after 10, 20 or 30 years of service even if no promotion post is available yet.
Yes — many LDC/JSA and DEO employees continue preparing for CGL while in service.
A CHSL job doesn't bar you from applying to CGL, which recruits for higher Group B/C posts.
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