Army Sepoy Salary After 8th Pay Commission: Calculator and Expected Pay

सेना सिपाही · Defence · Last checked 22 October 2026 · Scenarios, not official figures

An Army Sepoy starts on the Defence Pay Matrix at ₹21,700 a month (secondary source). At the scenario fitment factors 1.92, 2.28 and 2.86, that basic would become ₹41,700, ₹49,500 and ₹62,100. These are scenarios, not official figures: no 8th Pay Commission fitment factor has been announced.

Pay level

Reported by reputable sources

Defence personnel are on a separate Defence Pay Matrix. The 7th CPC report recommended it start at ₹21,700 for a Sepoy and equivalent, matching the civil Level 3 start. The Ministry of Defence order was not read, so this is marked secondary.

Current pay at the entry basic of ₹21,700

DA is 63% of basic from 1 July 2026. HRA depends on the city class and is 30%, 20% or 10% of basic today, never below the minimum. Transport Allowance and role allowances are not included, so this is not take-home pay.

Monthly basic, DA, HRA and gross at entry pay, by HRA city class
HRA city class	Basic	DA	HRA	Gross
X (Delhi, Mumbai and similar large cities)	₹21,700	₹13,671	₹6,510	₹41,881
Y	₹21,700	₹13,671	₹4,340	₹39,711
Z (all other places)	₹21,700	₹13,671	₹2,170	₹37,541

Role-specific allowances

Military Service Pay (MSP) Reported by reputable sources
Recommended at ₹5,200 a month for JCOs and other ranks, reckoned as basic pay for DA and pension but not for HRA.
Rate: ₹5,200 a month (recommended; final order not read). Source (opens in a new tab)

Expected pay at three scenario fitment factors

Entry basic of ₹21,700, an X-class city, DA restarting at 0% and HRA at the 7th CPC opening rates (24%, 16%, 8%). Gross is before deductions. Role allowances and Transport Allowance are left out. Every row is a scenario.

New basic and gross pay for Army Sepoy at three scenario fitment factors
Fitment factor (scenario)	New basic	New gross	Change in gross
1.92	₹41,700	₹51,708	+₹9,827 (23.5%)
2.28	₹49,500	₹61,380	+₹19,499 (46.6%)
2.86	₹62,100	₹77,004	+₹35,123 (83.9%)

Calculator, pre-filled for Army Sepoy

Starts at the entry basic of ₹21,700 and a 2.28 scenario. Replace basic pay with your own, from your pay slip.

Basic pay today (per month, ₹)

Your 7th CPC basic pay from the payslip, excluding DA

DA you get today (%)

63% from 1 July 2026.

Fitment factor to test

No fitment factor has been announced. For reference: the 7th CPC used 2.57; a brokerage range of 1.83 to 2.46 has been reported and union proposals are higher (Unconfirmed: press reports). Try several.

DA on the new pay (%)

In 2016 the 7th CPC pay already included the old DA, so DA restarted at 0% (DoE order, 4 Nov 2016). The 8th CPC may or may not do the same.

HRA city class

HRA rate after revision

Other allowances you want held constant (per month, ₹)

For example Transport Allowance. It is added to both sides so it does not change the comparison.

Change in monthly gross pay (scenario)

₹19,499 (+46.6%)

Gross pay today: ₹41,881
Gross pay in this scenario: ₹61,380
New basic pay: ₹49,500
New HRA: ₹11,880
Change in basic + DA only: +39.9%
Fitment factor that leaves gross pay unchanged: 1.56

How it is calculated

New basic = basic today × fitment factor, rounded up to the next ₹100 (7th CPC matrix cells are multiples of ₹100)
DA = new basic × the DA % you enter (0% if DA restarts, as in 2016)
HRA = new basic × the city rate you pick, never below the minimum (₹5,400 / ₹3,600 / ₹1,800)
Gross pay = basic + DA + HRA + other allowances. It is before deductions, so it is not take-home pay.
The fitment factor is the number you test. Nothing has been decided for the 8th CPC.

Estimates for information only; not financial, tax or legal advice.

Promotion path by level

Levels this role passes through, from the 7th CPC report. Each links to the pay-level page with every cell.

Level 3: Sepoy and equivalent (nearest civil level by grade pay 2000) (was Grade Pay 2000). Starts at ₹21,700.

What is official and what is not

Official source

DA of 63% from 1 July 2026.
The 8th Pay Commission was constituted on 3 November 2025.

Unverified

Every 8th Pay Commission figure on this page is a scenario. No fitment factor, matrix, effective date or pension rule has been announced.
The 1.92, 2.28 and 2.86 factors are planning scenarios, not estimates from any body.
This role's level or allowance rests on a secondary source, as marked above.

Read the full picture in the complete 8th Pay Commission guide and the live tracker.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Sepoy's starting basic pay?

₹21,700 a month in the Defence Pay Matrix, as recommended by the 7th CPC. The Ministry of Defence order was not read for this page, so treat it as secondary.

What is Military Service Pay?

A separate monthly payment for service personnel. The 7th CPC recommended ₹5,200 for JCOs and other ranks. It counts as basic pay for DA and pension but not for HRA.

How does the calculator treat MSP?

It is not multiplied by the fitment factor here. The 8th CPC may treat MSP differently, and nothing has been announced.

Does the civil Level 3 table apply to a Sepoy?

Only as a guide. Defence pay is on its own matrix, which starts at the same figure as civil Level 3. Use your own basic pay in the calculator.

Sources and status

Each figure on this page comes from the fact register. What the badges mean.

Reported by reputable sourceschecked 2026-10-22
Defence Pay Matrix starts at Rs 21,700 for a Sepoy and equivalent (7th CPC report para 5.2.7, a recommendation); Military Service Pay of Rs 5,200 a month recommended for JCOs and other ranks (para 5.2.22), reckoned as basic pay for DA and pension but not for HRA. The Ministry of Defence order that notified the final defence matrix and MSP was not read, so both figures are marked as secondary
(Unconfirmed) Recommendation in the Commission report; the notified Ministry of Defence order was not read.
Report of the Seventh CPC, Ch. 5.2 (Defence Forces)
Official sourcechecked 2026-11-10
DA is 63% of basic pay from 1 July 2026 (up from 60%). PIB, 28 Oct 2026 approval dated 28 October 2026; Department of Expenditure OM No. 1/2(i)/2026-E.II(B) dated 29 October 2026. About 48.54 lakh Central Government employees and 68.71 lakh pensioners benefit; the cost is Rs 10,016.10 crore a year
PIB, 28 Oct 2026: Cabinet approves Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to Pensioners (w.e.f. 01.07.2026)
Official order, read on a mirrorchecked 2026-10-22
HRA for central employees (DoE OM No. 2/5/2017-E.II(B) dated 7 Jul 2017, effective 1 Jul 2017): 24%, 16% and 8% of basic pay in X, Y and Z cities; never less than Rs 5,400, Rs 3,600 and Rs 1,800; revised to 27%, 18% and 9% when DA crosses 25%, and to 30%, 20% and 10% when DA crosses 50%. DA is above 50%, so 30%, 20% and 10% apply now
StaffNews: 7th CPC House Rent Allowance, Finance Ministry OM (text of the OM)
Reported by reputable sourceschecked 2026-10-22
No fitment factor, pay matrix, effective date or interim relief had been announced in any source reviewed as of 22 Oct 2026. In the Rajya Sabha on 28 Jul 2026 (Unstarred Question 1036) the Minister of State for Finance said the Commission will devise its own procedure, will make its recommendations within 18 months of constitution, and is not required to keep the Government updated on its progress
(Unconfirmed) An absence cannot be proved: this means none of the sources we found reports a figure or date, as of 22 Oct 2026
GovtStaff: Rajya Sabha Q. 1036 on the Eighth Central Pay Commission

Independent and not affiliated with any government body. Estimates for information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Disclaimer.