Defence Pay Matrix

Dear Veterans,

            This is with reference to your query on Defence Pay Matrix.

Defence Pay Matrix.   The pay matrix is for various ranks from serving Sepoys to Service Chiefs. If you see the top of the horizontal part of the matrix, it says Pay Band. That is the pay band of 6^th CPC. For ranks from Sepoy to Brig it had four pay bands. PB-1 is for OR, PB-2 is for JCOs, PB-3 for Officers up to rank of Maj and PB-4 for ranks from Lt Col to Brig. There after you see for Lt Gens (HAG) in pay scale of Rs 67000 – 79000, Lt Gens (HAG+) of Rs 75500 – Rs 80,000, Army Cdrs at Rs 80,000 and Service Chiefs at Rs 90,000 in 6^th CPC scales. You see old grade pay of all ranks as per 6h CPC in the next row. For Officers it is from Rs 5400 of Lt to RS 10,000 for Maj Gens.   

Levels. Now Come to Levels. They start from Level 3 for Sepoys and goes up to Level 18 for Service Chiefs. Lt Cols at 12A, Cols at 13 and Brig at 13A is what we will restrict for easier understanding of the pay matrix. You can also interpret Level as rank.

 Stages. Under Level vertically down, you will find 1 to 24 for Sepoys to Majors which are known as Stages. That is the number of increments you earned in the last rank. For Lt Cols stages has gone up from 18 to 21, for Cols it is enhanced from 16 to 19 and for Brig it is enhanced from 14 to 16. If you the Gazette Notification issued earlier, it talked about stages increased for the ranks of Lt Col to Brig to bring their pay scale at par with CAPFs.

Pay Fixation in 7^th CPC of Serving Personnel as on Jan 2016

Pay in Dec 2015. The Gazette talks about fixation of pay of serving personnel. Suppose there is a Brig whose basic pay + grade pay of 6^thCPC as in Dec 2015 is Rs X then multiply this figure with 2.57 (already they are drawing 2.25 due to DR being 125%). For that you see Level 13A for Brig. If a Brig is newly promoted on Dec 2015 and his pay in pay band + grade pay is Rs X then his pay as on Jan 2016 is Rs 1,39,600. Suppose there is a Brig with few increments already drawing basic pay +grade pay of Rs 62,000 as in Dec 2015. You multiply Rs 62,000 with 2.57 to Rs 1,59,340. See in the column under Level 13A for Brig whether Rs 1,59,340 is available. The cell closest to Rs 1,59,340 is Rs 1,61,800 at Stage 6 (vertically below Level). So his pay matrix (pay in pay band + grade pay) is Rs 161800. Add Rs 15,500 of MSP and his total Def Pay is Rs 1,77,300. Suppose he were to retire in Jan 2016 then his pension is Rs 177300/2 = Rs 88,650.This is based on pay in pay + grade pay of Rs 62,000 which is taken as a sample and is not the Correct figure. You have to see actually what that Brig was drawing as on Dec 2015. So do not go by what pension figure I am giving.

Pension of Pre – 2016 Pensioners. 7^th CPC at Chapter 10.2.87 at page 418 & 419 clearly mention that pension be worked out by Increment method or 2.57 method. Since Increment method requires PCDA (O) Pune to intimate the number of increments earned in the last rank of any one (say Brig as in your case), they pension be paid as per 2.57 method. In case Increment method is more beneficial then the difference be paid as arrears later. Therefore in my assessment your pension in 7^th CPC = OROP pension x 2.57 (you are supposed to have retired in 2013). If you have served as Brig for long time and your pension is beneficial in Increment method as and when PCDA(O) Pune intimates the number of increments you earned in the rank of Brig, then PCDA (Pensions) Allahabad will work out and if they find Increment method is more beneficial then they will give you arrears. When ?

   So do not waste your time trying to analyse Pay fixation of Serving Personnel. Multiply your present OROP pension with 2.57 and be happy with that new pension w.e.f Jan 2016. So wait Circular containing detailed tables (like they did for OROP)  to come from PCDA (Pensions) Allahabad hopefully by Diwali.

warm regards,