IAS Salary 2024: Job Profile, Pay scale, Allowances & Other Benefits

Indian Administration Services is undisputedly the most popular and sought-after civil service among the Indian masses. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the UPSC exam annually for 24 groups (groups A, B, and all India civil services). But IAS comes on the top in terms of popularity and desirability. The honor, pride, and power of being an IAS officer a major factors in its desirability. But lucrative IAS salary is also a significant factor.

UPSC civil services exam isn’t only one of the hardest exams in India but in the whole world. Although hundreds of thousands of candidates appear for this exam every year. Only a handful of them pass the exam. This exam has three stages: prelims, main, and interview rounds. Candidates who pass all the rounds are recruited for different services according to their ranks and preferences. But IAS falls on the top.

This article discusses an IAS officer’s salary, pay scale, and other benefits. All the information in this article is as per the salary structure implied after the 7th Pay Commission recommendation.

IAS Salary Overview 

Before we dive into the detailed analysis of IAS salary in India, let’s have an overview of the salary of an IAS officer per month in India:

Salary Pay Commission	7th Salary Pay Commission
IAS salary during the training period	₹33,000–35,000 (depending on some factors)
Entry-level salary of IAS officer	₹ 56,100
IAS officer salary after 8 years of service	₹78,800 monthly
Highest IAS salary per month	₹2,50,000 (37+ years of experience)
Other benefits & Allowances	DA, HRA, Travel, Medical allowances, and other benefits

IAS Officer Salary Structure 2024 [Revised] 

Entry level salary of an IAS officer in India starts from pay level 10. Every candidate who clears the exam completes the training and joins the service is entitled to get an initial salary of ₹56,100. This is exclusive of any allowances. The per month basic salary (and allowances) increase gradually according to the promotion and experience. IAS salary in India starts from pay grade 10 and goes to pay grade 18. The following are the different pay scales as per the different pay grades, years of service, and ranks.

Pay Grade	Basic Pay	Rank	Years of Service
10	₹56100	SDM, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary	1-4 years
11	₹67,700	ADM, Deputy Secretary, Undersecretary	5-8 years
12	₹78,800	District Magistrate, Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary	9-12 years
13	₹1,18,500	District Magistrate, Deputy Secretary, Director	13-16 years
14	1,44,200	Divisional Commissioner, Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Joint Secretary	16-24 years
15	1,82,200	Divisional Commissioner, Principal Secretary, Additional Secretary	25-30 years
16	2,05,400	Additional Chief Secretary	30-33 years
17	2,25,000	Chief Secretary and Secretary	34-36 years
18	2,50,000	Cabinet Secretary of India	37+ years

IAS Salary After 7th Pay Commission 2024

Before the 7th Pay Commission, IAS salaries were decided with the system of ‘Pay Grade for Civil Services.’ But after the application of consolidated pay levels in the 7th Pay Commission, IAS salaries will be decided based on the ‘basic pay.’ All the allowances will be exclusive of the basic pay and their rates will be based on the basic pay. For instance, the entry-level salary of an IAS officer will be ₹56,100 (basic pay) + allowances.

IAS Salary & Allowances  2024

There are two components of an IAS salary in India. First, basic pay, and second, allowances. The basic pay is based on the pay grade and the pay grade is based on rank and years of service. Further, all the allowances are based on basic pay. The higher the basic pay, the higher the allowances. The minimum (entry-level) basic pay for an IAS officer is ₹56,100 and the maximum (apex-level) basic pay is ₹2,50,000.

There are four allowances with the basic pay. HRA (house rent allowance), DA(dearness allowance), TA (travel allowance) and other allowances:

Dearness Allowance (DA)

DA is relative to the rate of inflation. It is calculated as per the Consumer Price Index (CPI) Level. The government revises the rate of DA every six months i.e January and July. Dearness allowance can increase up to 14% of the basic pay a year.

House Rent Allowance (HRA)

The rate of HRA is decided according to the city of residency of the IAS officer. HRA ranges between 8-24% according to the city in which the officer is posted. The commission has divided all the cities and rural areas into three classes i.e. X, Y and Z.

• Class X – Top 8 cities of India fall under this class. These cities are Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Pune. IAS officers get 24% of their basic pay as HRA in these cities.
• Class Y – Around 100 towns (with 5 lacs or above population) falls under this class. HRA in these cities is 16% of the basic pay.
• Class Z – All the rural areas or towns below 5 lacs population fall under this class. HRA is 8% of the basic pay in class Z areas.

Travel Allowance (TA)

In case the IAS officer is not provided with a government vehicle, they are entitled to get TA. If they have a government transportation facility, they won’t get the travel allowance as a part of the IAS salary.

Other Allowances & Benefits

Apart from DA, HRA and TA. an IAS officer also gets the following benefits along with their salaries:

• Residency
• Security
• Medical benefits
• Mobile/Telephone/Internet bills
• Study leaves etc.

Perks and Benefits of an IAS Officer 2024

Basic pay and allowances (DA, HRA, TA, and Medical allowance) are parts of salary under any profession (mostly). What makes an IAS job more attractive and distinct are the additional perks and benefits that an IAS officer enjoys. The following are the benefits that an IAS officer is entitled to get other than the IAS salary.

Perks & Benefits

• Residence: IAS officers are often given a residence to live in the same city in which they are posted. This is either on very low rent or free at all. Their residential setting is full-fledged and they get their cooks, maids, gardeners, and butlers.
• Security: IAS officers get armed bodyguards. This is due to the high profile and often dangerous nature of the job. Their families also get security. In case of threats, they get security from STF commandos.
• Transport: The government provides them with their personal fleet of vehicles and drivers for official work.
• Subsidized Accommodation: IAS officers enjoy subsidized accommodation at the government guest houses. They can also use the benefit to stay in their respective state Bhavan.
• Job Security: IAS is one of the most secure jobs. There is an extensive process of inquiry for terminating an IAS officer from their job.
• Subsidized Bills: Officers also enjoy subsidized water, electricity, phone and internet bills.
• Study Leaves: This benefit is rare to enjoy in any service. IAS officers can take an official leave of 2-4 years for pursuing studies. They can also enroll in a foreign university and the government will bear all the expenses that occurred during this time. However, the officers have to sign a bond with the government to commit several years to serve the government when they return. An IAS officer who has completed 7 years of service is entitled to get this benefit.
• Post-retirement benefits: IAS officers do not lose their value even after retirement. They are appointed to different commissions and tribunals. Also, private companies hire them for their invaluable experience. They also get a lifetime pension and other retirement benefits.

Recommended reading: 10 Effective Tips for IAS Preparation at Home

IAS vs IPS Salary

IAS and IPS being competitively popular and most sought-after services have similar salary structures. The entry-level and apex-level salaries are the same for both, IAS and IPS. Apex-level IAS officers get a basic pay of ₹2,50,000 + allowances at Cabinet Secretary’s rank. Whereas apex-level IPS officers get the same basic pay and allowances as DGP rank.

IFS vs IAS Salary 

Indian Forest Services (IFS) falls under the all-India civil services along with IAS and IPS. Forest in IFS should not be confused with jungle. IFS officers are posted in different countries to protect the national interest of the country. An IFS officer’s salary starts from ₹15,600 to 39,100 and goes up to ₹90,000. IFS officers posted in other countries get foreign allowances. It makes a significant difference in their overall salary.

For the latest information and updates on this exam, Read UPSC IAS Exam 2024

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