CDS Salary 2024, Check Job Profile, Allowances & Benefits

CDS Salary 2024

The Combined Defence Services (CDS) Salary for 2024, released by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), features a Basic Pay and allowances like DA, High Altitude Allowance, and Uniform Allowance. Candidates selected for the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), and Air Force Academy (AFA) will join as Lieutenants with a monthly pay scale of Rs 56,100 – 1,77,500. This article covers the UPSC CDS Salary Structure, Pay Scale, and Job Profile, offering insights for those preparing for the Combined Defence Services Exam.

CDS 1 Notification 2024 has been OUT now, visit this link to know the details about the application form and vacancy.

CDS Salary 2024 – Overview

The Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS), conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, is commonly known as the CDS Examination. It occurs twice a year, with the 2023 Basic Salary ranging from Rs. 56,100 to Rs. 1,77,500 per month. The CDS Salary Composition includes Basic Pay, Grade Pay, Allowances, and Benefits. The mode of examination is offline, and the stages involve a Written Exam, SSB Interview (lasting 5 days), and a Medical Examination. For more information, candidates can visit the official website at upsc.gov.in.

Details	Information
Name of the Examination	Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS)
Conducting Body	Union Public Service Commission
Commonly Known As	CDS Examination
Frequency of Exam	Twice a Year
CDS 2023 Basic Salary	Rs. 56,100 – Rs. 1,77,500 per Month
CDS Salary Composition	Basic Pay + Grade Pay + Allowance + Benefits
Mode of Exam	Offline
Stages of Exam	Written Exam, SSB Interview (5 Days), Medical Examination
Official Website	upsc.gov.in

CDS Notification PDF

CDS Salary Payscale

During their training at the academies, male and female cadets receive a monthly stipend of Rs 56,100. It’s important to note that this period is not considered as commissioned service. Once successfully commissioned, CDS officers receive a salary in the level 10 pay matrix, along with arrears based on their pay matrix from the training period.

The table below provides information on CDS salary/grade pay, approximate in-hand salary for different posts, and the corresponding pay matrix level as per the latest 7th Pay Commission. Officers from the rank of Lieutenant to Brigadier receive a fixed amount of Rs 15,500 per month as Military Service Pay (MSP).

Please keep in mind that the given data can vary depending on factors like posting location, experience, and other considerations.

Indian Army	Indian Air Force	Indian Navy	Level	Pay Scale (INR)	Military Service Pay(MSP)
Lieutenant	Flying Officer	Sub Lieutenant	10	₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500	₹15.500 p.m. fixed
Captain	Flight Lieutenant	Lieutenant	10B	₹61,300 – ₹1,93,900	₹15.500 p.m. fixed
Major	Squadron Leader	Lieutenant Commander	11	₹69,400 – ₹2,07,200	₹15.500 p.m. fixed
Lieutenant Colonel	Wing Commander	Commander	12/12A	₹1,21,200 – ₹2,12,400	₹15.500 p.m. fixed
Colonel	Group Captain	Captain	13	₹1,30,600 – ₹2,15,900	₹15.500 p.m. fixed
Brigadier	Air Commodore	Commodore	13A	₹1,39,600 – ₹2,17,600	₹15.500 p.m. fixed
Major General	Air Vice-Marshal	Rear Admiral	14	₹1,44,200 – ₹2,18,200	–
Lieutenant General	Air Marshal HAG Scale	Vice Admiral	15	₹1,82,200 – ₹2,24,100	–
HAG + Scale	HAG + Scale	Vice Admiral and Equivalent	16	₹2,05,400 – ₹2,24,400	–
VCOAS/ Army Cdr	VACS/ Air Force Cdr/ Air Marshal (NFSG)	VCNS / C-IN-C/ Equivalent/ DGAFMS (Director General AFMS)	17	₹2,25,000	–
Chief of Army Staff (COAS)	CAS (Chief of Air Staff)	CNS / Equivalent	18	₹2,50,000	–

CDS Salary 2024 – Training Period Stipend

• The CDS starting salary refers to the stipend received by CDS Cadets during their training period.
• For Level 10, the CDS starting salary is Rs 56,100, which is the same as the stipend provided to cadets during training.
• The duration of the CDS training period varies depending on the academy: 18 months for the Indian Military Academy/Indian Navy Academy/Air Force Academy and 49 weeks for the Officers’ Training Academy.
• Army Officers and their equivalent counterparts in the Navy and Air Force receive a fixed CDS starting salary/stipend of Rs 56,100 per month.
• The purpose of the CDS starting salary is to cover the cadets’ expenses during training and is not their final salary as CDS officers.
• After completing their training, CDS officers receive various benefits, allowances, and a salary based on their rank and position.
• It’s worth noting that CDS officers enjoy an attractive salary package, and the starting salary is just the beginning of their successful career in the Indian Defence Services.

Salary Component	CDS Training Period Salary
Basic Pay	Fixed stipend of Rs. 56,100/ month
Pay Level	Level 10
Allowances	No Allowance
Commission Service	Not a commission service

CDS Salary 2024 – Perks and Allowances

• Defence force personnel are eligible for various allowances and benefits. Here are some of the allowances to consider:
• Qualification Grant: The Higher Qualification Incentive (HQI) is yet to be issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
• Flying Allowance: Army Aviators (Pilots) in the Army Aviation Corps, from Lieutenant rank and above in level 10, receive Rs. 25,000 per month.
• Dearness Allowance: Applies to defence personnel as it does to civilian personnel, with rates subject to change.
• Kit Maintenance Allowance: Combined with the proposed dress, the allowance is Rs. 20,000 per year.
• Field Area Allowance: Officers posted to Field Areas receive Field Area Allowances based on their rank and posting location. For Lieutenant rank and above in level 10 and above:

Allowance Type	Amount (per month)
Highly Active Field Area Allowance	Rs. 16,900
Field Area Allowance	Rs. 10,500
Modified Field Area Allowance	Rs. 6,300

• High Altitude Allowance: Varies for officers in Level 10 and above based on the following categories:

Category	Monthly Allowance
CAT I	Rs. 3,400
CAT II	Rs. 5,300
CAT III	Rs. 25,000

Allowance Type	Amount (per month/year)	Eligibility/Details
Siachen Allowance	Rs. 42,500	Candidates posted to Siachen
Uniform Allowance	Rs. 20,000 (per year)	Proposed dress allowance
Transport Allowance	Varies	Based on the officer’s city and pay level
Children Education Allowance	Rs. 2,250 (per child per month)	Provided for two eldest children from Nursery to Class 12th
House Rent Allowance	10-30% of Basic Pay	Officers without government accommodation
Special Forces Allowance	Rs. 1,200	Officers posted in Special Forces
Parachute Pay	Rs. 9,000	Officers posted in Active Parachute Battalions/Regiments

• Free Ration: Officers serving in field areas and peace are entitled to free ration.
• Note: Some allowances may not be applicable and are subject to factors such as posting location and rank.

CDS Salary – Travel allowance

• When it comes to travel allowance in CDS Salary, candidates should take note of the following instructions:
• Higher TPTA Cities (UA) include Patna, Lucknow, Kolkata, Delhi, Kanpur, Hyderabad, Ahmadabad, Surat, Kochi, Bengaluru, Kozhikode, Indore, Nagpur, Pune, Greater Mumbai, Jaipur, Coimbatore, Ghaziabad, and Chennai.
• The travel allowance is applicable for calendar months fully covered by leave.
• TPTA allowance is granted to CDS service personnel who have been provided with government transport facilities.
• Officers in CDS with Pay Level 14 and above, who have the entitlement to use an official car, can choose between availing the official car facility or receiving TPTA of Rs 15,750/+DA thereon.

CDS Salary – Additional Benefits

Type of Benefit	Explanation
Leave and Leave Travel Concession	Officers in the Navy/ Army/ Air Force can get an annual leave of 60 days per year and a casual leave of 20 days per year. Officers of CDS can encash their Annual Leave up to 10 days in addition to the Leave Travel Concession till 60 days in a career span to cover incidental travel expenses.
Other Privileges	Officers and their family members get other benefits like free medical aid, group insurance scheme, accommodation on concessional rent, canteen facilities, group housing scheme, family assistance scheme, etc.

CDS Salary – Job Promotion and Career Growth

To give an better understanding about promotion and career growth. We have curated an table below.

CDS Salary – IMA and INA

Ranks	Time Scale
Lieutenant	After completing training
Captain	2 years of commissioned service
Major	6 years of commissioned service
Lieutenant Colonel	13 years of commissioned service
Colonel (TS)	26 years of commissioned service
Colonel	15 years of commissioned service
Brigadier	23 years of commissioned service
Major General	25 years of commissioned service
Lieutenant General	28 years of commissioned service
General	No restrictions

CDS Salary – AFA

CDS Rank – AFA	Promotion by Time scale	Basic Pay
Flying Officer	On Commission	Rs. 56,100/-
Flight Lieutenant	2 Years of commissioned service	Rs. 61,200/-
Squadron Leader	6 years of commissioned service	Rs. 69,400/-
Wing Commander	13 years of commissioned service	Rs. 1,16,700/-
Group Captain	26 years of commissioned service	Rs. 1,25,700/-
Air Commodore	–	Rs. 1,34,400/-
Air Vice Marshal	–	Rs. 1,44,200/-
Air Chief Marshal HAG Scale	–	Rs. 1,82,200/-
Air Chief Marshal Apex Scale	–	Rs. 2,05,400/-
Air Chief Marshal	–	Rs. 2,50,000/-

CDS Salary – OTA

CDS Rank – OTA	Promotion by Time scale
Captain	On completion of 2 years of commissioned service
Major	On completion of 6 years of commissioned service.
Lieutenant Colonel	On completion of 13 years of commissioned service.

We hope this article gave you clear view and understanding on the job profile, allowances and benefits that comes with UPSC CDS position. For more information like this visit oliveboard’s website.

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CDS Salary 2024 – Frequently Asked Questions