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Plain-language guidance on pay, leave, travel, claims, accommodation, medical benefits and retirement for Indian Armed Forces officers.

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18 guides

Pay and allowances

Pay matrix, increments, deductions, education benefits and role- or location-based allowances.

6 guides

Official travel

Travel classes, air journeys, claim preparation, advances and retirement travel.

2 guides

Leave

Leave rules, accumulation and encashment.

6 guides

Pension and retirement

Pension, SPARSH, NPS and retirement benefits.

2 guides

Accommodation

Service accommodation, HRA, rent and charges.

2 guides

Medical

Reimbursement and ECHS guidance.

1 guide

Insurance

Army Group Insurance coverage and benefits.

Claims and movement

Go directly to the practical references used most often.

TR 2024 / AI 24/2024

Temporary Duty (TD) Claims

Eligibility, RMA, daily allowance, hotel and halt rates for officers on temporary duty.

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Rule 177A / 177B

Leave Travel Concession (LTC)

Hometown and All-India LTC entitlements, frequency, family eligibility, and fare caps.

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TR 2024 Rule 95

Permanent Transfer (PT)

Composite Transfer Grant, transportation of personal effects, advances, and timelines.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions on TD, LTC, PT, and the claim filing process answered with sources.

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Pay, pension and tools

Pay commission status, DA arrears and SPARSH pension help, checked against official sources.

Official status

8th Pay Commission

Constitution, Terms of Reference, members and report deadline, with what is not yet announced. Official sources only.

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DA 60% from 1 Jan 2026

DA arrears calculator

Estimate the monthly DA difference and total arrears from the published DA rate table, with the working shown.

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Defence pensioners

SPARSH login and pension guide

Log in, fix login errors, complete your life certificate, read your pension slip and get a grievance resolved. Official helpline and sources.

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Search all guidance

Search every published summary by topic, entitlement or claim.

48 published guides

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Search across 48 published guides

Pay and allowances

18 guides

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Advances Available to Army OfficersThe 2023 handbook records that most Government advances were discontinued after Seventh CPC decisions.Annual Pay Increments for Army OfficersOnly full-pay commissioned service counts for an Army officer's pay increment, including leave carrying full pay and allowances or furlough-rate pay.Children Education Allowance and Hostel SubsidyChildren Education Allowance is a fixed reimbursement for eligible children, while Hostel Subsidy reimburses eligible residential lodging and boarding...Commencement of Pay for Army OfficersAn officer's pay on first commission generally begins on the commission date, subject to reporting and training conditions.Dearness Allowance for Army OfficersDearness Allowance is revised on 1 January and 1 July each year. Under the Seventh Central Pay Commission, it is calculated on basic pay in the matrix...Defence Services Officers Provident FundThe 2023 handbook describes Defence Services Officers Provident Fund subscription as compulsory for an Army officer after one year of continuous...Deputation Duty Allowance for Army OfficersDeputation Duty Allowance may apply when an Army officer is temporarily transferred outside the regular line in the public interest.Dress Allowance for Army OfficersDress Allowance replaced specified uniform-related allowances from 1 July 2017.How Army Officers' Pay Accounts Are MaintainedPCDA(O) maintains a separate Individual Running Ledger Account, or IRLA, for each officer.Income Tax Overview for Army OfficersThe 2023 handbook summarises the old and new income-tax regimes described by the Finance Bill 2023, plus selected salary exemptions, deductions...Language Allowance for Army OfficersLanguage Allowance may apply when an officer actually performs translator, interpreter, or instructor duties using a foreign language, passes the...Military Service Pay for Army OfficersThe handbook records Military Service Pay of Rs. 15,500 per month for eligible Army officers through Brigadier and states that it counts for Dearness...Pay Fixation on Promotion for Army OfficersThe source distinguishes substantive and in-situ promotions. Substantive time-scale promotion depends on prescribed reckonable commissioned service...Ration Money Allowance in Lieu of Rations in KindRation Money Allowance may replace free rations in kind for eligible officers in the contingencies recognised by the applicable regulation.Seventh Central Pay Commission Pay Matrix for Army OfficersThe Army Officers Pay Rules, 2017 place officers in specified Defence Pay Matrix levels and vertical cells.Technical, Qualification, and Specialist AllowancesTechnical, qualification, specialist, and postgraduate allowances are separate benefits with different conditions.Training Allowance for Army OfficersTraining Allowance may apply to officers serving as faculty for a specified period at establishments listed in the governing order and expected to...Transport Allowance for Army OfficersTransport Allowance compensates eligible officers who are not provided Government transport for commuting between residence and duty.

Travel

6 guides

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Air Journey Booking Rules for Official TravelFor Government-funded air travel, the handbook records that tickets must be booked through Balmer Lawrie, Ashok Travels & Tours or IRCTC from 1 January...Official Travel AbroadOfficial travel abroad must follow the approved route, authorised mode and class, and the relevant Government sanction.Official Travel Entitlements OverviewTravelling allowance applies to an authorised journey in the interest of public service.Preparing Travelling Allowance ClaimsA travelling allowance claim should use the prescribed form, identify the authorised duty and journey, record any advance or Defence Travel System...Travel Entitlements on RetirementThe handbook records retirement travel for an eligible officer and family from the last duty station to the home station or another place of permanent...Travelling Allowance Advances and Claim Time LimitsThe handbook records TA advances for eligible temporary duty, permanent moves and LTC, but not retirement travel.

Leave Travel Concession

6 guides

Annual Leave Encashment with LTCThe 2023 handbook states that an eligible Army officer may encash up to 10 days of annual leave when LTC is used, subject to a 60-day career limit.Anywhere in India LTC for Army OfficersThe 2023 handbook describes Anywhere in India LTC under Rule 177(B) as an alternate-calendar-year concession used instead of Home Town LTC.Family Definition for Leave Travel ConcessionFor LTC, the 2023 handbook applies the family definition in the Travel Regulations and adds specific conditions for children, spouses, and dependent...Home Town LTC for Army OfficersThe 2023 handbook states that an eligible Army officer may use Home Town LTC during authorised leave for travel by the entitled mode and class...Leave Travel Concession for Army OfficersThe 2023 handbook describes Leave Travel Concession (LTC) as travel support within India for eligible Army officers and family members during...LTC Rules for Special Regions and PostingsThe 2023 handbook records special LTC and leave-passage rules for certain island, border, field, overseas, and category-specific postings.

Insurance

1 guide

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Army Group Insurance SchemeThe 2023 handbook describes Army Group Insurance as a departmental scheme with mandatory advance subscription for eligible Army officers.

Permanent transfer

2 guides

Composite Transfer GrantThe handbook records Composite Transfer Grant at 80% of the previous month's basic pay for an eligible transfer between stations at least 20 kilometres...Permanent Duty Move EntitlementsFor an authorised permanent duty move, an eligible officer may receive Government-funded travel for self and qualifying family, a composite transfer...

Temporary duty

3 guides

Daily Allowance on Temporary DutyDaily allowance on temporary duty can cover eligible hotel accommodation, within-city travel and a food lump sum during qualifying absence from...Road Mileage on Temporary DutyRoad mileage depends on Pay Matrix level, the vehicle actually used and any rate prescribed by the relevant transport authority.Temporary Duty Travel EntitlementsAn officer on authorised temporary duty may receive travel reimbursement for the journey and daily allowance for qualifying absence from headquarters.

Medical

2 guides

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Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health SchemeThe 2023 handbook describes ECHS as a lifetime contributory medical scheme for eligible pension-receiving ex-servicemen, family pensioners, and...Medical Reimbursement and Medical AdvancesThe 2023 handbook says serving officers and eligible family members receive free outpatient treatment at Military Hospitals.

Accommodation

2 guides

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House Rent Allowance for Army OfficersThe 2023 handbook describes House Rent Allowance where Government accommodation is not provided and the officer meets conditions concerning allotment...Service Accommodation, Rent, and Allied ChargesThe 2023 handbook says Army officers apply to the station allotting authority for accommodation appropriate to rank.

Leave

2 guides

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Leave Encashment for Army OfficersThe 2023 handbook permits annual-leave encashment at specified service events and separately with LTC, subject to the verified leave balance and...Leave Entitlements for Army OfficersArmy leave is not one interchangeable balance. The source identifies casual, special casual, annual, furlough, sick, invalidment, terminal, maternity...

Pension and retirement

6 guides

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National Pension System for NCC Whole Time OfficersThe 2023 handbook describes the National Pension System for NCC Whole Time Officers joining Government service on or after 1 January 2004 without...Retirement Benefits Processing for Army OfficersThe handbook separates pension sanction from PCDA(O)'s retirement-account work.Seventh CPC Pension Provisions for Army OfficersThe 2023 source summarises Seventh CPC pension, gratuity, commutation, and family pension provisions for covered Army, MNS, and TA officers who...SPARSH Defence Pension AdministrationThe 2023 handbook describes SPARSH as a defence pension system supporting claim initiation, sanction, disbursement, revision, identification, profile...Terminal Benefits for Short Service Commission OfficersThe 2023 handbook lists leave encashment, AGIF savings benefit, final DSOP Fund payment with interest, terminal gratuity, and pay and allowances during...Terms for Re-Employed Retired Army OfficersThe 2023 source describes rank, age, tenure, pay fixation, pension deduction, allowances, leave, DSOP Fund, insurance, and accommodation rules for...