2023 handbook summarySource checked 29 July 2026
Annual Pay Increments for Army Officers
Only full-pay commissioned service counts for an Army officer's pay increment, including leave carrying full pay and allowances or furlough-rate pay.
Overview
Only full-pay commissioned service counts for an Army officer's pay increment, including leave carrying full pay and allowances or furlough-rate pay. Under the cited Seventh CPC rule, annual increments fall on 1 January or 1 July, but an officer receives only one annual increment each year (printed page 18; PDF page 29).
What the handbook says
The source defines qualifying service for increment as full-pay commissioned service and includes paid leave at full or furlough rates. It identifies 1 January and 1 July as the two possible annual-increment dates and limits an officer to one annual increment, determined by appointment, promotion, or upgradation timing (printed page 18; PDF page 29).
A forfeiture-of-service sentence for increased pay does not retrospectively alter pay already drawn; it affects future increments after forfeiture. A forfeiture for promotion purposes does not alter increment-qualifying service based on length of service (printed page 18; PDF page 29).
What this means
An increment requires the officer's service history, pay level, cell, and recognised increment date. Promotion pay and sports incentives are separate events and should not be treated as the normal annual movement to the next vertical cell (printed pages 18-22; PDF pages 29-33).
Who this applies to
- Full-pay commissioned service, including the paid-leave periods identified by the source, counts for normal increments (printed page 18; PDF page 29).
- An officer receives only one annual increment on either 1 January or 1 July under the cited Seventh CPC rule (printed page 18; PDF page 29).
- Brevet or local rank does not carry an increase in pay and allowances (printed page 19; PDF page 30).
- A sports incentive requires the prescribed achievement, recognised event, and individual Government sanction; it is not automatic (printed pages 19-20; PDF pages 30-31).
Rates and dates
There is no standalone rupee rate for the normal annual increment in this chapter; movement follows the applicable vertical cells in the Pay Matrix.
The source records that the small-family incentive was withdrawn from 1 July 2017 (printed page 19; PDF page 30). It also records revised sports personal-pay amounts from 1 July 2017, but those category rates are not reproduced here and must be checked before publication (printed page 21; PDF page 32).
What you may need
For a sports incentive, the source requires:
- a Part II order notifying the grant;
- the Government sanction letter;
- the relevant sports authority's certificate of achievement; and
- certification that the organising body and event have the required national or international recognition (printed page 22; PDF page 33).
For a normal increment, use the service record, pay level and cell, and the recognised date of appointment, promotion, or upgradation (printed page 18; PDF page 29).
Authorities and source references
- SRO 12(E), 3 May 2017 (printed page 18; PDF page 29)
- Rule 41, Pay and Allowances Regulations for the Officers of the Army (printed page 18; PDF page 29)
- Sections 71 and 84, Army Act 1950 (printed page 18; PDF page 29)
- GoI, MoD letter No. 30(13)/2007-D(P/S), 24 August 2018, and GoI, DoPT OM No. 6/1/2017-Estt(Pay-I), 11 June 2018, for sports increments (printed page 22; PDF page 33)
Related guidance
About this guidance
This is a plain-language summary for general information. It is not an official order or an authority for a claim. Confirm the applicable order and your individual eligibility with the competent authority or PCDA(O) before acting.