NDA salary 2026: cadets get a Rs 56,100 training stipend; a commissioned Lieutenant starts near Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,10,000 in hand and grows with rank, allowances and pension.
An NDA cadet earns a training stipend of Rs 56,100 per month during the academy years, and on commissioning as a Lieutenant (Army), Sub-Lieutenant (Navy) or Flying Officer (Air Force) starts at 7th Pay Commission Pay Level 10 with a basic pay of Rs 56,100 plus a Military Service Pay of Rs 15,500 per month. With Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and posting-based allowances, the in-hand salary of a newly commissioned officer is roughly Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,10,000 per month, and it rises sharply with rank.
During the three years at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and the follow-on pre-commission training at the IMA, INA or AFA, a cadet receives a fixed monthly stipend of Rs 56,100 (the starting cell of Pay Level 10). Boarding, lodging, uniforms and training are provided, so the stipend is largely a saving. Full pay begins only after commissioning.
On being commissioned, an NDA graduate becomes a Lieutenant in the Army (or the Navy and Air Force equivalents) in Pay Level 10, which runs from Rs 56,100 to Rs 1,77,500. On top of the basic pay every officer up to the rank of Brigadier draws a fixed Military Service Pay of Rs 15,500 per month, plus Dearness Allowance and House Rent Allowance. The table below shows the core monthly components at the start.
| Component | Amount (per month) |
|---|---|
| Basic pay (Level 10 start) | Rs 56,100 |
| Military Service Pay (MSP) | Rs 15,500 |
| Dearness Allowance | a percentage of basic, revised twice a year |
| House Rent Allowance | city-dependent (or free quarters) |
| Approx in-hand (new officer) | Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,10,000 |
Basic pay plus Military Service Pay alone is about Rs 71,600 before allowances; Dearness Allowance and House Rent Allowance lift the in-hand figure to roughly Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,10,000 for a new officer.
Beyond basic pay and MSP, allowances can add a large amount depending on the posting. A field posting, a high-altitude area or a specialist role pays extra, which is why two officers of the same rank can take home very different amounts.
| Allowance | Amount (per month) | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Field Area Allowance | up to Rs 16,900 | field and highly active area postings |
| Siachen Allowance | Rs 42,500 | service in the Siachen sector |
| Flying Allowance (Army Aviators) | Rs 25,000 | qualified pilots |
| House Rent Allowance | 8 to 24 percent of basic | when government quarters are not provided |
Pay in the armed forces rises with each promotion, and the pay level moves up the matrix at every rank. An officer who joins at Level 10 as a Lieutenant can reach the highest levels over a full career. The progression below is the Army sequence with the corresponding pay level.
| Rank | Pay Level | Starting basic (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | 10 | Rs 56,100 |
| Captain | 10B | Rs 61,300 |
| Major | 11 | Rs 69,400 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | 12A | Rs 1,21,200 |
| Colonel | 13 | Rs 1,30,600 |
| Brigadier | 13A | Rs 1,39,600 |
| Major General and above | 14 and higher | Rs 1,44,200 upward |
The pay is only part of the package. A commissioned officer gets a set of benefits that add real value: subsidised messing and accommodation, lifelong medical cover through the ECHS after retirement, access to CSD canteen stores at discounted prices, Group Insurance of about Rs 15 lakh, around 45 days of earned leave a year plus casual leave, Leave Travel Concession, and a respected pension on retirement. Officers also get strong opportunities for adventure sports, higher study, and foreign postings and courses.
The 8th Pay Commission was constituted in November 2025 and is expected to revise central and armed-forces pay, but as of August 2026 it has not been implemented and no official revised figures for military officers have been announced. Media estimates of a hike of about 30 percent are proposals, not confirmed numbers, so treat any specific 8th Pay Commission salary figure as expected until the government notifies the final pay matrix. All figures in this guide are the current 7th Pay Commission scales.
To earn this salary and rank you first clear the UPSC NDA and NA written examination (900 marks: Paper I Mathematics of 300 marks and Paper II General Ability Test of 600 marks, with negative marking) and then the 900-mark SSB Interview. NDA is held twice a year, and NDA II 2026 with about 394 vacancies has its written exam around 13 September 2026. A disciplined preparation cycle on the exact pattern is the first step. See our full NDA 2026 strategy guide and practise on the NDA mock test series, and browse all exams we cover.
NDA is one of the few careers that pays you to train, gives a strong starting package of around Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,10,000 in hand, and then grows steadily with rank alongside housing, medical and pension benefits few private jobs match. The pay is real, but it is earned by clearing a tough exam and the SSB, so start your preparation early and train on the real pattern.
A commissioned NDA officer starts as a Lieutenant on 7th Pay Commission Level 10 with basic pay of Rs 56,100 plus Military Service Pay of Rs 15,500 per month. With Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and posting allowances, the in-hand salary is roughly Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,10,000 per month at the start and rises with rank.
NDA cadets receive a fixed training stipend of Rs 56,100 per month during the academy years at NDA Khadakwasla and the follow-on pre-commission training. Boarding, lodging and training are provided, so the stipend is largely a saving. Full pay begins after commissioning.
Beyond basic pay and the Rs 15,500 Military Service Pay, officers get Dearness Allowance and House Rent Allowance, plus posting-based allowances such as Field Area Allowance up to Rs 16,900, Siachen Allowance of Rs 42,500, and flying allowance of Rs 25,000 for qualified pilots.
The 8th Pay Commission was constituted in November 2025 and is expected to revise armed-forces pay, but as of August 2026 it is not implemented and no official military figures are announced. Reported hikes of about 30 percent are proposals, so treat any specific figure as expected until the government notifies the final pay matrix.
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Pay rises at every promotion. An officer starts as a Lieutenant on Level 10 (Rs 56,100), then moves to Captain (Level 10B), Major (Level 11), Lieutenant Colonel (Level 12A, about Rs 1,21,200), Colonel (Level 13), Brigadier (Level 13A) and higher, with pay climbing at each rank alongside allowances.
