SSC CHSL Salary 2026: LDC, JSA, DEO In-Hand Pay with 60% DA
SSC CHSL Salary 2026: LDC, JSA, DEO In-Hand Pay with 60% DA
The SSC CHSL salary starts at a basic pay of Rs 19,900 for LDC and JSA posts and goes up to Rs 29,200 for some Data Entry Operator posts. With Dearness Allowance now at 60%, HRA and Transport Allowance added on top, a fresh LDC in a big city takes home close to Rs 37,000 a month after the NPS cut.
The long answer depends on your post, your department and the city you are posted in. This page breaks the SSC CHSL salary 2026 into pay levels, allowances and deductions, with worked tables you can check yourself. For dates, fee and the full exam process, see the SSC CHSL complete guide.
SSC released the CHSL 2026 notification on 7 September 2026 with about 2,536 tentative vacancies. The last date to apply is 7 October 2026 (11:00 PM).
SSC CHSL Salary 2026 at a Glance
The official notice lists three post groups and their pay levels under the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) pay matrix.
SSC CHSL Pay Levels Explained Post by Post
SSC CHSL LDC Salary and JSA Salary (Level 2)
LDC and JSA are the bulk of CHSL selections, and both sit at Pay Level 2. Starting basic pay is Rs 19,900. The two names mostly reflect where you work: JSA is the term used in some secretariat-type offices, LDC in many other offices. The pay is identical.
SSC CHSL DEO Salary (Level 4 and Level 5)
The DEO post is listed at two pay levels: Level 4 (Rs 25,500 to Rs 81,100) and Level 5 (Rs 29,200 to Rs 92,300). The notice does not say which departments offer Level 5. You will only know the exact level when you see the post and department list in the Online Option Form and your allocation.
DEO posts in three offices need 12th in Science with Mathematics: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Staff Selection Commission, and Ministry of Culture. Those same posts also carry a tougher typing speed (15,000 key depressions per hour). Other DEO posts accept any stream.
DEO Grade A Salary (Level 4)
DEO Grade A is at Level 4, so the starting basic is Rs 25,500, the same as a Level 4 DEO. That is Rs 5,600 more basic pay per month than an LDC, before DA is even added.
My honest take: if your typing is strong and you meet the stream rule, the DEO route pays noticeably better at the start. But DEO seats are fewer, and past DEO cut-offs have run higher than LDC/JSA. Check your stream rule on the eligibility page before you plan around it.
SSC CHSL Salary with DA: 60% from 1 January 2026
Dearness Allowance is paid as a percentage of basic pay to offset inflation. The Department of Expenditure order issued in April 2026 raised DA from 58% to 60% of basic pay, effective 1 January 2026.
For an LDC on Rs 19,900 basic, 58% DA was Rs 11,542. At 60% it is Rs 11,940, so the hike adds Rs 398 a month. Small on its own, but DA is revised twice a year, and it also feeds into your Transport Allowance.
SSC CHSL In Hand Salary: Calculation Tables
Read this first: all figures below are approx, based on 7th CPC allowance rules. Exact pay depends on department, city and deductions like CGEGIS and income tax. HRA is taken at 30% (X city), 20% (Y city) and 10% (Z city), the rates that apply once DA crosses 50%. Transport Allowance includes DA on it.
LDC / JSA In-Hand Salary (Level 2)
For Level 1 and 2, TA is Rs 1,350 in the bigger notified cities and Rs 900 elsewhere, plus DA. At 60% DA that becomes Rs 2,160 and Rs 1,440. We have assumed X cities fall in the higher TA group.
SSC CHSL DEO Salary Calculation (Level 4, X City)
SSC CHSL DEO Salary Calculation (Level 5, X City)
From Level 3 upward, TA is Rs 3,600 in the higher TA cities and Rs 1,800 elsewhere, plus DA.
Deductions You Should Expect
- NPS: 10% of basic pay plus DA goes to your pension account. New entrants are covered by NPS, and a UPS option exists as per Government rules.
- CGEGIS: the Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme cut, a small fixed monthly amount.
- Income tax: at entry-level pay many employees owe little or nothing, but this depends on your total income and the tax regime you pick.
So the "after NPS only" row is a ceiling, not a promise. Your actual credit will be a little lower.
Allowances in SSC 10+2 Salary
The main allowances attached to the SSC 10+2 salary are these:
- Dearness Allowance (DA): 60% of basic pay from 1 January 2026, revised by the Government from time to time.
- House Rent Allowance (HRA): 30%, 20% or 10% of basic pay by city class, paid if you do not live in government housing.
- Transport Allowance (TA): a fixed amount by pay level and city, plus DA on it.
- Other benefits such as leave travel concession, medical cover under the applicable scheme, and children's education allowance are available as per Central Government rules.
- Some departments may give extra post-specific allowances. These vary, so check with your department after joining.
SSC CHSL Job Profile
LDC / JSA Job Profile
An LDC or JSA handles the everyday paperwork of a government office. The exact desk changes with the department, but the work usually looks like this:
- Receiving, sorting and diarising letters and files
- Writing basic notes on files and drafting routine letters
- Typing documents and entering data in office software
- Maintaining registers and records
- Working as a dealing hand for a set of subjects in a section
DEO Job Profile
A DEO works mainly on computers.
- Entering data into databases and online systems
- Digitising physical records and files
- Checking entered data for errors
- Helping with basic reports from the data
Posting, Probation and Service Conditions
- All India Service Liability: every CHSL post carries it. You can be posted anywhere in India.
- Local language: if a department allots you a State, UT or Zone, you may have to learn its local language before confirmation.
- Probation: 2 years. During this time you may have to complete training or pass exams set by your controlling authority. You are confirmed only if found fit.
Career Growth and Promotion
A common path for a clerk looks like this:
- Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / JSA
- Upper Division Clerk (UDC) / SSA
- Assistant or Assistant Section Officer
- Section Officer and higher posts
Movement happens through seniority-based promotion and departmental exams, including limited departmental competitive exams run for some cadres. There is no fixed number of years for each step. Timelines vary by department and cadre rules.
CHSL vs Graduate-Level Jobs
A CHSL job needs only 12th pass, so the starting pay is lower than graduate-level posts. Many people join as LDC or DEO, finish graduation, and then attempt the SSC CGL for a higher post.
If that is your plan, the SSC CGL hub lists the posts and pay levels there.
8th Pay Commission: What Could Change
All numbers on this page follow the 7th CPC. If the 8th Pay Commission recommendations are implemented, the basic pay, DA base and allowances will be revised. No implementation date is known yet, so we have not guessed any new figures. Treat any "8th CPC CHSL salary" number you see online as speculation.
FAQs on SSC CHSL Salary
What is the SSC CHSL salary in 2026?
Basic pay starts at Rs 19,900 (LDC/JSA, Level 2), Rs 25,500 (DEO Level 4 and DEO Grade A) and Rs 29,200 (DEO Level 5). DA is 60% of basic on top.
What is the SSC CHSL in hand salary for an LDC?
Approx Rs 36,786 in an X city, Rs 34,076 in a Y city and Rs 32,086 in a Z city after the NPS cut only. CGEGIS and income tax can reduce it further.
What is the current DA for SSC CHSL employees?
60% of basic pay from 1 January 2026, up from 58%, as per the Department of Expenditure order of April 2026.
Which pays more, LDC or DEO?
DEO. A Level 4 DEO starts at Rs 25,500 basic against Rs 19,900 for an LDC, and gets a higher Transport Allowance too.
Which departments give DEO at Level 5?
The notice lists DEO at Level 4 and Level 5 but does not name the departments for Level 5. SSC has not announced this yet.
Is there a probation period?
Yes, 2 years. You may need to complete training or pass prescribed exams before confirmation.
Can I get a posting in my home state?
Not guaranteed. All posts carry All India Service Liability, and the user department allots the State, UT or Zone.
Your Next Step
The salary only matters once you clear Tier 1, and this year Tier 1 has a 15-minute timer for each section. You cannot borrow time from GA to finish Quant anymore.
ExamAtlas has 7 free CHSL Tier 1 mocks that run the same sectional timer, so you can find out which section runs out of time for you. Take one this week, before the 7 October 2026 deadline passes.