House Rent Allowance (HRA)
A percentage of basic pay that varies with the posting location's classification, which is why the same post pays different in-hand amounts in different towns.
HRA in Tamil Nadu government service runs between 8% and 16% of basic pay depending on how the posting location is classified. A transfer between towns can therefore change your in-hand pay without any change in basic pay or level. When weighing posts at the same pay level, likely posting locations are the real salary variable.
Related terms
Basic Pay
The pay-matrix figure before any allowance. DA and HRA are calculated as percentages of it, and deductions come off the resulting gross.
City Compensatory Allowance (CCA)
A small fixed allowance for postings in specified cities, compensating higher living costs on top of HRA.
Pay Matrix
The 7th Pay Commission table of pay levels and cells that replaced pay bands and grade pay. Every post maps to a level; annual increments move you cell by cell.
Pay Level
A post's row in the pay matrix, fixing its starting basic pay and progression. Group 4 posts sit around Level 8; Group 1 posts start around Level 22.
Grade Pay
The 6th Pay Commission add-on that indicated a post's seniority. Abolished by the 7th CPC and absorbed into pay-matrix levels; older notifications still mention it.
Dearness Allowance (DA)
An inflation-linked allowance calculated as a percentage of basic pay and revised periodically by the government.
This definition follows official TNPSC notifications and Tamil Nadu government orders. Sources: TNPSC official notifications. Figures are indicative and may change with each official notification. Data last reviewed: July 2026.
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