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.
Each cell in the matrix is a basic pay figure: moving along your level is the annual increment, and moving to a higher level happens on promotion. TNPSC notifications quote the level and its starting cell, which is how a Group 4 post translates to ₹19,500 basic pay and a Group 1 post to ₹56,100.
Related terms
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.
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.
Dearness Allowance (DA)
An inflation-linked allowance calculated as a percentage of basic pay and revised periodically by the government.
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.
City Compensatory Allowance (CCA)
A small fixed allowance for postings in specified cities, compensating higher living costs on top of HRA.
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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