The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has a distinct set of rules for fixing the salary of Ex-Servicemen (ESM) who join Central Government civil posts after retirement. The most critical component here is the “Ignorable Pension” limit. Currently, for Commissioned Officers, the first ₹15,000 of their military pension is ignored while fixing the new civil salary, whereas for Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR), the entire pension is often ignored.
- Subject: Pay Fixation on Re-employment
- Authority: DoPT (Estt. Pay-II)
- Key Limit: ₹15,000 Ignorable Pension (Officers)
- PBOR Benefit: Full Pension Ignored (Conditions apply)
What Changed: The ₹15,000 Limit
In the past, the ignorable part of the pension was a meager ₹4,000. This has been enhanced to ₹15,000 (per CCS Orders). Simply put, when your new civil employer calculates your salary, they will deduct your military pension from your new pay, BUT they will let you keep ₹15,000 of that pension “hidden” from this deduction. This ensures you take home a higher total income.
✅ Official Fixation Protocol
Rules: CCS (Fixation of Pay of Re-employed Pensioners) Orders
Applicability: Ex-Servicemen joining Civil/PSU/Bank posts
The Protocol: Officer vs PBOR (JCO/OR)
The rules discriminate positively in favor of PBORs (Jawans/NCOs/JCOs). If you retired young (before age 55) from a non-commissioned rank, the government allows you to keep your full pension AND get the full salary of the new post.
✔ PBOR (JCOs/ORs)
- Condition: Must have retired before attaining age 55.
- Benefit: Entire military pension is IGNORED.
- Pay Fixation: Pay fixed at the minimum of the new Level (e.g., Level 1 or 2) without deducting pension.
⚠ Commissioned Officers
- Deduction: Pension above ₹15,000 is deducted from new pay.
- Calculation: (New Pay – (Total Pension – 15000)).
- Option: You can opt for pay fixation based on Last Pay Drawn (advanced stages).
Calculation: How the Math Works
Let’s look at a practical example for a Commissioned Officer joining a Group A Civil Post. This calculation often confuses the accounts department, leading to lower salary fixation.
| Component | Amount (Illustrative) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Military Pension | ₹60,000 | Basic Pension only (No DA). |
| Ignorable Limit | ₹15,000 | Exempted by DoPT. |
| Deductible Pension | ₹45,000 | (60,000 – 15,000) |
| Civil Pay Level | Level 11 (₹67,700) | Entry pay of new post. |
| Final Civil Pay | Fixed at Higher Stage | Pay is stepped up to cover the deduction. |
Re-employment Pay Estimator (Officer)
Estimate your deduction. Remember, DA is paid on the Civil Pay, and DR is paid on the Military Pension separately.
Impact: Your Civil Pay will be reduced by ₹45,000 initially, OR fixed at a stage where (Pay – Pension) equals the minimum of the post.
Note: PBORs ignore this calculator; you get full pay.
How to Respond (If Pension is Wrongly Deducted)
If you are a PBOR (JCO/NCO) and your office is deducting pension from your salary, submit this representation citing the CCS orders.
“To,
The Head of Office / DDO,
[Department Name],
[City]Subject: Pay Fixation of Re-employed Pensioner – Ignoring of Full Pension (PBOR).
Respected Sir/Madam,
I joined this office as [Designation] on [Date]. I am an Ex-Serviceman having retired from the Indian Army/Navy/Air Force holding the rank of [Rank, e.g., Havildar/JCO], which is below Commissioned Officer rank.
I retired before attaining the age of 55 years. As per DoPT OM No. 3/19/2009-Estt (Pay-II) dated 05.04.2010 (Para 4(b)(ii)), the entire pension of PBORs who retire before 55 is to be ignored for pay fixation.
However, my pay slip shows a deduction of pension. Kindly rectify my pay fixation and release the arrears.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Civil Emp ID]”
हिंदी सारांश: भूतपूर्व सैनिकों का वेतन निर्धारण 2026
DoPT के नियमों के अनुसार, जब कोई भूतपूर्व सैनिक (Ex-Serviceman) किसी सिविल सरकारी नौकरी में आता है, तो उसकी सैलरी फिक्सेशन के अलग नियम होते हैं। कमिशन्ड ऑफिसर्स के लिए, पेंशन में से पहले ₹15,000 को ‘अनदेखा’ (Ignore) किया जाता है और बाकी पेंशन नई सैलरी से काटी जाती है। लेकिन, जो जवान या JCO (PBOR) 55 साल की उम्र से पहले रिटायर हुए हैं, उनकी पूरी पेंशन को अनदेखा किया जाता है। यानी उन्हें पूरी पेंशन + पूरी नई सैलरी दोनों मिलती है।
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the exact “Ignorable Pension” limit in 2026?
The ignorable pension limit for Commissioned Officers stands at ₹15,000 per month. This means up to ₹15,000 of your basic military pension is not deducted from your civil salary. For PBORs (Person Below Officer Rank) retiring before age 55, the entire pension is ignorable.
Do I get Dearness Allowance (DA) on both Pension and Salary?
Yes, but with a catch. You get Dearness Relief (DR) on your full military pension from the bank. Simultaneously, you get Dearness Allowance (DA) on your civil salary from your office. Since the pension deduction is only on the “Basic” component, you effectively enjoy DA/DR on both sources.
Can I protect my last drawn military pay in the civil post?
For PBORs joining Group C/D posts, pay is usually fixed at the minimum of the entry level (Level 1 or 2). Pay protection is generally NOT available unless you are appointed through a specific selection process that allows advanced increments. For Officers joining Group A, pay protection is possible but involves deducting the non-ignorable pension.