Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the CDS 2 2020 Notification for admission of candidates to the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and OTA. This year, UPSC CDS 2020 exam aims to fill a total of 344 vacancies in courses carried out by Officers Training Academy (OTA) Men & Women, Indian Naval Academy (INA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), and Air Force Academy (AFA).
Officers recruited in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force through Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam are paid on the basis of their posts such as Lieutenant, Captain, Major, and others. The CDS salary comprises basic pay and allowances such as DA, high altitude allowance, uniform allowance, and others.
Let’s take a look at the In-hand OTA officer salary in CDS, pay-scale, allowances, perks, job profile, and promotion policy offered to officers recruited through UPSC CDS.
Stipend During Training as Salary of CDS Officers
Candidates who get admitted to the Army, Navy, or Air Force after clearing the UPSC CDS exam are first required to undergo Cadet Training. During the training period, the Army Officers and the equivalent post officers in the Navy and Air Force are eligible to get a Fixed Stipend of Rs 56,100 per month, which is the starting pay in Level 10. The training period is not treated as the commissioned service. Once the candidates are commissioned successfully, they are liable to get all the arrears remaining on the basis of their pay matrix with effect from their training period.
Also Read: All You Need To Know About OTA CDS Training Period
Salary of CDS Officers In OTA, Army, Air-Force, Navy
| Rank | Level | Pay Scale |
| Lieutenant | Level 10 | Rs 56,100-1,77,500 |
| Captain | Level 10B | Rs 61,300-1,93,900 |
| Major | Level 11 | Rs 69,400-2,07,200 |
| Lt Colonel | Level 12A | Rs 1,21,200-2,12,400 |
| Colonel | Level 13 | Rs 1,30,600-2,15,900 |
| Brigadier | Level 13A | Rs 1,39,600-2,17,600 |
| Major General | Level 14 | Rs 1,44,200-2,18,200 |
| Lieutenant General HAG Scale | Level 15 | Rs 1,82,200-2,24,100 |
| HAG+Scale | Level 16 | Rs 2,05,400 – 2,24,400 |
| VCOAS/Army CDR/ Lieutenant General (NFSG) | Level 17 | Rs 2,25,000 (fixed) |
| COAS | Level 18 | Rs 2,50,000 (fixed) |
CDS Allowance and Perks for Officers
Apart from the OTA salary in CDS, officers also enjoy certain benefits and perks. They are:
| Allowances | Details |
| Flying Allowance | Pilots in Level 10 & above pay scale get Rs 25,000 per month as flying allowance |
| Dearness Allowance | Same rates as applicable to civilian personnel |
| Kit Maintenance Allowance | Rs 20,000 annually |
| Highly Active Field Area Allowance | Rs 16,900 pm |
| Field Area Allowance | Rs 10,500 pm |
| Modified Field Area Allowance | Rs 6,300 pm |
| High Altitude Allowance | Category-I – Rs 3,400 pm
Category-II – Rs 5,300 pm Category-III – Rs 25,000 pm |
| Siachen Allowance | Rs. 42,500 pm |
| Uniform allowance | Rs. 20,000 pm |
| Free Ration | Officer in Peace & Filed Areas gets Free ration. |
| Transport Allowance (TPTA) | Higher TPTA Cities: Rs 7200 + DA pm
Other Places: Rs 3600 +DA pm |
| Children Education Allowance (CEA) | Rs. 2250 pm per child for only the eldest two surviving
CEA is applicable from kids’ Nursery to 12th class |
Promotion Policy in Officers Training Academy (OTA)
Male and female SSCOs who are granted with the Short Service Commission by the OTA are eligible for the following promotion avenues:
- Captain – On completion of 2 years of commissioned service
- Major – On completion of 6 years of commissioned service
- Lieutenant Colonel – On completion of 13 years of commissioned service
Also Read: Here’s Everything You Should Know about CDS-1 2021 Exam Date and Registration Process
CDS OTA syllabus
According to the CDS OTA syllabus for the exam and the exam pattern, candidates are supposed to appear for three papers comprising General Knowledge, English Language, and Elementary Mathematics.
On the other hand, in the CDS OTA exam, candidates were required to appear for only two papers, i.e., General Knowledge & English Language. The syllabus and the exam procedure are simple but the eligibility criteria for the exam is intricate and difficult for everyone to meet the required quota. The vacancies in comparison to the demand are simply negligible. Thus increasing the difficulty of cracking the exam.
Conclusion
So by now you must have known everything that is related to CDS OTA, be it the OTA salary in CDS, syllabus etc. If you have already made your mind to fill the CDS-1 application form then there is a piece of advice for you and that is, please do not delay because the centre allocation is on a first-come-first go basis, so if you want the centre near to your locality, hurry up and apply. If you want some expert guidance regarding filling the form, click here.
