What is Dearness Allowance?

Dearness Allowance (DA) is an amount paid to government employees on top of basic pay to offset the rise in prices. Pensioners get the same thing under the name Dearness Relief (DR). In the Cabinet decisions for the central government it is expressed as a percentage of the Basic Pay or Pension, and the rate is raised in instalments.

How it works for the central government

• The Cabinet decides a new rate that applies from 1 January or 1 July. Between January 2024 and July 2026 there were six such decisions, taking the rate from 46% to 63%.
• The PIB releases say each increase follows the accepted formula, based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission. This site does not reproduce the formula itself.
• Because the decision comes months after the date from which the rate applies, the gap is paid as arrears.

An example

On a basic pay of ₹56,100, DA at 60% is ₹33,660. From 1 July 2026 it is 63%, so DA becomes ₹35,343, a rise of ₹1,683 a month.

What it does not cover

State government employees follow their own state's orders. House rent allowance, travel allowance and the pay commission recommendations are separate subjects and are not covered here.

Calculate your DA Rate history

Sources

• 1 January 2024: DA / DR 46% to 50% from 1 January 2024, Cabinet decision posted 7 March 2024 (PIB release 2012369).
• 1 July 2024: DA / DR 50% to 53% from 1 July 2024, Cabinet decision posted 16 October 2024 (PIB release 2065314).
• 1 January 2025: DA / DR 53% to 55% from 1 January 2025, Cabinet decision posted 28 March 2025 (PIB release 2116184).
• 1 July 2025: DA / DR 55% to 58% from 1 July 2025, Cabinet decision posted 1 October 2025 (PIB release 2173541).
• 1 January 2026: DA / DR 58% to 60% from 1 January 2026, Cabinet decision posted 18 April 2026 (PIB release 2253245).
• 1 July 2026: DA / DR 60% to 63% from 1 July 2026, Cabinet decision posted 28 October 2026 (PIB release 2329485).
• All six releases were read on 13 November 2026 on pib.gov.in. Each says the increase is "in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission" and is a percentage of the Basic Pay / Pension.

Checked on 13 November 2026 against the Press Information Bureau releases of the Cabinet decisions. This site is not connected with the Government of India and covers central government employees and pensioners only; state governments decide their own rates. It does the arithmetic; your pay and accounts office applies the actual order.