Explore the detailed DRDO Salary 2025 structure, including monthly salaries for scientists, engineers, technical staff, and other roles. Learn about the latest pay scales, grade pay, allowances, job-specific perks, and additional benefits offered by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
DRDO Salary at the basic/entry-level is INR 56,100 per month, and at the highest level, the DRDO salary is INR 2,25,000 per month. Being employed as a scientist or technician at DRDO is highly revered as they constitute the Group A (Class I Gazetted) service. Hence, it is also known as the Defense Research and Development Service (DRDS). The Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC) of DRDO oversees the recruitment of DRDO employees.
The recruitment of DRDO scientists into the various scientific and engineering disciplines is conducted through various recruitment programs, the GATE exam being one of them. Read on to learn more on the DRDo salary 2025.
About DRDO
The DRDO, or Defense, Research and Development Organization, is the Research and Development (R&D) wing of the Government of India. DRDO was established in 1958 when the Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) were merged with the Defense Science Organization (DSO).
DRDO has over 50 laboratories to develop technologies across various disciplines like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, engineering systems, advanced computing, simulation, etc.
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DRDO Salary 2025
The DRDO scientist's salaries may differ based on their grade and level of the DRDO post in the pay matrix. Besides, promotions are made through merit-based promotion schemes under the FCS, the Flexible Complementing Scheme.
It means that the DRDO assessment board or peer committee promotes a scientist in its ranks purely based on merit.
Besides the basic pay, DRDO employees are also entitled to various allowances like Dearness Allowance (DA), Travel Allowance (TA), and House Rent Allowance (HRA).
DRDO Salary after the 7th Pay Commission
Various posts of DRDO Scientists, their grade level, level in the pay matrix, and their basic pay per the 7th Pay Commission are tabulated below.
| Grade | Pay Matrix | Basic Pay |
|---|---|---|
| DRDO Scientist B | 10 | INR 56,100 |
| DRDO Scientist C | 11 | INR 67,700 |
| DRDO Scientist D | 12 | INR 78,800 |
| DRDO Scientist E | 13 | INR 1,23,100 |
| DRDO Scientist F | 13A | INR 1,31,100 |
| DRDO Scientist G | 14 | INR 1,44,200 |
| DRDO Scientist H (Outstanding Scientist) | 15 | INR 1,82,200 |
| Distinguished Scientist | 16 | INR 2,05,400 |
| Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman | 17 | INR 2,25,000 |
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DRDO Salary Allowances and Perks
DRDO scientists are entitled to House Rent Allowance (HRA), Dearness Allowance (DA), Transport Allowance (TA), and other perquisites.
The table below shows the various allowances that DRDO employees are entitled to:
| Allowance | Particulars |
|---|---|
| Dearness Allowances (DA) | 21% of Basic Pay |
| House Rent Allowances (HRA) | 24% for Category X Cities 18% for Category Y Cities 8% for Category Z Cities |
| Travelling Allowance (TA) | INR 12 for every kilometre travelled by foot. This will increase by 25% if the DA increases by 50% |
Apart from these allowances, DRDO scientists will receive other benefits like leave travel concessions, medical facilities, and advances for house building. Additionally, DRDO scientists will receive a professional update allowance which will differ based on the grade or post of the employee.
The professional update allowances for the various categories is mentioned below:
| Grade Level | Professional Update Allowance |
|---|---|
| DRDO Scientist B, C, and D | INR 22,500 |
| DRDO Scientist E and F | INR 45,000 |
| DRDO Scientist G onwards | INR 67,500 |
In addition to the defense research salary and allowances, DRDO scientists get reimbursements on their expenditures on newspapers and periodicals, as per the standards set by the authority.
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