SEO Title: DA Hike July 2026 Order Out: DA Increased to 63% – Salary Calculation for MTS, Postman & PA
Finance Ministry has raised Dearness Allowance from 60% to 63% from 1 July 2026. See how much your salary will increase as MTS, Postman or Postal Assistant, with simple examples.
Focus Keywords: DA Hike July 2026, Dearness Allowance, GDS to MTS Salary, Postman to PA Salary, MTS to PA Salary, India Post Latest News, India Post Circulars
URL Slug: /da-hike-july-2026-63-percent-order
Quick Summary
Good news for central government employees! The Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure has issued the official order for the DA hike from July 2026.
Dearness Allowance (DA) has been increased by 3%, from 60% to 63% of Basic Pay, with effect from 1 July 2026. The Office Memorandum was issued on 29 October 2026.
This means a higher salary for lakhs of employees, including India Post staff like MTS, Postman, Mail Guard and Postal Assistants.
Order at a Glance
- OM No.: 1/2(i)/2026-E.II(B)
- Issued by: Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi
- Date: 29 October 2026
- Signed by: Shri Abhimanyu Sahoo, Director
- Old DA Rate: 60%
- New DA Rate: 63%
- Increase: 3%
- Effective From: 01.07.2026
- Previous DA Order: OM dated 22 April 2026
Key Points of the Order
- DA is calculated on Basic Pay only, meaning the pay in your Level of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix.
- Basic Pay does not include special pay or any other type of pay.
- DA remains a separate part of salary and is not counted as pay under FR 9(21).
- Rounding off: 50 paise or more is rounded up to the next rupee; less than 50 paise is ignored.
- The order also covers civilian employees paid from Defence Services Estimates.
- Armed Forces and Railway employees will get separate orders from their ministries.
How Much Will Your Salary Increase?
Here is a simple calculation at the starting basic pay of common India Post posts:
| Post | Pay Level | Basic Pay | DA at 60% | DA at 63% | Monthly Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTS | Level 1 | ₹18,000 | ₹10,800 | ₹11,340 | +₹540 |
| Postman / Mail Guard | Level 3 | ₹21,700 | ₹13,020 | ₹13,671 | +₹651 |
| Postal / Sorting Assistant | Level 4 | ₹25,500 | ₹15,300 | ₹16,065 | +₹765 |
| Inspector Posts | Level 7 | ₹44,900 | ₹26,940 | ₹28,287 | +₹1,347 |
Easy formula: Monthly increase = 3% of your Basic Pay
For example, if your basic pay is ₹30,000, your DA goes up by ₹900 per month.
What About Arrears?
Since the hike is effective from 1 July 2026, employees will also get arrears for the months before the new rate is paid.
If the new DA is paid with the November 2026 salary, the arrears will be for 4 months (July to October):
| Post | Monthly Increase | Approx. Arrears (4 months) |
|---|---|---|
| MTS | ₹540 | ₹2,160 |
| Postman / Mail Guard | ₹651 | ₹2,604 |
| Postal Assistant | ₹765 | ₹3,060 |
| Inspector Posts | ₹1,347 | ₹5,388 |
Actual arrears depend on your exact basic pay and when your office pays them.
Why Promotion Matters Even More Now
DA is a percentage of basic pay. So the higher your Pay Level, the bigger your DA.
Look at the difference:
- An MTS gets ₹11,340 as DA
- A Postal Assistant gets ₹16,065 as DA
That’s ₹4,725 more DA every month, on top of the higher basic pay. This is why clearing departmental exams like GDS to MTS, MTS to PA and Postman to PA makes such a big difference to your income over the years.
What About GDS and Pensioners?
- Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) get their DA under separate orders from the Department of Posts. Watch out for a separate India Post circular for GDS.
- Pensioners get Dearness Relief (DR), which is notified separately by the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare.
Prepare for Your Promotion with Post Office Coaching
Want a higher Pay Level and a bigger DA? Clear your departmental exam with us:
- GDS to MTS Online Classes and GDS to Postman Online Classes
- MTS to PA Online Classes and Postman to PA Online Classes
- Full syllabus, India Post Previous Year Question Papers and India Post Mock Tests
- Simple India Post Study Material and the latest India Post Notifications
FAQs
Q1. What is the new DA rate from July 2026? DA is now 63% of Basic Pay.
Q2. How much has DA increased? By 3%, from 60% to 63%.
Q3. From which date is the new DA effective? From 1 July 2026.
Q4. When was the order issued? The Office Memorandum was issued on 29 October 2026.
Q5. How much will an MTS get extra per month? At the starting basic pay of ₹18,000, an MTS will get ₹540 more per month.
Q6. Does this order apply to GDS? No. GDS get DA through separate Department of Posts orders.