DRDO means Defence Research and Development Organisation. It works under the Ministry of Defence and is connected with defence research, weapons, missiles, electronics, aeronautics, naval systems, combat vehicles, life sciences and advanced technology projects. DRDO has scientists, technical staff, administrative staff, technicians, assistants and other support employees.
DRDO salary is not the same for every post. A Scientist B gets a much higher salary than a Technician-A or MTS. Similarly, Senior Technical Assistant-B comes under a different pay level. So, DRDO salary should always be understood post-wise.
DRDO Salary 2026 Quick Overview
| Component | Details |
| Organisation | Defence Research And Development Organisation |
| Ministry | Ministry Of Defence |
| Job Type | Central Government Defence Research Organisation |
| Common Posts | Scientist B, STA-B, Technician-A, Admin Assistant, MTS |
| Scientist B Pay Level | Pay Level 10 |
| Scientist B Basic Pay | ₹56,100 Per Month |
| Senior Technical Assistant-B Pay Level | Pay Level 6 |
| STA-B Basic Pay | ₹35,400 Per Month |
| Technician-A Pay Level | Pay Level 2 |
| Technician-A Basic Pay | ₹19,900 Per Month |
| DA Used In Calculation | 60% |
| Approx. Scientist B In-Hand Salary | ₹88,000–₹1.05 Lakh Per Month |
| Approx. STA-B In-Hand Salary | ₹54,000–₹66,000 Per Month |
| Approx. Technician-A In-Hand Salary | ₹31,000–₹39,000 Per Month |
| Main Allowances | DA, HRA, TA, medical, LTC, leave benefits |
| Main Deductions | NPS, CGHS/medical, insurance, income tax if applicable |
| Work Nature | Defence research, technical work, lab work, administration and project support |
DRDO Pay Scale
DRDO salary depends mainly on the post and pay level. DRDO scientists belong to the Defence Research and Development Service, where Scientist B is the entry-level Group A scientist post under Pay Level 10. The DRDO scientist hierarchy places Scientist B at the junior time scale entry level.
For technical recruitment, DRDO CEPTAM is commonly linked with posts like Senior Technical Assistant-B and Technician-A. CEPTAM-11 recruitment was reported for STA-B and Technician-A posts, showing that these are major technical recruitment categories in DRDO.
The common practical pay levels are:
| DRDO Post | Pay Level | Starting Basic Pay |
| Scientist B | Level 10 | ₹56,100 |
| Senior Technical Assistant-B | Level 6 | ₹35,400 |
| Technician-A | Level 2 | ₹19,900 |
| Admin Assistant / Clerk-Type Post | Level 2 / Level 4 | |
| MTS / Support Post | Level 1 | |
| Senior Scientist Posts | Level 11 And Above |
Basic pay is not the final salary. DA, HRA, TA and other benefits are added to it. After deductions like NPS, CGHS, insurance and tax, the remaining amount becomes the actual in-hand salary.
DRDO Scientist B Salary At One Place
The table below gives a practical salary estimate for a newly appointed DRDO Scientist B at basic pay of ₹56,100. DA is taken at 60%, as central government DA was raised from 58% to 60% from January 2026.
| Salary Component | X City / Metro | Y City | Z City / Smaller Place |
| Basic Pay | ₹56,100 | ₹56,100 | ₹56,100 |
| Dearness Allowance, 60% | ₹33,660 | ₹33,660 | ₹33,660 |
| House Rent Allowance | ₹16,830 | ₹11,220 | ₹5,610 |
| Transport Allowance With DA | ₹11,520 | ₹5,760 | ₹5,760 |
| Approx. Gross Salary | ₹1,18,110 | ₹1,06,740 | ₹1,01,130 |
| NPS Deduction, Approx. | ₹8,976 | ₹8,976 | ₹8,976 |
| Other Deductions, Approx. | ₹4,000–₹10,000 | ₹3,000–₹8,000 | ₹3,000–₹8,000 |
| Approx. In-Hand Salary | ₹99,000–₹1.05 Lakh | ₹91,000–₹98,000 | ₹88,000–₹95,000 |
These figures are practical estimates. Actual salary can change because of posting city, HRA eligibility, government accommodation, income tax, NPS, medical deductions, arrears and department-level recovery.
DRDO STA-B Salary At One Place
Senior Technical Assistant-B, or STA-B, is a strong technical post in DRDO. It is usually treated around Pay Level 6, with starting basic pay of ₹35,400.
| Salary Component | X City / Metro | Y City | Z City / Smaller Place |
| Basic Pay | ₹35,400 | ₹35,400 | ₹35,400 |
| Dearness Allowance, 60% | ₹21,240 | ₹21,240 | ₹21,240 |
| House Rent Allowance | ₹10,620 | ₹7,080 | ₹3,540 |
| Transport Allowance With DA | ₹5,760 | ₹2,880 | ₹2,880 |
| Approx. Gross Salary | ₹73,020 | ₹66,600 | ₹63,060 |
| NPS Deduction, Approx. | ₹5,664 | ₹5,664 | ₹5,664 |
| Other Deductions, Approx. | ₹1,000–₹2,500 | ₹1,000–₹2,500 | ₹1,000–₹2,500 |
| Approx. In-Hand Salary | ₹64,000–₹66,000 | ₹58,000–₹61,000 | ₹54,000–₹57,000 |
DRDO Technician-A Salary At One Place
Technician-A is a lower technical post compared to STA-B. It is usually calculated around Pay Level 2, with starting basic pay of ₹19,900.
| Salary Component | X City / Metro | Y City | Z City / Smaller Place |
| Basic Pay | ₹19,900 | ₹19,900 | ₹19,900 |
| Dearness Allowance, 60% | ₹11,940 | ₹11,940 | ₹11,940 |
| House Rent Allowance | ₹5,970 | ₹3,980 | ₹1,990 |
| Transport Allowance With DA | ₹5,760 | ₹2,880 | ₹2,880 |
| Approx. Gross Salary | ₹43,570 | ₹38,700 | ₹36,710 |
| NPS Deduction, Approx. | ₹3,184 | ₹3,184 | ₹3,184 |
| Other Deductions, Approx. | ₹800–₹2,000 | ₹800–₹2,000 | ₹800–₹2,000 |
| Approx. In-Hand Salary | ₹38,000–₹39,500 | ₹33,500–₹35,500 | ₹31,000–₹33,000 |
These figures are practical estimates. Actual salary can change by DRDO lab, city, accommodation, deductions, duty type and official rules.
DRDO In-Hand Salary
DRDO in-hand salary depends on the post.
A Scientist B may receive around ₹88,000 to ₹1.05 lakh per month at the starting level. A Senior Technical Assistant-B may receive around ₹54,000 to ₹66,000 per month. A Technician-A may receive around ₹31,000 to ₹39,000 per month.
If government accommodation is provided, HRA may not be paid separately. In that case, the bank-credit salary becomes lower, but the employee receives accommodation benefit.
DRDO Salary Structure All Components
Basic Pay
Basic pay is the fixed foundation of salary. Scientist B starts at ₹56,100, STA-B starts around ₹35,400, and Technician-A starts around ₹19,900.
Dearness Allowance
DA is one of the biggest salary additions. At 60%, DA becomes ₹33,660 for Scientist B, ₹21,240 for STA-B and ₹11,940 for Technician-A.
House Rent Allowance
HRA depends on city category and accommodation. In X-category cities, HRA is higher. In Y and Z-category cities, it is lower. If DRDO accommodation or government quarters are allotted, HRA may not be paid separately.
Transport Allowance
DRDO employees get Transport Allowance as per central government rules. The amount depends on pay level and city category.
Medical Benefits
DRDO employees get medical benefits as per central government rules. CGHS or medical reimbursement may apply depending on posting and eligibility.
Leave And LTC Benefits
DRDO employees usually get earned leave, casual leave, government holidays, Leave Travel Concession, retirement-related benefits under NPS, regular increments and service security.
Project And Technical Exposure
This is not always a direct cash allowance, but DRDO gives strong technical exposure. Scientists and technical employees may work on defence technology, laboratories, testing projects, research support and classified development work.
Deductions From DRDO Salary
The main regular deduction is usually NPS contribution. It is generally calculated as 10% of basic pay plus DA.
For Scientist B, NPS deduction may come around ₹8,976 per month. For STA-B, it may come around ₹5,664 per month. For Technician-A, it may come around ₹3,184 per month.
Other deductions may include CGHS or medical contribution, insurance, income tax, professional tax where applicable, loan recovery, accommodation recovery and other official deductions.
DRDO Job Profile
DRDO job profile depends on the post.
A Scientist B works on research, design, testing, development, project planning, technical reports, defence systems and laboratory-level scientific work. DRDO scientists work in areas such as aeronautics, armaments, electronics, combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles and naval systems.
A Senior Technical Assistant-B supports scientists and senior officers in lab work, testing, equipment handling, technical documentation, maintenance, project support and experiment-related activities.
A Technician-A works on practical technical tasks, workshop support, machine operation, repair, maintenance, testing support and trade-based work.
Administrative staff handle office work, records, accounts, establishment, purchase, stores, typing, data entry and file movement.
DRDO Selection Process
DRDO recruitment depends on the post. Scientist B recruitment is usually handled through RAC, while technical and administrative posts are commonly recruited through CEPTAM. CEPTAM-11 was reported for STA-B and Technician-A posts, with Tier-I and Tier-II stages for the recruitment process.
| Post | Common Selection Route |
| Scientist B | GATE score / RAC recruitment / interview process |
| STA-B | CEPTAM-based recruitment |
| Technician-A | CEPTAM-based recruitment |
| Admin / Assistant Posts | Written exam / skill test as per notification |
| MTS / Support Posts | Written exam as per notification |
Candidates should always check the latest DRDO notification because eligibility, exam stages and selection rules can change by post.
DRDO Salary After 5, 10 And 20 Years
| Service Stage | Scientist B / Officer-Level Approx. In-Hand | Technical Staff Approx. In-Hand |
| At Joining | ₹88,000–₹1.05 Lakh | ₹31,000–₹66,000 |
| After 5 Years | ₹1.05 Lakh–₹1.30 Lakh | ₹40,000–₹78,000 |
| After 10 Years | ₹1.30 Lakh–₹1.65 Lakh | ₹52,000–₹95,000 |
| After 15 Years | ₹1.60 Lakh–₹2.00 Lakh | ₹65,000–₹1.15 Lakh |
| After 20 Years | ₹2.00 Lakh+ | ₹80,000+ |
These are broad estimates. Actual growth depends on pay level, promotion, assessment, annual increment, DA revision, HRA, posting and deductions.
Career Growth And Promotion
DRDO has strong career growth, especially for scientists and technical staff. A Scientist B can move to Scientist C, Scientist D, Scientist E and higher levels through assessment and promotion. DRDO scientists follow a merit-based promotion system rather than only seniority-based promotion.
Technical staff may grow from Technician-A or STA-B to higher technical and supervisory levels through promotion, departmental rules, experience and vacancies.
DRDO is a good career choice for candidates who want government job security along with defence technology exposure.
DRDO Scientist Vs Technician Salary
| Point | DRDO Scientist B | DRDO Technician-A |
| Pay Level | Level 10 | Level 2 |
| Starting Basic Pay | ₹56,100 | ₹19,900 |
| Approx. In-Hand Salary | ₹88,000–₹1.05 Lakh | ₹31,000–₹39,000 |
| Work Type | Research And Development | Trade-Based Technical Support |
| Qualification | Engineering / Science-Based Higher Qualification | |
| Responsibility | Higher | |
| Promotion Scope | Strong Scientific Cadre Growth |
Scientist B salary is much higher than Technician-A salary because Scientist B is a Group A officer-level scientific post.
FAQs
Q1. What Is The Salary Of DRDO Scientist B?
DRDO Scientist B starts at ₹56,100 basic pay under Pay Level 10. The approximate starting in-hand salary may come around ₹88,000 to ₹1.05 lakh per month.
Q2. What Is The Salary Of DRDO STA-B?
DRDO Senior Technical Assistant-B usually starts around ₹35,400 basic pay under Pay Level 6. The approximate in-hand salary may come around ₹54,000 to ₹66,000 per month.
Q3. What Is The Salary Of DRDO Technician-A?
DRDO Technician-A usually starts around ₹19,900 basic pay under Pay Level 2. The approximate in-hand salary may come around ₹31,000 to ₹39,000 per month.
Q4. Does DRDO Get DA And HRA?
Yes. DRDO employees get DA and HRA as per central government rules. HRA may not be paid separately if government accommodation is provided.
Q5. Is DRDO A Central Government Job?
Yes. DRDO is a central government defence research organisation under the Ministry of Defence.
Q6. Is DRDO A Good Job?
Yes. DRDO is a strong career option with central government salary, technical exposure, research value, promotion scope, job security and national defence importance.
