HowIndiaEarns

Government jobPay Level 5Group CNon‑gazetted

Accountant / Junior Accountant

लेखाकार

Pay Level 5 desk post via SSC CGL in accounts offices under the C&AG, CGA and others — compiling accounts and settling claims.

Offices under the C&AG, Controller General of Accounts (CGA) and other departments · central government

In-hand pay at joining, per month

₹48,000–₹56,000

Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.

Exam
SSC CGL
Qualification
Graduate
Age limit
18–27 years
Transfers
Within the state
Work hours
Regular office hours; busier at monthly and year-end closing
Probation
2 years

Estimated in-hand / month

₹50,568

Gross ₹55,440 · CTC ≈ ₹7.4 lakh/yr

Level 5

Where are you posted?

Joining

Accountant / Junior Accountant · rates as of January 2026 (DA 60%). Excludes CGHS, GPF/insurance deductions and special allowances. Estimate only.

New to pay slips? Read how in-hand salary is worked out.

What you will actually do

  • Posting and compiling accounts received from treasuries or pay and accounts offices
  • Processing pension, GPF and other entitlement cases
  • Checking bills before payment in pay and accounts offices
  • Reconciling figures with departments and banks
  • Maintaining ledgers, broadsheets and registers

A typical day

You sit in an accounts section with a set of ledgers or a list of offices to handle. The day goes in checking and entering vouchers, working through pension or GPF files, and chasing missing documents. Work piles up around monthly closing and in March; the rest of the time the pace is calm and you leave on time.

Stress2/5
CalmIntense
Public dealing2/5
LittleConstant
Field work1/5
DeskOutdoors

Promotion path

Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.

  1. Accountant / Junior Accountant (joining)

    Pay Level 5

    ₹48,000–₹56,000 in-hand

  2. Senior Accountant

    3–5 years · Level 6 · via dpc

    ₹57,000–₹67,000 in-hand

  3. Assistant Accounts Officer

    After passing the departmental (SAS/AAO) examination · Level 8 · via departmental exam

    ₹76,000–₹88,000 in-hand

Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.

How to get in

SSC CGLOnce a year

Staff Selection Commission

  1. 1.Tier-I computer-based test
  2. 2.Tier-II computer-based test (including computer knowledge module)
  3. 3.Document verification

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Age 18–27. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.

The good

  • Settled desk job, usually in one city
  • Low stress and fixed hours
  • Exam route to Assistant Accounts Officer

The hard parts

  • Level 5 starting pay
  • Repetitive work with little variety
  • Little public recognition or authority

Postings

C&AG accountants are posted to the Accountant General (A&E) office of the allotted state. Accountants under the CGA work in pay and accounts offices of central ministries, mainly in Delhi and other large cities.

Central government job securityNPS with a 14% government contributionLeave Travel Concession (LTC)Medical cover (CGHS in covered cities)

Questions people ask

What is the in-hand salary of Accountant / Junior Accountant?+

Accountant / Junior Accountant is a Pay Level 5 post with a starting basic pay of ₹29,200. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹48,000–₹56,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.

What is the qualification and age limit for Accountant / Junior Accountant?+

Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Age: 18–27 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.

Which exam do I need to clear for Accountant / Junior Accountant?+

SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission).

Is there any field work?+

Almost none. This is one of the most desk-bound posts in SSC CGL.

Compare with similar posts

Accountant / Junior Accountant vs AuditorAccountant / Junior Accountant vs Assistant Accounts OfficerAccountant / Junior Accountant vs Tax Assistant

Auditor (C&AG and other departments)

लेखा परीक्षक

Pay Level 5

Pay Level 5 post via SSC CGL in audit offices under the C&AG, CGDA and others — assisting audit parties and checking accounts.

₹48,000–₹56,000 in-handSSC CGL

Assistant Accounts Officer (C&AG)

सहायक लेखा अधिकारी

Pay Level 8

Group B gazetted, Pay Level 8 post under the C&AG via SSC CGL — supervising state government accounts, pension and GPF work.

₹76,000–₹88,000 in-handSSC CGL

Tax Assistant (CBDT / CBIC)

टैक्स असिस्टेंट

Pay Level 4

Pay Level 4 desk job in the Income Tax or GST/Customs department via SSC CGL — mostly office work, steady hours.

₹42,000–₹50,000 in-handSSC CGL

Books to prepare for SSC CGL

  • Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations

    R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand)

    The standard practice book for arithmetic. Strong on volume of questions; weak on shortcuts, so pair it with solved papers.

    See on Amazon

  • SSC Mathematics Chapterwise Solved Papers

    Kiran Prakashan

    Thousands of actual SSC questions sorted by topic. The quickest way to see what is really asked.

    See on Amazon

  • Objective General English

    S.P. Bakshi (Arihant)

    Grammar rules with exam-style practice sets. Good for error spotting and sentence improvement.

    See on Amazon

All 7 books for SSC CGL, CPO and other graduate-level exams

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and does not affect which books we list.

Sources

This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.