Government jobPay Level 11Group AGazetted
Assistant Legislative Counsel (Indian Legal Service, Grade IV)
सहायक विधायी परामर्शदाता (भारतीय विधि सेवा, ग्रेड IV)
Direct entry at Pay Level 11 for experienced lawyers and judicial officers — drafting central legislation in the Law Ministry.
Legislative Department (Indian Legal Service) · Ministry of Law and Justice · central government
In-hand pay at joining, per month
₹1,02,000–₹1,19,000
Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.
- Exam
- UPSC Indian Legal Service
- Qualification
- Professional degree
- Age limit
- 21–40 years
- Transfers
- Rare
- Work hours
- Office hours; late evenings during Parliament sessions
- Probation
- As per Indian Legal Service rules
Estimated in-hand / month
₹1,08,054
Gross ₹1,27,620 · CTC ≈ ₹17.1 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Assistant Legislative Counsel (Indian Legal Service, Grade IV) · 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
- Drafting Bills, Ordinances and amendments for central ministries
- Scrutinising and vetting statutory rules, regulations and orders
- Advising ministries on the form and legal effect of proposed legislation
- Assisting when Bills are before Parliament and its committees
- Updating and consolidating central Acts
A typical day
A ministry sends a policy note and wants it turned into law. You study the existing Acts and court rulings, draft clauses, and go back and forth with the ministry's officers until the text says exactly what is intended and nothing more. Other files are subordinate rules to be vetted line by line. When Parliament is in session, drafts and amendments are needed at very short notice. The work is precise, desk-bound and largely invisible.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Assistant Legislative Counsel (Indian Legal Service, Grade IV) (joining)
Pay Level 11
₹1,02,000–₹1,19,000 in-hand
Deputy Legislative Counsel (Grade III)
By promotion after the prescribed service · Level 12 · via dpc
₹1,16,000–₹1,34,000 in-hand
Additional Legislative Counsel and above
Further service · Level 13 · via dpc
₹1,66,000–₹1,87,000 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
Union Public Service Commission (direct recruitment by selection)
- 1.Online application and shortlisting on qualifications and experience
- 2.Recruitment test, where UPSC decides to hold one
- 3.Interview (100 marks)
Eligibility: A degree in law, plus qualifying experience: at least seven years as a member of a state judicial service, in a superior post in a state legal department, or as a central government servant with experience in legal affairs; or the standing as a qualified legal practitioner or the academic qualifications set out in the advertisement. Preference goes to experience in legislative drafting. Age 21–40. The limit shown is for unreserved and EWS candidates. OBC: 3 years more, SC/ST: 5 years more, PwBD: up to 10 years more; central government servants as per rules.
The good
- Direct entry at Level 11
- Rare, specialised legal work at the centre of law-making
- Settled posting in Delhi
The hard parts
- Needs about seven years of prior qualifying experience
- Only a handful of vacancies, advertised irregularly
- Exacting work with tight parliamentary deadlines
Postings
The Legislative Department in New Delhi.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Assistant Legislative Counsel (Indian Legal Service, Grade IV)?+
Assistant Legislative Counsel (Indian Legal Service, Grade IV) is a Pay Level 11 post with a starting basic pay of ₹67,700. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹1,02,000–₹1,19,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.
What is the qualification and age limit for Assistant Legislative Counsel (Indian Legal Service, Grade IV)?+
A degree in law, plus qualifying experience: at least seven years as a member of a state judicial service, in a superior post in a state legal department, or as a central government servant with experience in legal affairs; or the standing as a qualified legal practitioner or the academic qualifications set out in the advertisement. Preference goes to experience in legislative drafting. Age: 21–40 years. Relaxation: The limit shown is for unreserved and EWS candidates. OBC: 3 years more, SC/ST: 5 years more, PwBD: up to 10 years more; central government servants as per rules.
Which exam do I need to clear for Assistant Legislative Counsel (Indian Legal Service, Grade IV)?+
UPSC Indian Legal Service (Union Public Service Commission (direct recruitment by selection)).
Is this open to fresh law graduates?+
No. It is a lateral post for people who already have several years in the judiciary, government legal work or practice. Read the experience clause in the advertisement closely.
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सहायक लोक अभियोजक (दिल्ली)
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मुख्य विधि सहायक (रेलवे)
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Assistant Section Officer (CSS)
सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (CSS)
Pay Level 7 policy-support post in central ministries in New Delhi via SSC CGL — file work at the heart of government.
Sources
- UPSC Advertisement No. 12/2026 (official PDF)
- Union Public Service Commission — recruitment advertisements
This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.