Government jobPay Level 7Group BNon‑gazetted
Assistant Section Officer (Intelligence Bureau)
सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (आसूचना ब्यूरो)
Pay Level 7 ministerial post via SSC CGL in the Intelligence Bureau — administration and file work, with all-India transfers.
Intelligence Bureau · Ministry of Home Affairs · central government
In-hand pay at joining, per month
₹72,000–₹84,000
Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.
- Exam
- SSC CGL
- Qualification
- Graduate
- Age limit
- 18–30 years
- Transfers
- Anywhere in India
- Work hours
- Office hours, with extended duty when required
- Probation
- 2 years
Estimated in-hand / month
₹76,316
Gross ₹83,700 · CTC ≈ ₹11.3 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Assistant Section Officer (Intelligence Bureau) · 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
- Establishment, accounts and administrative work of an IB unit
- Maintaining and processing classified records
- Drafting notes and correspondence
- Supporting officers with compiled information and reports
- Handling pay, leave and service matters of staff
A typical day
This is office work, not spying. You handle administration, accounts or records in the IB headquarters or a subsidiary bureau in a state. The difference from other secretariat jobs is secrecy: you cannot carry work or talk about it outside, phones and devices are restricted in the office, and your social media and contacts are expected to stay low-key. Hours are longer than in most ministries when something is happening.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Assistant Section Officer (Intelligence Bureau) (joining)
Pay Level 7
₹72,000–₹84,000 in-hand
Section Officer (Group B gazetted)
8–12 years, or sooner through the limited departmental exam · 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
Staff Selection Commission
- 1.Tier-I computer-based test
- 2.Tier-II computer-based test (including computer knowledge module)
- 3.Document verification
Eligibility: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Age 18–30. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.
The good
- Special security allowance raises take-home pay above other Level 7 posts
- Lower age entry (18) than the Central Secretariat ASO
- Stable ministerial work in a respected organisation
The hard parts
- All-India transfers, including difficult stations
- Strict secrecy affects personal and social life
- Slower promotions than the Central Secretariat
Postings
IB headquarters in Delhi and subsidiary bureaus in state capitals and other towns, including the North-East and border states. Transfers are all-India.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Assistant Section Officer (Intelligence Bureau)?+
Assistant Section Officer (Intelligence Bureau) is a Pay Level 7 post with a starting basic pay of ₹44,900. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹72,000–₹84,000 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 Section Officer (Intelligence Bureau)?+
Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Age: 18–30 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 Assistant Section Officer (Intelligence Bureau)?+
SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission).
Is this an intelligence officer post?+
No. ASO is a ministerial post handling administration. Field intelligence work is done by the executive cadre, which is recruited separately as ACIO and Security Assistant.
Compare with similar posts
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.
Assistant Central Intelligence Officer Grade-II (IB)
सहायक केंद्रीय आसूचना अधिकारी ग्रेड-II (आईबी)
Pay Level 7 executive post in the Intelligence Bureau — collecting and reporting intelligence in the field, anywhere in India.
Assistant Section Officer (AFHQ)
सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (सशस्त्र सेना मुख्यालय)
Pay Level 7 civilian post via SSC CGL in the Armed Forces Headquarters — file work for the Army, Navy and Air Force HQs in Delhi.
Books to prepare for SSC CGL
- See on Amazon
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.
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.