Government jobPay Level 4Group CNon‑gazetted
Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk
वरिष्ठ सचिवालय सहायक / उच्च श्रेणी लिपिक
Pay Level 4 clerical post via SSC CGL in central government offices — file work, noting and record keeping.
Central government offices and ministries (other than the Central Secretariat Clerical Service) · central government
In-hand pay at joining, per month
₹42,000–₹50,000
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 your allotted zone/region
- Work hours
- Regular office hours, five or six days a week depending on the office
- Probation
- 2 years
Estimated in-hand / month
₹44,500
Gross ₹48,780 · CTC ≈ ₹6.5 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk · 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
- Putting up files with notes and drafts for officers
- Maintaining registers, records and file movement on e-Office
- Preparing bills, statements and routine replies
- Handling establishment work such as leave, pay and service books
- Diary and dispatch of letters
A typical day
You get a seat in a section and a set of subjects. Letters and e-files arrive through the day; you link old papers, write a short note saying what the rule is and what is proposed, and send the file up. In between there are bills to prepare, registers to update and reminders to send. The work is routine, the hours are fixed, and what you handle depends entirely on the office you land in.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk (joining)
Pay Level 4
₹42,000–₹50,000 in-hand
Assistant / Office Superintendent level
8–12 years, varies by department · Level 6 · via dpc
₹57,000–₹67,000 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 the data entry speed test)
- 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
- Low-stress desk job with fixed hours
- Leaves time to prepare for better exams
- Vacancies in many cities
The hard parts
- Level 4 pay is the lowest in SSC CGL
- Slow promotions in most departments
- Monotonous clerical work
Postings
Vacancies come from many different departments and attached offices across the country. Your department, and so your city, is decided by rank and preference. Some offices have all-India transfer liability; many keep staff in one region.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk?+
Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk is a Pay Level 4 post with a starting basic pay of ₹25,500. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹42,000–₹50,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.
What is the qualification and age limit for Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk?+
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 Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk?+
SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission).
Is UDC the same as SSA?+
Yes. Senior Secretariat Assistant is the newer name for Upper Division Clerk; some offices still use the old one.
Compare with similar posts
Tax Assistant (CBDT / CBIC)
टैक्स असिस्टेंट
Pay Level 4 desk job in the Income Tax or GST/Customs department via SSC CGL — mostly office work, steady hours.
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.
Lower Division Clerk / Junior Secretariat Assistant
अवर श्रेणी लिपिक / कनिष्ठ सचिवालय सहायक
Pay Level 2 clerical post via SSC CHSL in central government offices — typing, diary, dispatch and basic file work.
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
- SSC CGL 2026 notice (official PDF)
- Staff Selection Commission — official website
- Department of Personnel and Training
This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.