BSc nursing salary 2026: what a Nursing Officer earns, in hand
The Level 7 structure with nursing allowance for government nursing officers, the deductions, state and private-hospital comparisons, and the NORCET route.
A Nursing Officer at AIIMS and other central government hospitals is at Pay Level 7, basic ₹44,900, plus a nursing allowance of ₹9,000 a month. With DA at 60%, HRA and transport allowance, gross pay is about ₹1,00,070 a month in an X-class city and the in-hand figure after NPS, CGHS and professional tax about ₹92,036; in a Z-class posting about ₹80,176. That is the top of the market for a BSc Nursing graduate: state government staff nurses are typically at Level 5 or 6 equivalents, and private hospitals pay a fraction of it at entry.
- Nursing Officer (AIIMS, central hospitals): Pay Level 7, basic ₹44,900
- Nursing allowance ₹9,000 a month (the 7th CPC ₹7,200 raised 25% when DA crossed 50%)
- In hand: about ₹92,036 (X city), ₹84,666 (Y), ₹80,176 (Z)
- Route: BSc Nursing (or GNM with experience) and the AIIMS NORCET exam
- Private hospitals pay far less at entry; state government scales sit between
Nursing officer salary structure (Level 7), 2026
| Component | X city (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru…) | Y city | Z city / rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic pay (Level 7) | ₹44,900 | ₹44,900 | ₹44,900 |
| Dearness allowance (60%) | ₹26,940 | ₹26,940 | ₹26,940 |
| House rent allowance (30 / 20 / 10%) | ₹13,470 | ₹8,980 | ₹4,490 |
| Transport allowance (with DA) | ₹5,760 | ₹2,880 | ₹2,880 |
| Nursing allowance | ₹9,000 | ₹9,000 | ₹9,000 |
| Gross | ₹1,00,070 | ₹92,700 | ₹88,210 |
| − NPS (10% of basic + DA) | ₹7,184 | ₹7,184 | ₹7,184 |
| − CGHS | ₹650 | ₹650 | ₹650 |
| − Professional tax (typical) | ₹200 | ₹200 | ₹200 |
| In hand per month | ₹92,036 | ₹84,666 | ₹80,176 |
Nursing allowance was fixed at ₹7,200 by the 7th CPC and, like other allowances not indexed to DA, rose by 25% when DA crossed 50% in January 2024. Uniform allowance is paid annually. Night duty allowance applies to night shifts.
All 7th CPC figures on this page use dearness allowance at 60% of basic, the rate in force from 1 January 2026; the July 2026 revision is normally announced in October and adds arrears. HRA is 30%, 20% or 10% of basic by city class (X: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad). Transport allowance is the 7th CPC slab for the pay level plus DA on it. NPS is the employee’s 10% on basic plus DA; the government adds 14%, which is not shown because it is not pay. Professional tax is state-specific and shown at a typical ₹200.
Government, state and private: the three markets
| Employer | Pay basis | Entry pay, approximately |
|---|---|---|
| AIIMS, Safdarjung, RML, ESIC, railways, CAPF hospitals | Level 7 + nursing allowance | gross about ₹1,00,070 in an X city |
| State government hospitals | State scales, usually Level 5–6 equivalent | ₹40,000–60,000 gross depending on state |
| Private corporate hospitals | Employer-set | commonly ₹20,000–35,000 gross for freshers in metros, rising with specialty (ICU, OT) and experience |
| Abroad (UK NHS Band 5, Gulf, Australia) | Foreign scales | several times Indian pay; the reason NORCET competition is fierce |
Private-sector figures are not published by any authority; the range above reflects what hospital job listings advertise and should be read as indicative.
Promotion path
| Post | Pay level | Basic at entry |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing Officer | 7 | ₹44,900 |
| Senior Nursing Officer | 8 | ₹47,600 |
| Assistant Nursing Superintendent | 9 | ₹53,100 |
| Deputy Nursing Superintendent | 10 | ₹56,100 |
| Nursing Superintendent | 11 | ₹67,700 |
| Chief Nursing Officer | 12 | ₹78,800 |
How to become a nursing officer
AIIMS NORCET is the common exam for AIIMS institutes and many central hospitals: BSc Nursing (or post-basic BSc, or GNM with registration and experience), registration with a state nursing council, age up to 30 with relaxations, and a computer-based test in two stages. Railways, ESIC and CAPFs recruit separately at the same level.
The 8th Central Pay Commission was constituted by notification on 3 November 2025 under Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, with an 18-month mandate; its report is expected around mid-2027 and revised pay is conventionally effective from 1 January 2026 with arrears. Nothing on this page changes until that report is accepted — the fitment factor and new matrix are not yet decided, whatever a “8th CPC salary” headline claims.
Check it against your own numbers
Put the gross from the table into the salary calculator to see the effect of a different state, a higher basic or the old tax regime; the income tax calculator shows the slab position for the year, and the TDS chart explains what the employer deducts under Section 192. Every other post in this series is on the salaries hub, and private-sector CTCs are priced on the LPA to in-hand page.
Similar posts and what they pay
Common questions
At the top of the market, a Nursing Officer at AIIMS or a central hospital takes home about ₹92,036 a month in an X city (Level 7 plus nursing allowance). State government staff nurses earn ₹40,000 to 60,000 gross; private hospitals commonly start freshers at ₹20,000 to 35,000.
About ₹92,036 a month in Delhi at Level 7 basic ₹44,900 with ₹9,000 nursing allowance, after NPS, CGHS and professional tax; gross is about ₹1,00,070.
A fixed monthly allowance for nursing staff under the 7th CPC, ₹7,200 at first and ₹9,000 since DA crossed 50 percent in January 2024, paid in addition to basic, DA, HRA and TA.
Yes, with a GNM diploma, registration as a nurse and midwife, and the required experience in a 50-bed hospital, GNM candidates are eligible for NORCET alongside BSc graduates.
- AIIMS — NORCET recruitment notice (Nursing Officer, Pay Level 7)
- Department of Expenditure — 7th CPC allowances, including nursing allowance
- Ministry of Finance — DA 60% from 1 January 2026
Pay level, basic and allowance rates verified against the cited notifications and 7th CPC orders on 27 September 2026; in-hand figures are computed, not quoted, and exclude post-specific allowances unless stated.