Station master salary 2026: Level 6 pay, allowances and what it comes to in hand
The Level 6 structure, the shift allowances, the deductions, and the promotions from Station Master to Station Superintendent.
A Station Master is recruited at Pay Level 6, basic ₹35,400 — the best-paid post in the RRB NTPC graduate-level group. With DA at 60%, HRA and transport allowance, gross pay is about ₹73,020 a month in an X-class city and the in-hand figure after NPS and professional tax is about ₹67,156; in a Z-class town it is about ₹57,196. Night duty allowance on rotating shifts comes on top.
- Pay Level 6, basic ₹35,400 — the highest NTPC graduate-level post
- In hand: about ₹67,156 (X city), ₹60,736 (Y), ₹57,196 (Z)
- Night duty allowance for the 10 pm–6 am hours on rotating shifts
- Group C, recruited through RRB NTPC (graduate level)
- Promotion: Station Superintendent at Level 7 and above
Station master salary structure, 2026
| Component | X city (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru…) | Y city | Z city / rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic pay (Level 6) | ₹35,400 | ₹35,400 | ₹35,400 |
| Dearness allowance (60%) | ₹21,240 | ₹21,240 | ₹21,240 |
| House rent allowance (30 / 20 / 10%) | ₹10,620 | ₹7,080 | ₹3,540 |
| Transport allowance (with DA) | ₹5,760 | ₹2,880 | ₹2,880 |
| Gross | ₹73,020 | ₹66,600 | ₹63,060 |
| − NPS (10% of basic + DA) | ₹5,664 | ₹5,664 | ₹5,664 |
| − Professional tax (typical) | ₹200 | ₹200 | ₹200 |
| In hand per month | ₹67,156 | ₹60,736 | ₹57,196 |
Railway employees are outside CGHS, so no CGHS line appears. Transport allowance at Level 6 is ₹3,600 in higher-TPTA cities and ₹1,800 elsewhere, plus DA.
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.
Allowances beyond the table
- Night duty allowance for every hour worked between 10 pm and 6 am, weighted at 10 minutes for every hour.
- Railway quarters at most stations; HRA is not paid if you take one.
- Privilege passes and PTOs for family travel, and railway medical cover through Railway hospitals.
Promotion path
| Post | Pay level | Basic at entry |
|---|---|---|
| Station Master | 6 | ₹35,400 |
| Station Superintendent | 7 | ₹44,900 |
| Station Superintendent (higher grade) / Assistant Operations Manager (departmental) | 8–9 | ₹47,600–53,100 |
Promotion is by seniority-cum-suitability within the operating department; the first step to Level 7 typically comes within a few years at busy divisions.
How to become a station master
Through RRB NTPC (graduate level): any bachelor’s degree, age 18–33 with relaxations, two computer-based tests, a computer-based aptitude test for this post, and an A2 medical standard. It is a Group C post.
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
- Loco Pilot salaryabout ₹36,586 (X city), ₹33,876 (Y), ₹31,886 (Z) before running allowance
- Income Tax Officer salaryInspector about ₹83,036, Officer about ₹87,734 (X city)
- Stenographer salaryGrade C about ₹66,706, Grade D about ₹49,680 (X city)
- IBPS Clerk salaryabout ₹38,931 a month in a metro; gross about ₹42,205
Common questions
About ₹67,156 a month in an X city and ₹57,196 in a Z city at the Level 6 entry basic of ₹35,400, after NPS and professional tax, before night duty allowance.
Under the 7th CPC there is no grade pay; the post is at Pay Level 6, which replaced the old ₹4,200 grade pay in Pay Band 2.
No, Group C. Station Superintendent at Level 7 and above is also non-gazetted; gazetted operating posts start at Assistant Operations Manager.
By seniority and suitability within the division: Station Master (Level 6) to Station Superintendent (Level 7), then higher grades of Station Superintendent, with departmental exams for officer-level posts.
- RRB — NTPC centralised employment notice (Station Master, Level 6)
- Department of Expenditure — 7th CPC pay matrix and allowances
- 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.