DA arrears calculator
Pick the revision you were paid late for. Everything updates as you type — the whole calculation runs in your browser.
Dearness allowance is revised twice a year, from 1 January and 1 July. This is every revision since the 7th CPC pay structure began on 1 January 2016, when DA started at zero.
Every DA revision since 2016
| Effective from | DA rate | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | 60% | +2% |
| 1 July 2025 | 58% | +3% |
| 1 January 2025 | 55% | +2% |
| 1 July 2024 | 53% | +3% |
| 1 January 2024 | 50% | +4% |
| 1 July 2023 | 46% | +4% |
| 1 January 2023 | 42% | +4% |
| 1 July 2022 | 38% | +4% |
| 1 January 2022 | 34% | +6% |
| 1 July 2021 | 28% | +11% |
| 1 January 2021 | 17% | no change |
| 1 July 2020 | 17% | no change |
| 1 January 2020 | 17% | no change |
| 1 July 2019 | 17% | +5% |
| 1 January 2019 | 12% | +3% |
| 1 July 2018 | 9% | +2% |
| 1 January 2018 | 7% | +2% |
| 1 July 2017 | 5% | +1% |
| 1 January 2017 | 4% | +2% |
| 1 July 2016 | 2% | +2% |
| 1 January 2016 | 0% | — |
The years DA did not move
DA stayed at 17% across 3 consecutive revisions, from July 2019 through January 2021. The increases due during the pandemic were held back. When the freeze was lifted with effect from 1 July 2021, the rate went straight from 17% to 28% — an 11 point jump, the largest in this series.
DA also started at 0% on 1 January 2016. That is not an error: the 7th CPC basic pay already absorbed the DA that had built up under the 6th CPC, so the counter restarted from zero.
How DA arrears work
A revision takes effect from 1 January or 1 July, but the order is issued months later. Until it is, you keep drawing the old rate — and the difference for those months is paid as arrears.
Monthly arrear = Effective basic × (new DA% − old DA%) ÷ 100Multiply by the number of months you were paid at the old rate.
Pay element ₹10,620 → effective basic ₹46,020
Per month = 46,020 × 2% = ₹920
Total for 3 months = ₹2,761
Common questions
What is the current DA rate?
Dearness allowance is 60% of basic pay, effective 1 January 2026. The previous rate was 58%.
How often is DA revised?
Twice a year, with effect from 1 January and 1 July. The order usually comes some months after the effective date, and the months in between are paid as arrears.
Why did DA stay at 17% for so long?
DA was frozen at 17% across 3 consecutive revisions — from July 2019 through January 2021 — during the pandemic. When the freeze was lifted with effect from 1 July 2021, the rate jumped straight to 28%, the largest single increase in this series.
What was the DA rate in 2016?
The 7th CPC pay structure started on 1 January 2016 with DA at 0%, because the new basic pay already absorbed the DA that existed under the 6th CPC. The first increase came on 1 July 2016, at 2%.
How do I calculate DA arrears?
Multiply your basic pay by the difference between the new and old DA percentages, then multiply by the number of months you were paid at the old rate. For running staff, add the 30% pay element to basic pay first. The calculator on this page does it for you.
Is DA the same for all central government employees?
The percentage is the same, but the amount differs because it is calculated on your own basic pay. Running staff also carry a 30% pay element, so DA is worked out on a higher figure than for stationary staff on the same basic pay.
Official sources
Rules and rates on this page come from the departments below. Where a figure matters to you, check it against the current order — RailStaff is not the authority for it.
- Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance — DA orders for central government employees
- Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) — application of DA orders on the railways
- Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare — dearness relief for pensioners
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