Compare both fixation options
Move a slider and everything updates. The whole calculation runs in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere.
The two routes
Fix on the date of promotion
One increment is added in your present level, and that figure is placed at the equal or next higher cell in the promoted level. You draw it from the day you are promoted.
Opt for fixation from your next increment date
On promotion your pay simply moves to the equal or next higher cell in the promoted level, with no promotional increment — so you draw less for a while. On your next increment date, the annual increment and the promotional increment are both applied and pay is re-fixed. An increment then falls due six months after that, and your increment cycle shifts to the other half of the year.
Fixed on promotion: ₹36,500
On option — initial ₹35,400, re-fixed at next increment ₹37,600, then ₹38,700 six months later
The six-month increment is easy to miss
Most comparisons stop at the re-fixation figure and conclude the difference is small. But the option route also brings an increment six months after that fixation, and moves your annual increment to the other cycle. Leaving it out makes the immediate route look better than it is — and this is a decision you only get to make once.
Common questions
What are the two FR-22 options on promotion?
You can have pay fixed straight away on the date of promotion, or you can opt to have it fixed from the date of your next increment in the lower grade. The first pays more immediately; the second usually ends higher. The choice is made once and cannot be changed.
How is pay fixed on the date of promotion?
One increment is added in your existing level, and that figure is then placed at the equal or next higher cell in the promoted level. You draw that pay from the date of promotion.
How is pay fixed if I opt for the next increment date?
On the date of promotion your pay is simply placed at the equal or next higher cell in the promoted level, with no promotional increment. Then on your next increment date, you get the annual increment in the lower grade and the promotional increment, and pay is re-fixed in the promoted level from that date.
Is there an extra increment if I opt?
Yes. Under the option route an increment falls due six months after the fixation on your next increment date, and your annual increment cycle then moves to the other half of the year — a July cycle becomes January and the other way round. This step is easy to miss and it is a real part of the benefit.
Which option is better?
The option route generally ends at a higher pay and adds the six-month increment, but you draw less during the months between promotion and your next increment date. If your next increment date is far away, the immediate route pays more for longer. Work out both against your own dates.
Can I change my option later?
No. The option under FR 22(I)(a)(1) is exercised once, within the prescribed period, and it is final. That is why it is worth working out both routes before deciding.
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 Personnel & Training (DoPT) — Fundamental Rules and pay fixation on promotion
- Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) — application of FR 22 on the railways
- Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance — CCS (Revised Pay) Rules and the pay matrix
Related calculators
More RailStaff tools
Free calculators for railway staff — pay, allowances, arrears, retirement — plus a T-26B running journal for Train Managers.