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Every December, a government employee’s basic pay in Pakistan goes up by one fixed step. That step is the annual increment, and it is the quietest part of your salary: it arrives automatically, it is the same amount every year for your grade, and it raises everything that is calculated on your basic pay.
Here is the increment for every BPS grade in 2026, when it is due, who qualifies, and what happens when you reach the top of your scale. It covers federal government employees in BPS-1 to BPS-22. Provincial employees follow the same December date under their own provincial rules.
Annual Increment at a Glance#
| Fact | Rule |
|---|---|
| When it is due | 1 December every year |
| Who qualifies | At least six months’ service at a stage in the scale |
| What it is | A fixed rupee amount added to basic pay, by BPS grade |
| What it raises | Basic pay, ARA-2026, and your pensionable emoluments |
| At the top of the scale | Continued as personal pay, not lost |
When Is the Annual Increment Given in Pakistan?#
The annual increment falls due on 1 December every year. That is the rule in the Pay Revision Rules 1978: increments fall due on the 1st day of December, following the completion of at least six months’ service at a stage in the relevant scale.
You must have completed six months’ service to get it. If you joined on or before 1 June, you get the increment that December. If you joined after 1 June, you wait until the following December. Your first increment comes after six months in the scale, not after six months in the job.
The increment shows on your December salary slip. It is added to your basic pay from 1 December, so the December slip is the first one that carries the new basic pay.
How Much Is One Increment in Each Grade?#
| BPS grade | One increment per year | Stages in the scale |
|---|---|---|
| BPS-1 | Rs 520 | 30 |
| BPS-5 | Rs 910 | 30 |
| BPS-11 | Rs 1,580 | 30 |
| BPS-14 | Rs 2,090 | 30 |
| BPS-16 | Rs 2,720 | 30 |
| BPS-17 | Rs 4,110 | 20 |
| BPS-20 | Rs 8,040 | 14 |
| BPS-22 | Rs 10,470 | 14 |
How much is one increment in BPS-14? Rs 2,090. A BPS-14 employee at the minimum basic pay of Rs 27,060 moves to Rs 29,150 after one increment. Our BPS-14 salary guide works out the full monthly pay at that grade.
The increment is a fixed rupee amount, not a percentage. The increase is not 25% for BPS 1-16 or 20% for BPS 17-22. The increment is the fixed amount in the pay scale chart, and it is the same every year for your grade. Our BPS pay scale chart 2026 gives the increment for every grade from BPS-1 to BPS-22.
Worked Examples#
BPS-14 at the minimum basic pay of Rs 27,060. One increment of Rs 2,090 takes the basic pay to Rs 29,150. ARA-2026, at 7% of running basic pay, rises by Rs 146 a month.
BPS-11 at the minimum basic pay of Rs 22,410. One increment of Rs 1,580 takes the basic pay to Rs 23,990. ARA-2026 rises by Rs 111 a month.
BPS-17 at the minimum basic pay of Rs 54,140. One increment of Rs 4,110 takes the basic pay to Rs 58,250. ARA-2026 rises by Rs 288 a month.
The increment compounds over your career. Each year’s increment raises your basic pay, and the next year’s ARA-2026 is calculated on the higher basic pay. Over ten years in BPS-14, ten increments add Rs 20,900 a month to basic pay. Our salary increase 2026-27 guide explains how the new basic pay scales and ARA-2026 work together.
What Happens at the Top of Your Scale?#
You do not lose the increment when you reach the maximum of your scale. Employees who exhaust their pay scale may be allowed the annual increment beyond the existing scope of the scale, with effect from 1 December 2005, under Finance Division O.M. No.F.1(6)/Imp/2005 dated 13 October 2006.
The increment beyond the maximum is treated as personal pay. It is not reduced, and it counts for fixation of pay, pension and recovery of house rent. There are no arrears before 1 December 2005.
The number of stages limits how far the scale goes. BPS 1-16 have 30 stages, BPS 17-19 have 20 stages, and BPS 20-22 have 14 stages. Once you have used all the stages, further increments come as personal pay under the 2005 order, not as a move to a higher scale. Promotion is the only way to a higher scale. Our PER form guide explains how the annual Performance Evaluation Report affects promotion.
Increment in the Year of Retirement#
A retiring civil servant gets the usual annual increment for pension purposes on completing six months’ service in the year of retirement, irrespective of the 1 December due date. That is the Finance Division’s rule in O.M. F.No.3(4)R-E/2014-736 dated 21 September 2022. Civil servants retiring between 1 June and 1 December of a year are entitled to it.
It counts for pension only. The notional increment is allowed for calculating pensionary benefits. It does not create any entitlement to arrears of salary or allowances for the period of active service before retirement.
The same rule applies after a promotion in the final year. If you were promoted to a higher post during your year of retirement but retired before completing six months in the promoted post, the usual increment is allowed notionally in the pre-promotion post, followed by a refixation of pay in the higher post, for pension purposes only.
How to Check Your Annual Increment on Your Slip in Pakistan#
Compare your November and December basic pay. The difference should be exactly your grade’s increment. For BPS-14, the difference should be Rs 2,090. If it is not, ask your Drawing and Disbursing Officer or your AGPR office.
Check that ARA-2026 moved too. ARA-2026 is 7% of running basic pay, so it rises by 7% of your increment. For BPS-14, that is Rs 146 a month. If your basic pay rose but ARA-2026 did not, the slip is wrong.
Check your stage. If you are at the maximum of your scale, the increment appears as personal pay. If you joined after 1 June, there should be no increment this December. Our AGPR salary slip guide explains how to download your slip from the PIFRA portal.
The official rules are on the Finance Division website.
Frequently Asked Questions#
When is the annual increment given?
On 1 December every year, provided you have completed at least six months’ service at a stage in your scale. If you joined on or before 1 June, you get the increment that December. If you joined after 1 June, your first increment comes the following December. The increment shows on your December salary slip.
How much is one increment in BPS-14?
Rs 2,090 a year. A BPS-14 employee at the minimum basic pay of Rs 27,060 moves to Rs 29,150 after one increment. ARA-2026 rises by Rs 146 a month at the same time, because it is 7% of running basic pay.
Do I get an increment during probation?
The increment rule turns on six months’ service at a stage in the scale, not on confirmation. If you have completed six months in the scale by 1 December, the increment is due. Check with your accounts office if your department applies a different practice.
What happens if I reach the maximum of my scale?
You do not lose the increment. Employees who exhaust their scale may be allowed the annual increment beyond the existing scope of the scale, with effect from 1 December 2005. The increment is treated as personal pay, counts for fixation of pay, pension and house rent recovery, and is not reduced. Promotion is the only way to a higher scale.
Does the increment affect my pension?
Yes. The increment raises your basic pay, and basic pay is the base for your pensionable emoluments. A retiring civil servant also gets the usual annual increment for pension purposes on completing six months’ service in the year of retirement, even if the 1 December due date falls after retirement. It counts for pension only, with no arrears of salary.
