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Indian Army TES-53 Course 2025: Promotion Criteria and Salary Structure

The TES-53 Course 2025 in the Indian Army provides a clear promotion path for officers, starting from Lieutenant and advancing based on service and merit. Salaries range from ₹56,100 to ₹2,50,000, with benefits including Military Service Pay, Children Education Allowance, and transport allowances. The Risk and Hardship Matrix offers additional support based on operational challenges, and the Army Group Insurance Scheme covers cadets for ₹15 lakh. Officers also receive leave entitlements, with allowances subject to periodic revisions.

1. Promotion Criteria

The promotion criteria for officers in the Indian Army under the Technical Entry Scheme (TES-53) are structured to facilitate career progression based on time in service and merit. Below is the detailed promotion timeline for various ranks:

Rank	Promotion Criteria
Lieutenant	Automatically upon commissioning.
Captain	After completing 2 years of service.
Major	After completing 6 years of service.
Lieutenant Colonel	After completing 13 years of service.
Colonel (TS)	After completing 26 years of service.
Colonel	Based on selection, fulfilling requisite service conditions.
Brigadier	Promotions subject to fulfilling service conditions.
Major General	Based on merit and organizational requirements.
Lieutenant General/HAG Scale	Based on seniority and merit.
HAG+ Scale	Admissible to 1/3rd of the total strength of Lieutenant Generals.
VCOAS/Army Commander/Lieutenant General (NFSG)	Promotions based on seniority and merit.
COAS	Highest rank, subject to selection and seniority.

Key Points

Promotions are based on a combination of time served, merit, and available vacancies.
Officers must meet specific performance and conduct standards to be considered for promotion.

2. Pay Structure

The salary structure for officers in the Indian Army is categorized by rank and level. The following table outlines the pay scale:

Rank	Pay Level	Pay Scale (₹)
Lieutenant	Level 10	56,100 – 1,77,500
Captain	Level 10B	61,300 – 1,93,900
Major	Level 11	69,400 – 2,07,200
Lieutenant Colonel	Level 12A	1,21,200 – 2,12,400
Colonel	Level 13	1,30,600 – 2,15,900
Brigadier	Level 13A	1,39,600 – 2,17,600
Major General	Level 14	1,44,200 – 2,18,200
Lieutenant General (HAG Scale)	Level 15	1,82,200 – 2,24,100
Lieutenant General (HAG + Scale)	Level 16	2,05,400 – 2,24,400
VCOAS/Army Commander/Lieutenant General (NFSG)	Level 17	2,25,000 (fixed)
COAS	Level 18	2,50,000 (fixed)

Additional Pay Details

Officers are entitled to Military Service Pay (MSP), which is ₹15,500 per month for ranks from Lieutenant to Brigadier.
A Fixed Stipend of ₹56,100 per month is provided to gentlemen cadets after completing 3 years of training, leading to commissioning as Lieutenant.

3. Additional Allowances

Key Allowances for Officers

Children Education Allowance (CEA): ₹2,250 per month per child for the two eldest surviving children, applicable from Nursery to 12th Class.
Hostel Subsidy: ₹6,750 per month for the two eldest surviving children, applicable from Nursery to 12th Class.
Transport Allowance (TPTA):
- Higher TPTA cities: ₹7,200 per month + DA.
- Other places: ₹3,600 per month + DA.

Risk and Hardship Allowances

The Risk and Hardship Matrix, introduced by the 7th Central Pay Commission, provides additional allowances based on operational challenges:

Category	Rank	Amount (₹)
High	R1H1	25,000
	R1H2	16,900
	R1H3	5,300
Medium	R2H1	16,900
Medium	R2H2	10,500
Low	R3H1	5,300
	R3H2	3,400
	R3H3	1,200

Other Allowances

Dearness Allowance: Applicable at the same rates as for civilian personnel.
Kit Maintenance Allowance: Incorporated into the Dress Allowance of ₹20,000 per year.

4. Insurance and Disability Benefits

Army Group Insurance Scheme

Provides an insurance cover of ₹15 lakh for cadets, with a one-time non-refundable premium of ₹7,200.
Additional premiums apply for those relegated due to academic reasons.

Disability Coverage

For officers invalidated out due to disability:
- 100% disability: ₹25 lakh.
- 20% disability: ₹5 lakh.
- For disabilities less than 20%, an Ex-Gratia Grant of ₹50,000 for the first two years and ₹1 lakh during the third year is provided.

Important Exclusions

Disabilities resulting from alcoholism, drug addiction, or pre-enrollment conditions do not qualify for benefits.

5. Leave and Other Benefits

Leave: Officers are entitled to leave as per the rules in force.
All officers will be guided by the terms and conditions of the Army Group Insurance Scheme.

Note on Allowances

Pay and allowances are subject to periodic revision, and specific rates for Defence Forces allowances will automatically increase by 25% each time the Dearness Allowance goes up by 50%.