How much service pension will you get — 50% of last pay plus MSP
The monthly pension a soldier receives on retiring after full service is called service pension. Under defence rules it is 50% of the last reckonable emoluments — and reckonable emoluments means the last basic pay plus Military Service Pay (MSP). Calculators built for civilian employees leave MSP out, and the figure comes out short. This one does not.
Two more rules matter. There is a minimum pension of ₹9,000 a month — if 50% works out below that, the minimum applies. And since 2006 the full 50% rate applies once you qualify: the old system of reducing the pension for less than 33 years of service is gone.
Calculator
Whatever you type stays in this browser — it is not sent to any server and not recorded anywhere. Details in Privacy. The rates come from rates.json — that file is public on purpose, so anyone can check what this site calculates with.
How the figure is built
- Reckonable emoluments — last basic pay + MSP (₹5,200 for JCOs/ORs, ₹15,500 for officers).
- Half of it — service pension is 50% of that figure, rounded up to the next rupee.
- The minimum — if the result is below ₹9,000, the pension becomes ₹9,000.
- Dearness Relief — added on top at the current rate (60% from 1 January 2026), revised every six months.
A worked example
A Havildar retires with a last basic pay of ₹25,000 after 17 years. Emoluments = 25,000 + 5,200 = ₹30,200. Pension = half of that = ₹15,100. Dearness Relief at 60% = ₹9,060. Money in the bank each month = ₹24,160.
Who qualifies
| Rank group | Minimum service |
|---|---|
| JCO / OR | 15 years |
| Commissioned Officer | 20 years |
⚠ What this calculator does not cover Disability element, war-injury element, OROP revisions, commutation and the arrears that come with them are separate calculations — they are not included here. Gratuity and leave encashment are one-time payments, not pension. If any of these applies to you, treat this figure as the base, not the whole.
Frequently asked questions
I served less than 33 years — will my pension be cut?
No. That reduction ended in 2006. Once you have the minimum qualifying service (15 years for JCOs/ORs, 20 for officers), the full 50% rate applies — length of service beyond that does not change it.
Is MSP really added before taking 50%?
Yes. Military Service Pay counts in reckonable emoluments — the 7th CPC orders say so expressly. A calculator without an MSP field is using civilian rules and will short-change you every time.
Where does OROP fit in?
OROP revisions sit on top of this framework and come by their own tables. This calculator shows the base figure under the 7th CPC rule — if an OROP table gives you more, the higher figure prevails.
Is Dearness Relief added on top?
Yes — currently 60% (from 1 January 2026), revised twice a year. The calculator adds it and shows it separately, so you can see both the basic pension and the money that actually reaches the bank.
Will I get exactly what this shows?
This is an estimate built from the rules, not a sanction — your PPO is the sanction. If your figure differs, tell us: either we correct the page, or we help you see why it differs.
Sources
- MoD/DESW letter No. 17(01)/2017(02)/D(Pen/Pol), dated 5 September 2017 — Para 5.1 (service pension at 50% of reckonable emoluments), Para 4 (MSP counts in the emoluments), Note-1 (round up to the next rupee); minimum ₹9,000 — PCDA (Pensions) Circular 570, Paras 4.4–5. Clauses read and matched on 2 August 2026.
- Pension Regulations for the Army, Part-I (2008, corrected to 2020) — Regulation 47 (minimum qualifying service for service pension: 15 years) and Regulation 34 (retiring pension for officers: 20 years; 15 for late entrants). Clauses read and matched on 3 August 2026.
- DoP&PW OM No. 42/02/2024-P&PW(D), dated 24 April 2026 — Dearness Relief at 60% from 1 January 2026
This is general information, not legal or financial advice, and the figure is an estimate, not a sanction. Your own pension is decided by your PPO and the office that pays it — confirm your case with your Record Office or pension disbursing agency. Sainik Desk is a private website with no government affiliation.