Special Pay (A Compilation of Important Rules Orders)

Abstract

Special pay, as defined under Fundamental Rule 9(25), is an addition to the emoluments of a government post or servant granted for particularly arduous duties or additional responsibilities, including non-practising allowance for doctors. It serves as a flexible device for differentiated remuneration across grades and avoids unnecessary cadre fragmentation. The Second and Third Pay Commissions emphasized that special pay should compensate genuine but not substantial differences in duties and be used sparingly, preferring it to higher pay scales where tenure is fixed or personnel need to be attracted from other cadres. Special pay is granted in headquarters, field posts, technical and scientific departments, intelligence agencies, police, and for certain Group C and D posts, particularly where duties are difficult, hazardous, or repetitive. Deputation allowance, considered a form of special pay, is essential for attracting personnel for short-term or atypical duties. Government doctors continue to receive non-practising allowance under fixed rates. Importantly, special pay is included in “emoluments” under FR 3(21), making it part of the basis for calculating retirement benefits such as pensions, service gratuity, and death-cum-retirement gratuity. The system provides administrative flexibility, equitable compensation, and recognition of differentiated duties while maintaining uniformity and transparency across services.