Central government posts are classified into Group A, B, C and, historically, Group D — by rank, responsibility and pay level. Under the 7th Pay Commission the line is drawn by Pay Level: Group A is Level 10-18 (officers like IAS/IPS), Group B is Level 6-9 (Section Officers, Inspectors), and Group C is Level 1-5 (clerks, constables). Group A and gazetted Group B are gazetted officers; Group C and D are non-gazetted. Group D has largely merged into Group C as Multi-Tasking Staff since 2008. This guide explains each group with examples.
By Pawan, Senior Editor — Government Services. Published 25 June 2026. Last verified 25 June 2026.
In short
- Central government posts are classified into Group A, B, C and, historically, Group D — by rank, responsibility and pay level, not just salary.
- Under the 7th Pay Commission, the line is drawn by Pay Level: Group A = Level 10–18, Group B = Level 6–9, Group C = Level 1–5.
- Group A and gazetted Group B posts are gazetted officers; Group C and Group D are non-gazetted.
- Group D has largely been merged into Group C as Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) since 2008 in most central departments, though Railways and some states still use the label.
Open almost any government recruitment notification and you will see a post tagged "Group A," "Group B," or "Group C." These groups decide a job's rank, its pay band, its promotion ceiling, and even whether the post-holder can attest your documents. Yet the classification is rarely explained in plain terms. This guide sets out exactly what separates Group A, B, C and D, how the modern pay-level basis works, and where Group D stands today.
What the classification is for
The Group A/B/C/D system is how the government ranks its posts by level of responsibility. It is the backbone of the service structure: it determines pay, seniority, the kind of work expected, and the career ceiling of a post. The higher the group, the greater the responsibility — and the higher the pay level.
Historically (under the CCS Classification Rules) the groups were defined by the maximum of the pay scale: Group A had the highest scales, Group D the lowest. Those rupee thresholds are now legacy. Since the 7th Pay Commission, the cleanest way to read the classification is by Pay Level.
The modern basis: Pay Level
Under the 7th CPC pay matrix, the groups map directly onto pay levels:
| Group | Pay Level (7th CPC) | Legacy class | Gazetted? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | Level 10 – 18 | Class I | Gazetted |
| Group B | Level 6 – 9 | Class II | Gazetted & Non-Gazetted |
| Group C | Level 1 – 5 | Class III | Non-gazetted |
| Group D | (merged into C / MTS) | Class IV | Non-gazetted |
So a post at Pay Level 10 or above is Group A; Level 6–9 is Group B; Level 1–5 is Group C. (For how those levels translate into actual starting pay, see our pay matrix and pay level guide.)
Group A — the officer cadre
Group A posts are the senior, decision-making, supervisory roles — the officer cadre (Pay Level 10–18). They carry the highest responsibility and the steepest career path.
- Examples: IAS, IPS and IFS officers, the central engineering, medical and other Group A services, and senior ministry posts (Under Secretary and above).
- Entry: typically through UPSC Civil Services and other Group A direct-recruitment exams; entry-level basic pay is Pay Level 10 (₹56,100).
- Status: all Group A posts are gazetted.
Group B — supervisory and senior subordinate
Group B sits between the officer cadre and the clerical staff (Pay Level 6–9). These are supervisory and senior executive posts that run sections and field units.
- Examples: Section Officers, Income Tax and Central Excise Inspectors, Assistant Section Officers, and many state PSC officer posts.
- Entry: often via SSC CGL (for the inspector/assistant grades) and state PSC exams.
- Status: Group B is split — some posts are gazetted, others non-gazetted, depending on the recruitment rules. This is the one group you cannot generalise about. We unpack it in the gazetted vs non-gazetted explainer.
Group C — the operative and clerical backbone
Group C is the largest group by headcount (Pay Level 1–5) — the clerical, technical and operative staff who run day-to-day government functions.
- Examples: Lower and Upper Division Clerks (LDC/UDC), Tax Assistants, constables, and most technical/operative staff.
- Entry: through SSC (CHSL, MTS, GD), Railway RRB, state subordinate boards, and similar.
- Status: non-gazetted.
This is the entry point for a huge share of aspirants, and it offers a real career ladder upward into Group B and beyond through promotions and departmental exams.
Group D — merged into Group C / MTS
Group D was the lowest class (Class IV) — peons, attendants and routine-duty staff. Since 2008, on the recommendation of the 6th Pay Commission, the erstwhile Group D posts in most central departments were merged into Group C and re-designated Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), placed at Pay Level 1.
As a result, the current 7th CPC classification recognises Groups A, B and C — Group D as a formal central class has largely been phased out. The label still survives in places: the Railways and some state governments and PSUs continue to use "Group D." But where it exists, it remains non-gazetted and sits at the bottom of the pay structure.
Gazetted status, at a glance
Because readers often ask in the same breath: a post's group also tells you its gazetted status. Group A (all) and the gazetted part of Group B are gazetted officers — their appointments are notified in the Gazette and they can attest documents. Group B (non-gazetted), Group C and Group D are non-gazetted. The full detail is in our gazetted vs non-gazetted guide.
Why this matters when you apply
The group a post belongs to tells you, at a glance, its rank, pay level, status and growth ceiling — exactly what you want to know when comparing two jobs or planning a path from a Group C entry up toward Group A. It also explains which exams lead where: SSC CHSL and RRB feed Group C; SSC CGL and state PSCs feed Group B; UPSC and other Group A exams feed the officer cadre. To see the salary attached to each level, read the pay matrix guide; for high-paying routes, see the highest-paying government jobs for graduates. To browse openings across all groups, start at the jobs board.
Group A, B, C, D: हिंदी सारांश
सरकारी पद जिम्मेदारी और वेतन स्तर के आधार पर ग्रुप A, B, C और (पहले) D में बँटे होते हैं। 7वें वेतन आयोग के अनुसार: ग्रुप A = Pay Level 10–18 (IAS/IPS जैसे अधिकारी), ग्रुप B = Level 6–9 (Section Officer, Inspector आदि), ग्रुप C = Level 1–5 (क्लर्क, कांस्टेबल, टैक्स असिस्टेंट)। ग्रुप A (सभी) और ग्रुप B (राजपत्रित) राजपत्रित अधिकारी होते हैं; ग्रुप C और D अराजपत्रित। ग्रुप D अधिकांश केंद्रीय विभागों में 2008 से ग्रुप C (MTS) में मिला दिया गया है, हालाँकि रेलवे व कुछ राज्यों में यह नाम अब भी प्रयोग होता है।