A Forest Guard (Vanrakshak) in India typically starts on a basic pay somewhere between ₹18,200 and ₹25,500 a month, depending on the state’s pay matrix level. Once you add Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, and other perks, the starting in-hand salary usually lands between ₹25,000 and ₹35,000 per month. That’s the honest range — anyone promising one fixed number for all of India is rounding off a lot of state-level detail.
Forest Guard Salary 2026: State-Wise Pay Scale at a Glance
| State | Recruiting Body | Pay Level (7th CPC) | Pay Scale (₹/month) | Approx. Starting In-Hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | UPSSSC | Level 2 | ₹19,900 – ₹63,200 | ₹25,000 – ₹31,000 |
| Odisha | OSSSC | Level 4 | ₹19,900 – ₹63,200 | ₹28,000 – ₹32,000 |
| Assam | SLPRB (Police & Forest Dept.) | Pay Band 2, Grade Pay ₹5,600 | ₹14,000 – ₹70,000 | ₹30,000 – ₹33,700 |
| Karnataka | Karnataka Forest Dept. | ~Level 3 | ~₹21,700 – ₹69,100* | ₹28,000 – ₹35,000* |
| Madhya Pradesh | MPESB | Level 4 | ₹19,500 – ₹62,000 | ₹27,800 – ₹30,000 |
| Delhi | DSSSB | Level 3 (Central scale) | ₹21,700 – ₹69,100 | ~₹31,300 |
| Uttarakhand | UKSSSC | Level 3 | ₹21,700 – ₹69,100 | ₹28,000 – ₹33,000 |
| Tamil Nadu | TNFUSRC | Level 5 | ₹18,200 – ₹57,900 | ₹25,000 – ₹30,000 |
| Rajasthan | RSMSSB | Level 4 | ₹19,200 – ₹60,800 | ₹27,200 – ₹27,600 |
| Himachal Pradesh | HPSSSB / HPSFDC | Varies | Data limited — see note | Verify with latest notification |
*Karnataka’s numbers get reported inconsistently — see why below.
State-Wise Breakdown
Odisha Forest Guard Salary
The OSSSC places Forest Guards in Pay Level-4, with a range of ₹19,900 to ₹63,200 a month. But here’s what most “Odisha Forest Guard salary” pages don’t tell you: for your first two years, you’re not on that scale at all. Under the OSSSC’s own rules, selected candidates spend a two-year probation period on a fixed consolidated pay of ₹8,880 a month, not the full pay-matrix salary. The ₹19,900+ scale, with DA, HRA and other allowances, only kicks in properly once you clear probation. If you’re budgeting your first two years around a ₹28,000 salary, you’re going to be disappointed.
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Uttar Pradesh Forest Guard Salary (UPSSSC / Vanrakshak)
UPSSSC places Forest Guard and Wildlife Guard posts under Pay Level-2, with a salary range of ₹19,900 to ₹63,200. Once DA, HRA and other allowances are added, the realistic in-hand figure at entry works out to roughly ₹31,800 to ₹35,800 a month, though several sources put the starting take-home closer to ₹25,000–₹28,000 depending on posting and current DA rate — treat ₹25,000–₹31,000 as the safer working range until your specific posting is confirmed.
Assam Forest Guard Salary
Under the SLPRB Assam recruitment structure, Forest Guard and similar posts carry a Grade Pay of ₹5,600 within the broader pay band. In practical terms, this works out to an in-hand Forest Guard Salary of around ₹33,700 a month, made up of basic pay plus DA and HRA. Where you’re posted actually moves the number: a deep-forest beat posting (lower HRA zone) nets an estimated ₹30,188 in-hand, while a Guwahati-area posting nudges it up to around ₹30,776 — a difference of a few hundred rupees purely based on your HRA zone.
Karnataka Forest Guard Salary — don’t confuse this with “Forest Watcher”
This is where a lot of content online gets genuinely misleading. Karnataka currently runs two separate, differently-paid entry posts:
- Forest Guard: starting basic pay around ₹21,700 a month under Level 3 of the pay matrix, working out to an in-hand salary of roughly ₹28,000 to ₹32,000.
- Forest Watcher (a separate, newer Group D post): pay scale of ₹29,600 to ₹52,800, with an estimated in-hand of ₹42,000 to ₹52,000 at entry in most locations.
These are two different jobs with two different eligibility criteria and selection processes — but because both fall under the Karnataka Forest Department, articles routinely mix up their salary figures. If you’re applying, check which exact post name is on your notification before you set salary expectations.
Madhya Pradesh Forest Guard Salary (Vanrakshak)
MP Van Rakshak posts sit at Pay Level 4 under the 7th Pay Commission, with a basic pay scale of roughly ₹19,500 to ₹62,000 and Grade Pay of about ₹1,900. After standard deductions like PF, NPS and tax, the net in-hand salary works out to around ₹27,846 a month at entry, recruited through MPESB.
Delhi Forest Guard Salary (DSSSB)
Delhi is the odd one out on this list: because it’s administered as a Union Territory, DSSSB Forest Guard posts follow the central government pay matrix, not a state-specific one. The post falls under Pay Level 3, Group ‘C’, Central Civil Services, and the typical in-hand monthly Forest Guard Salary works out to around ₹31,313, against a gross of roughly ₹38,956.
Uttarakhand Forest Guard Salary (UKSSSC)
The UKSSSC Forest Guard post is a Group ‘C’ position under Pay Level 3 of the 7th Pay Commission’s pay matrix, with a pay scale of ₹21,700 to ₹69,100 a month. Going by comparable Level-3 postings elsewhere, expect a starting in-hand somewhere in the ₹28,000–₹33,000 range once DA and HRA are added — Uttarakhand’s hill postings can also mean extra field/hardship allowances that push this up slightly.
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Tamil Nadu Forest Guard Salary (TNFUSRC)
The Tamil Nadu Forest Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee places Forest Guard under Level-5 of the state pay scale, ranging from ₹18,200 to ₹57,900. This is the lowest starting pay scale among the states covered here, so expect a starting in-hand closer to ₹25,000–₹30,000 depending on posting and DA.
Rajasthan Forest Guard Salary (RSMSSB / Vanrakshak)
RSMSSB’s Rajasthan Forest Guard pay is set at Level 4/5, with a basic pay range of ₹19,200 to ₹60,800 and a Grade Pay of ₹2,000. The total monthly salary comes to roughly ₹33,930 gross, working out to an in-hand figure of about ₹27,183 a month after deductions.
Himachal Pradesh Forest Guard Salary — proceed with caution here
This is one state where reliable, current numbers are genuinely hard to find. The most recent concrete figure available is from HPSFDC’s contract-basis Forest Guard recruitment, which pays ₹5,910 plus ₹2,000 Grade Pay per month — but that’s a contract post through the state Forest Development Corporation, not a regular HPSSSB cadre appointment, and the notification is a few years old. If you’re specifically targeting HP, the honest advice is: don’t rely on any number you find online, including this one — pull the exact pay scale from the current HPSSSB or HP Forest Department notification before you apply.
What’s Actually Inside a Forest Guard’s Salary?
Every state salary above is built from the same basic ingredients:
| Component | What it means |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay | The fixed starting point on the state’s pay matrix — everything else is calculated on top of this |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | Revised twice a year to offset inflation; calculated as a % of basic pay |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) | Varies by posting location — but many Forest Guards live in free departmental quarters or forest barracks, in which case HRA often isn’t paid at all |
| Travel/Field Allowance | Covers patrol-related travel and fieldwork |
| Uniform/Kit Allowance | Usually a fixed annual amount for uniform and gear upkeep |
| Medical Benefits | Coverage for the employee and dependents under state health schemes |
In-Hand Salary: What Gets Deducted
The gap between “gross salary” and what actually lands in your bank account comes down to a fairly standard set of deductions across states:
- NPS contribution — typically around 10% of (basic pay + DA)
- Provident Fund / GPF — where applicable
- Professional tax — a small fixed state-level deduction
- Group Insurance Scheme (GIS) — a small, usually mandatory monthly premium
- Income tax — only applicable once your total income crosses the taxable threshold, which most entry-level Forest Guards won’t hit
This is why “pay scale” (the official range) and “in-hand salary” (what you actually receive) are two different numbers, and why the tables above list both.
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Forest Guard Salary After 5 Years
There’s no single official number here — it depends on your state, your DA at the time, and whether you’ve cleared any promotional exam. But the mechanics are the same everywhere under the 7th Pay Commission: your basic pay rises through an annual increment, generally around 3% of basic pay, added on your increment date each year, on top of periodic DA revisions.
On top of that annual increment, most states offer a promotion ladder for Forest Guards who put in the years and clear departmental exams:
Forest Guard
Officer
Officer (RFO)
Each step up moves you to a higher pay level with a meaningfully higher basic pay — a Forester’s basic pay, for instance, typically starts a full pay level above a Forest Guard’s. So “salary after 5 years” really has two components: the incremental rise within your current pay level (a modest, predictable bump), and a possible jump to a new pay level if you’ve been promoted. Given how much this varies by state and individual service record, treat any specific “after 5 years, you’ll earn ₹X” claim you see online as a rough estimate, not a guarantee — your own department’s increment and promotion records are the only reliable source.
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FAQs About Forest Guard Salary
What is the Forest Guard Salary?
It depends heavily on the state. Basic pay generally falls between ₹18,200 and ₹25,500 a month, with in-hand salary (after DA, HRA and deductions) typically landing between ₹25,000 and ₹35,000 at entry level. See the state-wise table above for exact figures.
What is the starting Forest Guard Salary?
The starting basic pay is the lowest figure in each state’s pay scale — for example, ₹19,900 in UP and Odisha, ₹18,200 in Tamil Nadu, ₹21,700 in Delhi and Uttarakhand. The starting in-hand salary (what you’re actually paid monthly) is higher once allowances are added — usually ₹25,000–₹32,000 depending on state.
Forest Guard ki salary kitni hoti hai?
Zyaadatar states mein, Forest Guard ki starting in-hand salary ₹25,000 se ₹35,000 ke beech hoti hai, state aur DA ke hisaab se. Exact figures upar table mein diye gaye hain.
What is the Forest Guard Salary in Odisha?
The pay scale is ₹19,900–₹63,200 under Pay Level-4, but new recruits spend their first two years on a fixed consolidated pay of ₹8,880 a month during probation, before moving to the full scale.
What is the Forest Guard Salary in Karnataka?
Around ₹28,000–₹32,000 in-hand at entry for the Forest Guard post specifically (Level 3, basic pay ~₹21,700). Don’t confuse this with the separate Forest Watcher post, which pays significantly more (₹42,000–₹52,000 in-hand).
UP Forest Guard ki salary kitni hoti hai?
UP mein Forest Guard (Vanrakshak) ki pay scale ₹19,900–₹63,200 hai (Level 2), aur in-hand salary lagbhag ₹25,000 se ₹31,000 tak hoti hai, posting aur DA ke hisaab se.
What is the salary of a Delhi Forest Guard?
Roughly ₹31,300 in-hand at entry, against a gross salary of about ₹38,956 — this follows the central government pay matrix (Pay Level 3) rather than a state-specific scale, since Delhi is a Union Territory.
How much does a Forest Guard earn after 5 years?
There’s no fixed universal figure — it depends on annual increments (roughly 3% of basic pay each year) plus DA revisions, and whether you’ve been promoted to Senior Forest Guard or Forester in the meantime. Check your specific state’s pay matrix for the most accurate projection.
