Rajesh joined Nepal Police as a Constable straight out of his village in Dailekh, and the first question every relative asked wasn't about the uniform or the training, it was about the paycheck. Someone at a wedding swore Constables earned forty thousand a month. Someone else said it was barely twenty. Both were half right, because the number on a police payslip depends heavily on grade, posting, and how long someone has actually worn the badge.
Nepal Police pay isn't one figure either. A Constable's basic salary climbs every year through grade increments, an ASI's payslip looks nothing like a fresh recruit's, and once ration allowance and remote-posting money enter the picture, two officers of the same rank can take home noticeably different amounts depending on where they're stationed.
About the figures below: The rank-wise table uses the most recently published Nepal Police pay scale (FY 2082/83), cross-checked against the Armed Police Force's parallel scale. The FY 2083/84 budget announced a 10% base increase plus a 10% incentive allowance on top of the existing Rs 5,000 dearness allowance; the "Estimated FY 2083/84" column applies that formula. Nepal Police's own Gazette-notified rank table for 2083/84 has not been separately published at the time of writing, so treat the estimated column as a guide, not a confirmed payslip figure.
Constable to Senior Sub-Inspector: Non-Gazetted Ranks
This is the ladder most officers climb through in their first decade of service. Grade increments, earned yearly for up to eight years within a rank, push pay above the starting figure shown here.
| Rank | Basic Pay (Top Grade) | Est. FY 2083/84* |
|---|---|---|
| Police Constable | Rs 33,042 | ~Rs 45,000 |
| Assistant Havaldar | Rs 33,797 | ~Rs 45,900 |
| Havaldar | Rs 34,980 | ~Rs 47,300 |
| Senior Havaldar | Rs 36,194 | ~Rs 48,800 |
| Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) | Rs 41,678 | ~Rs 55,400 |
| Sub-Inspector (SI) | Rs 43,994 | ~Rs 58,200 |
| Senior Sub-Inspector (Sr. SI) | Rs 43,994 | ~Rs 58,200 |
Inspector to Inspector General: Gazetted Officer Ranks
Officer pay follows the same grade logic, but the starting gap between ranks widens quickly, especially from DSP upward.
| Rank | Basic Pay (Top Grade) | Est. FY 2083/84* |
|---|---|---|
| Police Inspector | Rs 51,165 | ~Rs 66,900 |
| Deputy Superintendent (DSP) | Rs 55,345 | ~Rs 72,000 |
| Superintendent (SP) | Rs 61,737 | ~Rs 79,700 |
| Senior Superintendent (SSP) | Rs 66,635 | ~Rs 85,600 |
| Deputy Inspector General (DIG) | Rs 71,931 | ~Rs 92,000 |
| Additional Inspector General (AIG) | Rs 76,888 | ~Rs 98,000 |
| Inspector General (IGP) | Rs 76,888 | ~Rs 98,000 |
*Estimated by applying the government's announced FY 2083/84 formula (10% base increase, plus 10% incentive on the new base, plus Rs 5,000 dearness allowance) to the FY 2082/83 pay scale. Not an official Nepal Police payroll table. Figures shown are basic pay at the top grade within each rank, before ration or duty allowances.
Grade increments are why two officers holding the same rank rarely earn the same amount. Every year of clean service adds a fixed rupee sum to the basic salary, up to eight grades in most ranks, and a promotion moves an officer to the new rank's starting pay or matches their previous salary if it was already higher.
Ration, Uniform and Duty Allowances
Allowances often matter as much as basic pay for police personnel, since the job runs around the clock. These figures vary by posting, so treat them as reported ranges.
| Allowance | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Dearness allowance | Rs 5,000 per month, all ranks |
| Ration allowance | Rs 6,000 to Rs 6,500 per month in Kathmandu; Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 in remote or Himalayan postings |
| Uniform allowance | Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per year, lump sum |
| Risk or special duty allowance | 10% to 25% of basic pay, for VVIP security, riot control, or counter-terrorism duty |
The Promotion Ladder
Most officers move up through Constable, Assistant Havaldar, Havaldar, Senior Havaldar, ASI, SI or Senior SI, then Inspector, before crossing into the gazetted ranks through DSP, SP, SSP, DIG, AIG and finally IGP. Movement between the lower ranks usually runs on seniority and internal exams, while officer-level promotions involve the Public Service Commission and the force's own selection boards.
Retirement and Pension Overview
Pension eligibility and payout depend on years served and the salary drawn near the end of a career.
| Category | Pension Basis |
|---|---|
| General eligibility | 20 years of service for lifelong pension |
| Constable and Havaldar levels | Reduction to 16 to 18 years has been proposed and is under discussion |
| Provident Fund | 10% of basic salary deducted from the employee, matched by the government |
| Contributory pension fund | 6% of basic salary, for personnel appointed after Shrawan 1, 2076 BS |
| Pension calculation | Based on final drawn basic pay and total years of service |
The exact pension percentage schedule by years of service was not available in the public sources checked for this article. Serving personnel should confirm exact figures through their own unit.
Nepal Police vs Armed Police Force: A Quick Comparison
Families weighing Nepal Police against the Armed Police Force often assume the pay differs sharply. It mostly doesn't.
| Factor | Nepal Police | Armed Police Force |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pay and grade structure | Identical, rank for rank, under the current published scale | |
| Dearness allowance | Rs 5,000 per month, same for both | |
| Ration allowance | Same district-based scale for both forces | |
| Duty allowance focus | VVIP security, riot control | Border outpost (BOP) and disaster response duty |
| Mission opportunities | Both eligible for UN peacekeeping postings with dollar-denominated allowances | |
Whatever rank the payslip shows, the real planning begins after it lands: how much tax gets deducted, what pension and provident fund actually add up to after two decades, and where ration savings or mission earnings might grow best while they wait.