Cross-country comparison
L1 (India) vs GS-12 (United States)
India · 7th Central Pay Commission Pay Matrix
L1
Pay Level 1 — entry-level Group C positions (Peon, Chowkidar, Safaiwala). Pay Band 5200-20200 / GP 1800.
₹216,000 – ₹682,800
FY 2016 · annual base · INR
View full L1 detail →United States · General Schedule (GS)
GS-12
Senior specialist and first-line supervisor level. Most common grade for experienced federal professionals.
$76,463 – $99,404
FY 2026 · annual base · USD
View full GS-12 detail →How they compare
A L1 in the India federal civil service earns between ₹216,000 and ₹682,800 per year at base rates, while a GS-12 in the United States federal civil service earns between $76,463 and $99,404. Both figures are annual base in each country’s currency, before locality adjustments, allowances, or bonuses.
Responsibilities at these grades are not directly comparable — each country’s civil service uses its own classification framework. See the linked authoritative sources for role scoping.