Skip to main content

Schedule V: Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairperson and Other Members

FIFTH SCHEDULE [See rule 17] Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairperson and Other Members (click to expand)

  1. Salary.—
    (1) The Chairperson shall be entitled to receive a consolidated salary of rupees four lakh fifty thousand per month, without the facility of house and car.
    (2) Every Member other than the Chairperson shall be entitled to receive a consolidated salary of rupees four lakh per month, without the facility of house and car.

  2. Provident Fund.—
    The Chairperson and every other Member shall be eligible to contribute to the Provident Fund of the Board, and the manner and terms and conditions applicable in this regard shall, mutatis mutandis, be the same as those applicable to other officers and employees of the Board for their Provident Fund.

  3. Pension and gratuity.—
    The Chairperson and every other Member shall not be entitled to payment of pension or gratuity for service rendered in the Board.

  4. Travelling allowance.—
    (1) The Chairperson and every other Member, while on transfer to join the Board, or on the expiry of her term with the Board for proceeding to her home town with family (including in respect of journey undertaken by her and her family), or on tour within India, shall be entitled to journey allowance, daily allowance and reimbursement of expense on transportation of personal effects at such scales and rates as are applicable to an officer of the Central Government in the following level of the pay matrix, namely:—
    (a) level 17, in the case of the Chairperson; and
    (b) level 15, in the case of every other Member.

(2) The Chairperson and every other Member may undertake tour outside India only in accordance with guidelines or instructions issued by the Central Government, and in respect of such tour, she shall be entitled to draw the same allowances as an officer of the Central Government, in the following level of the pay matrix, is entitled to draw, namely:—
(a) level 17, in the case of the Chairperson; and
(b) level 15, in the case of every other Member.

  1. Medical assistance.—
    (1) The Chairperson and every other Member shall be entitled to such medical assistance as may be admissible to them under any group health insurance scheme of the Board for officers and employees of the Board and their eligible dependants.
    (2) If the Chairperson or other Member has retired from Government service, or from the service of a public sector entity or a body corporate established by a Central Act, Provincial Act or State Act, and there are a separate set of rules for the grant of medical assistance for such service, she may, in lieu of medical assistance under sub-paragraph (1), opt to be governed by such rules.

  2. Leave.—
    (1) The authority competent to sanction leave shall be the Central Government in respect of the Chairperson, and the Chairperson in respect of any other Member.
    (2) The Chairperson and every other Member may avail of such kinds of leave as are admissible to a Government servant under sub-clause (i) of clause (a) and clause (b) of sub-rule (1) of rule 26, rules 27, 29, 30 and 40 to 43-C of the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972 (hereinafter referred to as “Leave Rules”).
    (3) Leave shall be subject to the conditions applicable to a Government servant under rules 7 to 11 and 22 to 25 of the Leave Rules, and the Central Government may, if satisfied that the operation of any of the said rules causes undue hardship in a particular case, by order relax the requirements of that rule to such extent and subject to such exceptions and conditions as it may consider necessary for dealing with the case in a just and equitable manner.
    (4) The Chairperson and every other Member shall be entitled to casual leave to such extent as is admissible to a Government servant under instructions issued by the Central Government.
    (5) The Chairperson and every other Member shall be entitled to encashment of earned leave standing to her credit, subject to such conditions and in like manner as are applicable to a Government servant under rule 38-A, sub-rules (1) and (2) and sub-clauses (i) and (ii) of clause (a) of sub-rule (6) of rule 39, rule 39-A and rule 39-C of the Leave Rules, subject to the maximum extent of encashment under any of the said rules, other than rule 38-A, being fifty per cent. of the earned leave standing to her credit.

  3. Leave travel concession.—
    (1) Leave travel concession shall be admissible to the Chairperson and every other Member in accordance with the provisions applicable to persons appointed to civil services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union of India under rule 3, clauses (a) and (d) of rule 4, rules 5 to 15 and rule 17 of the Central Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 1988, and the entitlement for such concession shall be the same as is applicable to officers of the Central Government in level 17 of the pay matrix in the case of the Chairperson, and to officers of the Central Government in level 15 of the pay matrix in the case of a Member.
    (2) The Chairperson and every other Member shall be eligible to avail of either leave travel concession to home town or leave travel concession to any place in India in any period of two years from the date of assumption of their office as a Member.

  4. Other terms and conditions of service.—
    (1) The Chairperson and every other Member shall ensure absence of conflict of interest in the performance of the functions of her office and shall not have any such financial or other interests as are likely to prejudicially affect the performance of the functions of such office.
    (2) The provisions contained in Part IV to Part IX of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, as applicable to an officer of the Central Government who is a member of a Central Civil Services, Group ‘A’, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the Chairperson and every other Member.
    (3) The Chairperson and every other Member shall not be entitled to any sitting fee for attending meetings of the Board.
    (4) The Chairperson and every other Member shall not be entitled to any sumptuary allowance.
    (5) Any matter relating to the conditions of service of the Chairperson or any other Member, in respect of which no express provision has been made in these rules, shall be referred to the Central Government for its decision, and the decision of the Central Government on the same shall be final.

  5. In this Schedule, “pay matrix” shall mean the pay matrix referred to in Annexure I to the Central Government’s Resolution published in the Official Gazette vide Notification no. 1-2/2016-IC, dated the 25th July, 2016.

The Fifth Schedule of the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, outlines the service conditions, remuneration, and professional conduct requirements for the Chairperson and Members of the Data Protection Board of India. It establishes a transparent and uniform framework ensuring independence, accountability, and ethical integrity of the Board.

Remuneration: The Chairperson receives a fixed salary of ₹4.5 lakh per month, and Members ₹4 lakh per month — both without house or car facilities. This consolidated pay model eliminates discretionary perks and upholds impartiality.

Benefits and Allowances: Members are entitled to provident fund contributions and travel, leave, and medical benefits equivalent to senior Central Government officers (Level 17 for Chairperson, Level 15 for Members). However, no pension, gratuity, sitting fee, or sumptuary allowance is provided.

Governance and Conduct: All office bearers must maintain conflict-free service, adhere to Central Civil Services (CCA and Leave) Rules, and operate with transparency and fairness. Any unresolved condition defaults to the Central Government’s decision, which is final.

Policy Objective: The Schedule ensures that the Board functions with administrative autonomy but under disciplined public accountability. By aligning its structure with Group-A service norms, it attracts competent experts while preserving public trust in data protection enforcement.

1. Salary​

  1. The Chairperson shall receive a consolidated salary of ₹4,50,000 per month, without the facility of house or car.
  2. Each Member shall receive a consolidated salary of ₹4,00,000 per month, also without the facility of house or car.

These fixed consolidated payments ensure transparency and independence of office by avoiding variable allowances or perks that could influence decision-making.

2. Provident Fund​

Both the Chairperson and Members are eligible to contribute to the Provident Fund of the Board, under the same rules that apply to other officers and employees of the Board. This creates parity within the organisation and ensures continuity of retirement savings during their tenure.

3. Pension and Gratuity​

The Chairperson and Members are not entitled to pension or gratuity for their period of service with the Board. This clause reflects the temporary and contractual nature of such appointments—focused on service tenure rather than long-term government employment.

4. Travelling Allowance​

  1. When joining or leaving office, or travelling on official tours within India, the Chairperson and Members shall be entitled to travel and daily allowances at the rates applicable to Central Government officers:
    • Level 17 in the pay matrix for the Chairperson;
    • Level 15 for Members.
  2. International tours may be undertaken only in accordance with Government guidelines, and allowances will follow the same pay-matrix levels as above.

These provisions align the Board’s travel entitlements with established Central Government norms to maintain accountability in public expenditure.

Example

If a Member travels from Delhi to Bengaluru to inspect a data-breach inquiry, travel reimbursement, hotel stay, and daily allowances will be calculated as per Level 15 entitlements under Government rules.

5. Medical Assistance​

  1. The Chairperson and Members shall receive medical benefits under the group health insurance scheme of the Board, applicable to its officers and their dependants.
  2. If a Chairperson or Member is a retired government or public-sector officer, they may choose instead to be governed by the medical-assistance rules of their former service.

This flexibility ensures continuity of healthcare coverage and recognises prior service privileges.

6. Leave Entitlements​

  1. Leave-sanctioning authority:
    • Central Government for the Chairperson.
    • Chairperson for Members.
  2. Eligible types of leave are those provided to government servants under the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972—including earned leave, half-pay leave, commuted leave, and extraordinary leave.
  3. Leave conditions and encashment follow the same framework as applicable to Central Government Group A officers, including up to 50 percent encashment of accumulated earned leave.
  4. Casual leave is admissible as per Central Government instructions.
  5. The Central Government may relax provisions in cases of hardship to ensure fairness.
tip

For example, if a Member’s health condition requires extended recovery time, the Central Government may relax certain leave limits to allow equitable treatment.

7. Leave Travel Concession (LTC)​

  1. LTC shall be admissible in line with Central Civil Services (LTC) Rules, 1988:
    • Level 17 entitlement for the Chairperson.
    • Level 15 entitlement for Members.
  2. Each may avail either LTC to home town or LTC to any place in India once in any two-year period from the date of assumption of office.

This provision ensures parity with senior government officers and supports work-life balance through periodic travel benefits.

8. Other Terms and Conditions of Service​

  1. The Chairperson and Members must ensure absence of conflict of interest and avoid any financial or personal engagements that could influence official duties.
  2. Disciplinary provisions under Parts IV–IX of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 apply mutatis mutandis, maintaining professional accountability.
  3. No sitting fee shall be paid for attending Board meetings.
  4. No sumptuary allowance (representational or entertainment allowance) shall be granted.
  5. Any service-condition matter not expressly covered will be referred to the Central Government, whose decision will be final.

These clauses reinforce the ethical, non-commercial nature of Board service and centralise oversight with the Government to ensure uniform standards.

Example

If ambiguity arises regarding reimbursement of a specific expense not listed in this Schedule, the matter must be referred to the Ministry of Electronics and IT for final determination.

9. Definition of Pay Matrix​

The term “pay matrix” refers to the structure published in the Government Resolution No. 1-2/2016-IC, dated 25 July 2016, which outlines pay levels and corresponding entitlements for Central Government officers.

This ensures consistent reference points for calculating allowances and benefits across all schedules.

The Fifth Schedule formalises a transparent compensation and service-condition framework for the Chairperson and Members of the Data Protection Board of India.
Its design ensures that these roles attract competent professionals while maintaining the Board’s independence from administrative or political influence.

  1. Fixed remuneration prevents financial dependency on discretionary allowances.
  2. No pension or gratuity highlights limited-term functional accountability.
  3. Standardised benefits—travel, health, leave, and LTC—align with senior-level government parity.
  4. Conflict-of-interest provisions uphold impartiality in adjudication and enforcement.
  5. Central Government oversight guarantees uniform interpretation of grey areas.

Overall, the Schedule ensures that service on the Data Protection Board is viewed as a public trust position, governed by integrity, fairness, and fiscal discipline rather than privilege or profit.