Army Constant Attendant Allowance (CAA): ₹8,438 From 1 January 2024, 100% Disability, Medical Board Conditions, Suspension & AFT Remedy

The current enhancement is contained in the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare order dated 30 April 2025. Official pension circulars are available on the DESW Pension Circulars page.

1. Source of CAA entitlement

Pension Regulations for the Army, Part I govern CAA, while later Government orders revise the rate. The current rate must therefore be read together with the underlying eligibility conditions.

2. 100% disablement requirement

CAA is not a general supplement to every disability pension. The accepted degree of disablement must meet the governing 100% threshold, subject to the specific regulation dealing with reduced awards where the accepted assessment itself is 100%.

3. Medical-board opinion

The Invaliding Medical Board or Review Medical Board must opine that the pensioner needs the services of a constant attendant for at least the prescribed period and that the need arises from the accepted disability or disabilities.

4. Accepted disability matters

The need for an attendant must be connected to the disability for which pensionary entitlement is accepted. A separate non-service-related condition may require careful analysis if it is the real reason for assistance.

5. Attendant actually employed

The governing regulations require actual employment of an attendant. Pensioners should preserve any declaration, medical evidence or other proof required by the pension authority.

6. Hospital or Government institution periods

CAA is generally restricted for periods during which the pensioner is an inmate of a Government institution or hospital under the applicable regulation. The exact dates of admission/discharge should be checked before alleging overpayment or underpayment.

7. Gainful employment

The regulatory framework also contains a gainful-employment restriction. Any recovery based on employment should identify the actual employment period and governing provision rather than applying a blanket permanent cancellation.

8. Rate history

The uniform rate was ₹6,750 per month from 1 July 2017. Following DA reaching 50%, the Government enhanced CAA by 25% to ₹8,438 per month with effect from 1 January 2024.

9. Arrears from 1 January 2024

Pensioners who continued to receive the old rate after the effective date should calculate the difference month-wise. The arrears claim should distinguish principal CAA from any other pension revision.

10. CAA and broad-banding

Broad-banding of a lower disability assessment to a higher pension percentage should not automatically be confused with the medical requirement for CAA. The underlying accepted assessment and medical-board findings must be checked separately.

The site’s Army disability pension guide explains broad-banding and current entitlement rules.

11. CAA and war injury pension

A war-injury pensioner may qualify where the regulatory conditions are satisfied. The pension category alone does not substitute for the 100% assessment and attendant-need findings.

12. SPARSH omission

If CAA is sanctioned but missing from SPARSH or the ePPO, seek correction of the entitlement data rather than only a bank-credit adjustment. Future revisions depend on accurate pension master data.

13. Recovery of alleged excess CAA

Any recovery should identify the period, reason and legal basis. If the allegation is hospitalisation, gainful employment or loss of qualifying medical status, the underlying evidence should be supplied.

14. AFT remedy

AFT litigation may arise where CAA entitlement is unlawfully denied, sanctioned CAA is not implemented, arrears are withheld or recovery is imposed contrary to the governing pension regulations. The medical-board record is usually central.

15. Common grounds of challenge

• medical-board finding ignored;
• wrong rate applied after 1 January 2024;
• CAA omitted from PPO/SPARSH;
• hospital/employment restriction applied beyond actual period;
• recovery without notice or supporting calculation;
• disability assessment incorrectly read;
• arrears not released after rate enhancement.

16. Frequently asked questions

What is the current CAA rate for qualifying Armed Forces pensioners?

₹8,438 per month with effect from 1 January 2024 under the MoD order dated 30 April 2025.

Does every 100% disability pensioner automatically get CAA?

No. The medical-board requirement concerning need for a constant attendant must also be satisfied.

Can CAA stop during hospitalisation?

The regulations restrict payment during specified institutional/hospital periods. The actual dates and type of institution should be checked.

17. Conclusion

CAA claims are medical-record and payment-record cases. The pensioner should establish the accepted 100% disability, the board’s attendant-need finding, qualifying payment periods and the correct rate. Where entitlement is already sanctioned, the focus should shift to PPO/SPARSH implementation and arrears from 1 January 2024.