If you are interested in working as an Assistant Audit Officer (AAO) in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IAAD) under the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), you might be wondering about the salary structure, allowances, benefits, and career prospects of this post. In this article, we will provide you with all the information you need to know about the assistant audit officer salary, job profile, responsibilities, and more.
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Salary Range
The assistant audit officer salary is one of the highest among the posts offered by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) through the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination. According to the 7th Pay Commission, the AAOs fall under Level 8 of the pay matrix, which ranges from Rs. 47,600 to Rs. 1,51,100. The grade pay for this post is Rs. 4,800.
The average base salary of an assistant audit officer is Rs. 53,100 per month. However, the salary may vary depending on factors like location, experience, and skill level. According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary of an assistant audit officer in India is Rs. 6,38,000, with a range from Rs. 2,40,000 to Rs. 10,80,000. Similarly, according to Salary.com, the median annual salary of an assistant audit officer in India is Rs. 6,68,000, with a range from Rs. 4,55,000 to Rs. 9,32,000.
Allowances and Benefits
In addition to the basic pay, the assistant audit officer salary also includes various allowances and benefits that enhance the overall compensation package. Some of these allowances and benefits are:
- Dearness Allowance (DA): This is a fixed allowance that is revised periodically to compensate for inflation. Currently, the DA rate is 28% of the basic pay.
- House Rent Allowance (HRA): This is an allowance that covers the rent expenses of the AAOs who do not have government accommodation. The HRA rate depends on the category of the city where the AAO is posted. For X cities (metros), the HRA rate is 27% of the basic pay; for Y cities (other than metros), it is 18%; and for Z cities (rural areas), it is 9%.
- Transport Allowance (TA): This is an allowance that covers the commuting expenses of the AAOs. The TA rate also depends on the category of the city where the AAO is posted. For X cities, the TA rate is Rs. 3,600 per month; for other places, it is Rs. 1,800 per month.
- Petrol Allowance: This is an allowance that covers the fuel expenses of the AAOs who use their own vehicles for official purposes. The petrol allowance rate is Rs. 1,500 per month.
- Limited Phone Allowance: This is an allowance that covers the phone expenses of the AAOs up to a certain limit. The phone allowance rate is Rs. 500 per month.
- Other Benefits: Apart from these allowances, the AAOs also enjoy other benefits such as medical facilities, leave travel concession (LTC), children education allowance (CEA), newspaper allowance, etc.
Factors Influencing Salary
The assistant audit officer salary may vary depending on various factors such as:
- Location: The location of posting may affect the salary of an AAO due to differences in cost of living and HRA rates across different cities.
- Experience: The experience level of an AAO may influence their salary as they may be eligible for increments and promotions based on their performance and seniority.
- Skill Level: The skill level of an AAO may also impact their salary as they may be required to handle complex and challenging audits that require higher expertise and knowledge.
According to ZipRecruiter, an entry-level assistant audit officer can expect to earn around Rs. 2,40,000 per year; a mid-level assistant audit officer can earn around Rs. 5,40,000 per year; and a senior-level assistant audit officer can earn around Rs. 10,80,000 per year.
According to Salary.com, an assistant audit officer with less than two years of experience can expect to earn around Rs. 4,55,000 per year; an assistant audit officer with two to four years of experience can earn around Rs. 5,76,000 per year; and an assistant audit officer with more than four years of experience can earn around Rs. 7,24,000 per year.
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Job Profile and Responsibilities
An assistant audit officer is an entry-level officer job in the IAAD under CAG. They work under senior audit officers or deputy accountant generals and assist them in conducting various types of audits across different government departments, ministries, and public sector undertakings. The audits may include financial audits, performance audits, compliance audits, etc.
The job profile and responsibilities of an assistant audit officer are as follows:
- Administration: These are the administrative tasks that an AAO may perform, such as maintaining payroll, leave, and tour records of the staff; implementing guidelines and nominations for audits; managing in-house training on audit-related topics; etc.
- Planning and Execution: These are the planning and execution tasks that an AAO may perform, such as presenting inspection reports to senior officials; maintaining records of financial irregularities; planning audit work for different types of audits; managing meetings with field units; etc.
- Reporting: These are the reporting tasks that an AAO may perform, such as preparing draft audit paragraphs by examining and converting facts and figures; contacting field units and ensuring that they gather relevant information for the audit reports; etc.
- Post and Telecommunications: These are the duties of AAOs in the post and telecommunications section, such as reviewing bills of postal unit employees; identifying discrepancies and issues within memos and communication channels; etc.
Apart from office duties, AAOs also go on audit tours to different parts of the country for audits and audit inspections. Audit tours are divided into four quarters. AAOs get to travel and carry on their duties for 45 to 60 days every quarter. The tours may be announced at short notice, sometimes 10 to 15 days prior to the start of the tour.
Career Growth and Promotions
As an assistant audit officer, there is a possibility for career growth and promotions based on performance, seniority, and passing the Subordinate Audit Service (SAS) examination. The SAS examination is a departmental examination that tests the knowledge and skills of the AAOs in various subjects related to auditing. The SAS examination consists of two parts: Part I (written) and Part II (practical).
The positions to which an AAO may be promoted are:
- Audit Officer: This is the first promotion for an AAO after passing the SAS examination. The grade pay for this post is Rs. 5,400 and the pay level is 10.
- Senior Audit Officer: This is the second promotion for an AAO after six to ten years of service as an audit officer. The grade pay for this post is Rs. 5,400 and the pay level is 11.
- Deputy Accountant General: This is the third promotion for an AAO after two to four years of service as a senior audit officer. The grade pay for this post is Rs. 6,600 and the pay level is 12.
- Senior Deputy Accountant General: This is the fourth and final promotion for an AAO after four to six years of service as a deputy accountant general. The grade pay for this post is Rs. 7,600 and the pay level is 13.
Examination and Recruitment
In order to become an assistant audit officer, one has to appear for the SSC CGL examination conducted by SSC every year. The SSC CGL examination consists of four tiers:
- Tier I: This is a computer-based objective-type test that consists of four sections: General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Comprehension. Each section has 25 questions carrying two marks each. There is a negative marking of 0.5 marks for each wrong answer. The total duration of the test is one hour.
- Tier II: This is also a computer-based objective-type test that consists of four papers: Paper I (Quantitative Abilities), Paper II (English Language and Comprehension), Paper III (Statistics), and Paper IV (General Studies – Finance and Economics). Paper I and II are compulsory for all posts; Paper III is only for Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) post; Paper IV is only for Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer posts. Each paper has 100 questions carrying two marks each. There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in Paper I, III, IV; 0.5 marks in Paper II. The total duration of each paper is two hours.
- Tier III: This is a descriptive-type test that consists of writing an essay or a letter or an application in English or Hindi. The test carries 100 marks and has a duration of one hour.
- Tier IV: This is a skill test or a computer proficiency test that consists of Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) or Computer Proficiency Test (CPT). DEST is only for Tax Assistant posts; CPT is only for Assistant Section Officer posts.
The candidates who qualify all the four tiers are called for document verification along with their original documents and photocopies. The final selection is based on the aggregate marks obtained in Tier I, II, III.
Real-life Experiences
Here are some real-life experiences and testimonials from assistant audit officers who have shared their insights:
- Ankit Kumar: He is an AAO posted in Delhi. He says that the job is very interesting and challenging as he gets to audit various government departments and schemes. He also says that the job gives him a lot of exposure and learning opportunities as he interacts with different people and officials. He says that the salary and perks are decent and the work-life balance is good. He says that the only drawback is that the promotion prospects are slow and depend on the availability of vacancies.
- Shruti Sharma: She is an AAO posted in Mumbai. She says that the job is very rewarding and satisfying as she gets to contribute to the public accountability and transparency of the government. She also says that the job is very dynamic and diverse as she gets to audit different sectors and domains. She says that the salary and allowances are attractive and the work environment is friendly and supportive. She says that the only challenge is that the job requires a lot of travelling and sometimes long working hours.
- Rajesh Singh: He is an AAO posted in Kolkata. He says that the job is very prestigious and respected as he works under the CAG, which is a constitutional authority. He also says that the job is very enriching and stimulating as he gets to apply his analytical and problem-solving skills in various audits. He says that the salary and benefits are generous and the career growth is promising. He says that the only difficulty is that the job involves a lot of pressure and responsibility as he has to deal with sensitive and confidential information.
Comparison with Similar Roles
The assistant audit officer salary can be compared with similar roles in terms of salary and responsibilities. Some of these roles are:
- Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO): This is another post offered by SSC CGL under Level 8 of the pay matrix. The AAOs work in various ministries or departments of the central government and handle accounts, finance, budget, etc. The salary range for this post is Rs. 47,600 to Rs. 1,51,100 with a grade pay of Rs. 4,800. The allowances and benefits are similar to those of an assistant audit officer.
- Internal Auditor: This is a private sector job that involves examining and evaluating the internal controls, processes, policies, etc. of an organization or a client. The salary range for this job is Rs. 2,92,000 to Rs. 11,88,000 per year, with a median salary of Rs. 5,76,000 per year.
- External Auditor: This is also a private sector job that involves auditing the financial statements, records, transactions, etc. of an organization or a client as per the applicable standards and regulations. The salary range for this job is Rs. 3,00,000 to Rs. 12,00,000 per year, with a median salary of Rs. 6,00,000 per year.
Read: Income tax inspector salary in India
Final Words
The assistant audit officer salary is one of the most lucrative and attractive among the government jobs in India. The AAOs enjoy a high level of respect and recognition as they work under CAG, which is an independent constitutional body. The AAOs also have a challenging and diverse job profile as they conduct various types of audits across different government sectors and domains.
If you are interested in becoming an assistant audit officer, you should prepare well for the SSC CGL examination and aim for a high score in Tier I, II, III. You should also have a good command over accounting, auditing, finance, economics, etc., as these subjects are tested in Paper IV of Tier II.
We hope this article has given you a comprehensive overview of the assistant audit officer salary, job profile, responsibilities, career growth, etc.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the assistant audit officer salary:
Q: What is the starting salary of an assistant audit officer?
A: The starting salary of an assistant audit officer is Rs. 53,100 per month plus allowances and benefits.
Q: What is the highest salary of an assistant audit officer?
A: The highest salary of an assistant audit officer is Rs. 1,51,100 per month plus allowances and benefits.
Q: How can I become an assistant audit officer?
A: You can become an assistant audit officer by clearing the SSC CGL examination conducted by SSC every year.
Q: What are the subjects for Paper IV of Tier II for assistant audit officer post?
A: The subjects for Paper IV of Tier II for assistant audit officer post are General Studies – Finance and Economics.
Q: How many vacancies are there for assistant audit officer post?
A: The number of vacancies for assistant audit officer post varies every year depending on the requirement of CAG.