The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has issued a corrigendum dated 30 June 2026 confirming the revised rates of Children Education Allowance (CEA) and Hostel Subsidy for central government employees. Under the clarified Para 2(a), the CEA is ₹2,812.50 per month per child (fixed) and the Hostel Subsidy is ₹8,437.50 per month per child — a welcome confirmation for lakhs of employees with school-going children.
The most important line for every claimant: CEA is now reimbursed as a fixed amount, irrespective of the actual expenses incurred. In plain terms — you no longer need to prove you spent the money; you just need to show the child was in school.
What the corrigendum says
The order (No. A-27012/01/2023-Pers. Policy(AL), Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions) corrects Para 2(a) of DoPT's earlier Office Memorandum of even number dated 25 April 2024. It should now be read as:
"The amount for reimbursement of Children Education Allowance shall be ₹2,812.50 per month (fixed) per child, irrespective of actual expenses incurred by the Govt employee. The reimbursement of Hostel Subsidy per child shall be ₹8,437.50 per month or the actual expenditure incurred on boarding and lodging, whichever is lower."
All other terms and conditions in the O.M. dated 17 July 2018 and the O.M. dated 25 April 2024 remain unchanged. The corrigendum is signed by J.S. Kanth, Under Secretary to the Government of India, and applies to all Ministries and Departments under the Government of India.
Official order — view & download
Here is the original DoPT corrigendum. Click the image to open the full-size PDF, or use the download link below.
- 📄 Download / View the official CEA corrigendum (PDF) — DoPT No. A-27012/01/2023-Pers. Policy(AL), dated 30 June 2026 · Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions.
The exact rupee impact
Here is what the confirmed rates mean per child, per year, and for the maximum of two children:
| Component | Per month per child | Per year per child | Max (2 children/year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children Education Allowance | ₹2,812.50 | ₹33,750 | ₹67,500 |
| Hostel Subsidy | ₹8,437.50 | ₹1,01,250 | ₹2,02,500 |
CEA and Hostel Subsidy cannot be claimed together for the same child — you claim one or the other, depending on whether the child is a day scholar or staying in a hostel.
The key change: CEA is now bill-free
The phrase "irrespective of actual expenses incurred" is the heart of this order. Earlier, employees often worried about matching fee receipts to the claim amount. The corrigendum settles it:
- CEA — a flat ₹2,812.50 per month is reimbursed. You do not need to prove you spent that much. A simple certificate from the head of the institution, confirming the child studied there during the year, is enough.
- Hostel Subsidy — this one is capped by actual spend: you get ₹8,437.50 per month or your real boarding-and-lodging expenditure, whichever is lower. So bills still matter for the hostel claim.
Why the rates went up in the first place
These are not arbitrary numbers. Under the 7th Pay Commission rules, CEA and Hostel Subsidy automatically rise by 25% every time the Dearness Allowance crosses 50%. The maths:
| Component | Base 7th CPC rate | After +25% (current) |
|---|---|---|
| Children Education Allowance | ₹2,250 / month | ₹2,812.50 / month |
| Hostel Subsidy | ₹6,750 / month | ₹8,437.50 / month |
Because DA crossed the 50% mark, the 25% enhancement kicked in — which is why the O.M. dated 25 April 2024 revised the figures, and why this June 2026 corrigendum re-states them precisely. You can track the DA figure that drives this on the DA Rate Calculator.
Who is eligible and what you need to claim
The core eligibility conditions from the 17 July 2018 O.M. continue to apply:
- Reimbursement is allowed for a maximum of two children.
- It covers classes from nursery to Class XII, including the two years of a diploma/certificate course.
- The child must be studying in a recognised school/institution.
- Both parents in government service? Only one can claim.
- Differently-abled (divyang) children get CEA at double the rate — ₹5,625 per month per child — subject to the prescribed conditions.
To claim, you typically submit a certificate from the head of the institution for the academic year, along with the standard claim form to your office's drawing and disbursing authority. No fee receipts are needed for CEA; keep boarding/lodging bills for the Hostel Subsidy.
What to do next
- If you have school-going children, file your CEA claim for the year at the confirmed ₹2,812.50 per month per child — no need to worry about matching bills.
- For a child in a hostel, keep your boarding-and-lodging receipts, since the subsidy is capped at your actual spend or ₹8,437.50, whichever is lower.
- Model how these allowances sit in your monthly pay with the Salary Slip Generator.
Source: DoPT Corrigendum No. A-27012/01/2023-Pers. Policy(AL), Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions, dated 30 June 2026, read with O.M. dated 25 April 2024 and O.M. dated 17 July 2018. Always cross-check with your office's DDO before filing.
Quick summary
- CEA: ₹2,812.50 per month per child (fixed) — ₹33,750/year, no bills needed, up to 2 children.
- Hostel Subsidy: ₹8,437.50 per month per child — or actual boarding/lodging spend, whichever is lower.
- Bill-free CEA is the headline: reimbursement is "irrespective of actual expenses incurred."
- Rates rose because DA crossed 50%, triggering the automatic 25% hike on the base rates of ₹2,250 and ₹6,750.
- Divyang children: CEA at double — ₹5,625 per month per child.