If you're preparing for the Bihar STET, you'll want to know what the job pays once you're selected. Knowing the Bihar STET salary gives you a clear goal, and it can help you choose between Paper 1 and Paper 2.

In this guide we cover the basic pay, the allowances, the likely in-hand salary, the job profile and the promotion path. Paper 1 (secondary teacher, Class 9–10) and Paper 2 (senior secondary teacher, Class 11–12) each get their own section. Every figure comes from the sources listed with this post. Where those sources disagree, we show both versions and tell you which one to check.

Key Takeaways

• The STET is only an eligibility test. You get a salary after you're selected as a school teacher, which currently happens through BPSC TRE.
• Paper 1 (Class 9–10): reported basic pay of ₹31,000 a month.
• Paper 2 (Class 11–12): reported basic pay of ₹32,000 a month.
• On top of basic pay you get DA, HRA, a medical allowance and, in eligible cities, a City Transport Allowance (CTA).
• Published in-hand estimates differ (roughly ₹49,630 to ₹59,860 for Paper 1) because sources use different DA and HRA rates.
• Newly appointed teachers usually serve a two-year probation period before they move up the career ladder.

How the Bihar STET Salary Actually Works

The Bihar STET (Secondary Teacher Eligibility Test) is run by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB). Clearing it makes you eligible to teach. It does not give you a job on its own.

To start earning, a STET-qualified candidate has to be selected in a teacher recruitment exam. Right now, that is the BPSC Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE). Teachers selected through TRE join as Vidyalaya Adhyapak (school teacher) under the Bihar State School Teacher (Appointment, Transfer, Disciplinary Action and Service Conditions) Rules, 2023.

This matters because under these rules, new teachers have status equivalent to state government employees. They are organised into district cadres managed by state-level authorities, not by Panchayat-level bodies. So you're not joining as a locally contracted (niyojit) teacher.

Where you can find the official salary figures

The pay for each teaching level is printed in the BPSC TRE advertisement. For TRE 4.0, BPSC issued Advertisement No. 14/2026 on 18 August 2026. It then re-announced the exam under Advertisement No. 15/2026, dated 22 September 2026, which replaced the earlier notice. For dates, fees and the application steps, read our guide on Bihar STET Notification 2026: Dates, Fee and How to Apply.

Bihar STET Salary at a Glance: Paper 1 vs Paper 2

Here's a quick side-by-side comparison of the two levels before we go through each one.

The difference in basic pay is only ₹1,000 a month. The bigger difference is the number of posts: in TRE 4.0 there are far more senior secondary vacancies than secondary ones.

A note on "pay level"

You'll find conflicting answers online about which pay level or grade pay applies:

• Several recent guides list a grade pay of ₹3,200 (Class 9–10) and ₹3,600 (Class 11–12).
• Older Bihar STET salary articles quote a pay band of ₹5,200–₹20,200 with a grade pay of ₹2,400 (secondary) and ₹2,800 (senior secondary).
• Some sites link these posts to 7th Pay Commission Pay Level 7 and Level 8.

The figure every recent source agrees on is the fixed basic pay of ₹31,000 and ₹32,000. For the exact pay level or grade pay, check the official notification.

Bihar STET Paper 1 Salary (Secondary Teacher, Class 9–10)

If you pass Paper 1 and are selected through TRE, you'll teach Class 9 and 10. These are board-exam years, so your work matters a lot to your students.

Basic pay and allowances for Paper 1

The TRE 4.0 salary tables list a basic pay of ₹31,000 per month for secondary teachers. The allowances on top of that are:

• Dearness Allowance (DA): a percentage of basic pay that the government revises from time to time.
• House Rent Allowance (HRA): a percentage of basic pay that depends on where you're posted.
• Medical Allowance: ₹1,000 a month in the tables we checked.
• City Transport Allowance (CTA): paid in eligible urban postings.

Paper 1 in-hand salary: two published versions

The published estimates differ mainly because sources use different DA and HRA rates:

Version A appears in older salary guides. Version B appears in newer TRE 4.0 salary articles. Both add up to the same thing: basic pay plus allowances. Neither subtracts deductions such as the pension contribution, so your real take-home will be lower. For the current DA rate, check the official notification or the latest state government DA order.

Paper 1 job profile

As a secondary teacher, your day-to-day work usually includes:

• Teaching your subject to Class 9–10 students and preparing them for board exams.
• Planning lessons, setting tests and checking answer scripts.
• Keeping track of each student's progress and supporting those who fall behind.
• Helping with school activities and keeping your subject knowledge up to date.

Bihar STET Paper 2 Salary (Senior Secondary Teacher, Class 11–12)

Paper 2 is for candidates who want to teach Class 11 and 12. These classes need deeper subject knowledge, so the qualification is higher too.

Basic pay and allowances for Paper 2

The TRE 4.0 salary tables list a basic pay of ₹32,000 per month for senior secondary teachers. That is ₹1,000 more than Paper 1. The allowances are the same types (DA, HRA, medical and CTA), but DA and HRA come out slightly higher because they're calculated on a bigger basic pay.

Paper 2 in-hand salary: two published versions

As with Paper 1, these totals don't take out deductions. For example, one TRE-era salary breakdown we read subtracts NPS and GIS contributions to reach the final take-home figure.

Paper 2 job profile

As a senior secondary teacher, you'll usually:

• Teach specialised subject content to Class 11–12 students.
• Prepare students for the intermediate board exams and guide them on what to do after school.
• Run practicals, assessments and remedial classes in your subject.
• Take on more academic responsibility as you gain experience.

Where Paper 1 and Paper 2 Differ

Here are the differences in plain terms:

1. Classes: Paper 1 is for Class 9–10. Paper 2 is for Class 11–12.
2. Qualification: Paper 1 needs a bachelor's degree in the subject with at least 50% marks plus a B.Ed. Paper 2 needs a postgraduate degree in the subject plus a B.Ed. (One source says the B.Ed is not required for Computer Science at this level.) Full details are in Bihar STET Eligibility: Paper 1 & 2 Age, Qualification.
3. Basic pay: ₹31,000 for Paper 1 and ₹32,000 for Paper 2.
4. Vacancies in TRE 4.0: about four times as many senior secondary posts as secondary posts (16,540 vs 4,370 after the revision).

If you meet the eligibility for both, you can take both papers. Paper 1 and Paper 2 are held as separate tests, so if you're applying for both posts you'll need to sit both.

What Changes Your In-Hand Salary

Two teachers at the same level can take home different amounts. These are the main reasons.

Posting location

HRA and CTA depend on where you're posted. One urban-versus-rural comparison we read shows the HRA for a secondary teacher at ₹2,480 in an urban posting and ₹1,240 in a rural one. The same comparison shows CTA at ₹2,190 in urban areas and nothing in rural areas.

DA revisions

The government revises DA from time to time, and each revision raises your monthly pay. That's why older articles show 42% and newer ones show 53%. Always check the latest rate.

Deductions

Your take-home pay is what's left after deductions such as your pension (NPS) contribution and group insurance. One salary breakdown we read, which assumed a lower HRA, put the net salary at ₹45,547 for a secondary teacher and ₹46,984 for a higher secondary teacher.

Annual increments

The pay table in a 2023 Education Department rules document has a next stage of ₹31,930 after ₹31,000, and ₹32,960 after ₹32,000. That's a step of roughly 3%, so your basic pay goes up gradually as your years of service add up.

Career Growth and Promotion Path

A government teaching job in Bihar comes with long-term growth.

Probation first

Selected teachers usually serve a two-year probation period, during which their performance and conduct are reviewed. Career progression starts once probation is over.

Reported promotion steps

Coaching and education sites describe this progression:

For Paper 1 teachers, the reported options include moving up to PGT (Class 11–12), Vice Principal or Headmaster/Principal. For Paper 2 teachers, they include senior PGT roles, subject head, academic coordinator, Vice Principal or Principal.

Keep one point from the 2023 rules in mind: no promotion can be claimed as a matter of right. Promotions follow the service rules and your service record, so read the official rules for the exact conditions.

Bihar STET Salary and Today's Recruitment Picture

Right now, the Bihar STET salary depends on TRE recruitment, so it helps to know where TRE 4.0 stands:

• The original Advertisement No. 14/2026 listed 32,388 vacancies across Classes 1–12.
• After a revised requisition, 932 posts were added for Classes 9–12, bringing the total to 33,320.
• One report gives the online application window for the re-announced notice as 25 September 2026 to 26 October 2026. Please confirm the dates on the BPSC website.

Eligibility for TRE secondary and senior secondary posts includes the relevant STET paper. So clearing the STET first keeps you ready for every recruitment round.

How to Prepare and Earn This Salary

You now know what the job pays, so let's turn that into a study plan.

1. Learn the pattern first. Read Bihar STET Syllabus and Exam Pattern: Paper 1 and Paper 2 so you know which subject and teaching-skills topics to cover.
2. Practise the teaching skills section. Start with STET SHIKSHAN KALA EVAM ANYA DAKSHTA PRACTICE SETS | PAPER 1 & PAPER 2 | BIHAR SHIKSHAK PATRATA PARIKSHA. It's a practice-set book for the Shikshan Kala (teaching aptitude) and other skills part, and it works for both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
3. Build your subject base. Go through your graduation (Paper 1) or postgraduation (Paper 2) subject topics chapter by chapter. Browse more titles in our Books for competitive exams section.
4. Test yourself regularly. Take timed mocks on our Online test series to build speed and spot your weak areas.
5. Review and repeat. Go back over every mistake, keep short notes and revise each week.

A steady routine with good practice material will take you much further than last-minute cramming. You can do this!

Conclusion

The Bihar STET salary is a good reason to work hard. The reported basic pay is ₹31,000 a month for Paper 1 (Class 9–10) and ₹32,000 for Paper 2 (Class 11–12), plus DA, HRA, a medical allowance and CTA. Published in-hand estimates differ with the DA and HRA rate used. Your real take-home depends on your posting and your deductions.

Remember that the STET makes you eligible, and selection through BPSC TRE gets you the job and the salary. After that you get state government employee status, yearly increments and a clear path towards senior grades and leadership roles. Pick the paper that matches your qualification, prepare steadily, and you'll be on your way to a secure teaching career in Bihar.

FAQs

Does clearing the Bihar STET give me a salary directly?

No. The STET is an eligibility test. You start earning only after you're selected as a school teacher through a recruitment exam, currently BPSC TRE, and appointed under the 2023 school teacher rules.

What is the Bihar STET Paper 1 salary?

Paper 1 leads to secondary teacher posts (Class 9–10), with a reported basic pay of ₹31,000 a month plus DA, HRA, a medical allowance and CTA where it applies. Published totals range from about ₹49,630 to ₹59,860 depending on the DA and HRA rates used.

What is the Bihar STET Paper 2 salary?

Paper 2 leads to senior secondary teacher posts (Class 11–12), with a reported basic pay of ₹32,000 a month. With allowances, published totals range from about ₹51,130 to ₹61,690 before deductions.

Why do different websites show different in-hand salaries?

They use different DA rates (for example 42% or 53%) and different HRA rates, which depend on where you're posted. Some also subtract deductions like NPS and some don't. Check the latest DA order and your posting category.

Is there a probation period for new teachers?

Yes. Newly selected teachers usually serve a two-year probation period during which their performance is reviewed. Career progression starts after it is completed.

Can a Paper 1 teacher later teach Class 11–12?

Sources list promotion to PGT (Class 11–12) as one option for secondary teachers, subject to qualifications and service rules. You can also qualify Paper 2 yourself if you hold the required postgraduate degree and B.Ed.