Absolutely there is no legal impediment to have multiple components salary structure. The suggestions of EPO Inspectors only remain as suggestive and has no legal backing. In saying so I'm not advocating, by all means, there should be multiple components of salary structure. Mostly the differences would occur/may be necessary in allowances and nonrecurring components like incentives, project/daily/tour/special/conveyance/medical/HRA allowances, In a regime where CTC is the order of the day there is a need for multiple components without adhering to common/uniform structure. Common structure may/is possible in Govt./Quasi Govt. establishments where time scale is in vogue but not in private firms where the concept of 'time scale' seldom used/applied. Similarly even granting increments, usually once in a year, is not strictly the rule in pvt.firms as it is decided on 'performance appraisal' systems. Similarly HRA and other allowances are decided on the status and importance of the incumbent and hence uniform %age need not be followed.