the internal salary data isn't directly available, at least to people at my grade. but i did manage to obtain it from someone I know in another dept.
that is when I realized that I'm at the lower end of the range. this despite having educational qualifications that are better than or at par with my peers. and also getting a 5/5 rating in all the 3 appraisal cycles that I've been through at this company.
while there is appraisal outcome due next month, my best case scenario is that I'll end up at the median salary for my grade.
i did have a number in mind but didn't feel like saying it directly, i don't know why. but i did tell bossman that I'd like to be at the upper end of the range.