8th Pay Commission: A major announcement in the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) is expected soon, which could be good news for the central government employees. The 8th CPC will be replacing the 7th pay commission, hiking the salaries and pensions of the employees. The implementation of the 8th Pay Commission is expected to be majorly in 2026; however, the possibility of delay is also on the cards. If the 8th Pay Commission is implemented, how much hike will the central government employees and pensioners see? Here’s a quick explainer..
The key proposal in 8th CPC, which is expected from January 2026, will impact over 1 crore employees and pensioners. The key proposal is to raise the fitment factor from 2.57 in the 7th CPC to 2.86. If approved, the minimum salary of the central government employees could increase from Rs 18,000 to Rs 51,480 and the minimum pension from Rs 9,000 to Rs 25,740. This will be in addition to hikes in allowances like DA, HRA, and TA.
What exactly is the Fitment Factor, and what are the hikes?
A fitment factor is important to decide the Central government employees’ salaries and pensions. Currently, in the 7th Pay Commission, the fitment factor is at 2.57. This will be increased to 2.86, if it is adopted. central government pay scales will rise sharply.
- Level 1: Rs 18,000 → Rs 51,480
- Level 5: Rs 29,200 → Rs 83,512
- Level 10: Rs 56,100 → Rs 1,60,446
- Level 13A: Rs 1,31,100 → Rs 3,74,946
- Level 18: Rs 2,50,000 → Rs 7,15,000
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that since 1947, India has set up seven Pay Commissions. The last one, the 7th Pay Commission, was implemented in 2016. Its term will end in 2026. Starting the 8th Pay Commission process in 2025 gives enough time to collect and review recommendations before the 7th Pay Commission ends. He shared this in January 2025, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the 8th Pay Commission.
8th Pay Commission Update!
The Government Employees National Confederation (GENC), which represents lakhs of Central and State Government employees, including those in Autonomous and Local Bodies, recently wrote a letter to Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.
In the letter, GENC asked for the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) to be set up immediately. They noted that the 7th CPC’s recommendations started on January 1, 2016. Normally, Pay Commissions are created well in advance to make sure pay revisions happen on time. A delay in forming the 8th CPC could affect the pay revision due on January 1, 2026.
