With the 7th Pay Commission nearing the end of its 10-year term, speculation mounts on the establishment of the 8th Pay Commission. Approximately 12 million central government employees and pensioners are anxiously awaiting two major announcements, the establishment of the new Pay Commission and the anticipated increases in pensions and salaries. The government hasn’t made any official announcements regarding the timeline for establishing the 8th Pay Commission. Several media reports suggest that the 8th Pay Commission is on the horizon. The term expiration of the 7th Pay Commission on December 31, 2025, is likely to pave the way for the constitution of the 8th Pay Commission.

8th Pay Commission: What Fitment Factor Is Expected For Determining Minimum Salary?

Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary of the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery, anticipates a fitment factor of “at least 2.86” for salary and pension revisions in the upcoming 8th Pay Commission, reported NDTV. With a proposed fitment factor of 2.86, the minimum basic salary for central government employees is expected to jump to Rs 51,480 from the current Rs 18,000. If the fitment factor is set at 2.86, pensions for the central government employees would jump from Rs 9,000 to Rs 25,740.

Likewise, the fitment factor was recommended at 2.57 in the 7th Pay Commission. This raised the minimum salary of central government employees to Rs 18,000 from Rs 7,000.

Reacting to media reports suggesting a potential minimum salary hike to Rs 34,000-Rs 35,000, Mishra said, “There is no basis for such claims. These could be individual demand of some trade unions, but as far as the staff side of the NC-JCM goes, we will demand a certain fitment factor. And that will not be less than 2.86.”

Notably, the formation of a pay commission marks the beginning of a process to revise the basic salaries of employees. Once established, the commission’s primary task is to engage with all stakeholders, gathering valuable insights and feedback, and present the report to the government.

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