8th Pay Commission Arrears: News of receiving arrears of Rs 9 lakh under the 8th Pay Commission has been a topic of discussion on social media and in some reports. However, whether each employee will receive this amount depends on their pay level and fitment factor. The amount of arrears after the implementation of the 8th Pay Commission will primarily depend on when the government notifies it and the set fitment factor.
Since the commission is expected to be effective from January 1, 2026, but the actual implementation may be delayed, you will get the arrears for that gap period.
How will the arrears be calculated?
The simple way to calculate the arrears is as follows:
Arrears = (New Basic Salary – Old Basic Salary) × Number of months of strike/delay (Note that DA difference is also included in this, but arrears are generally not given on HRA and TA.)
New rules will be implemented, with the method of money transfer changing from April 1, 2026.
Possible estimate of arrears (assuming a delay of 20 months)
If the government implements it in August-September 2027, i.e. 20 months’ arrears, then the possible arrears at different pay levels could be as follows:
Level 1 (lowest): Rs 3.60 lakh (fitment factor 1.92x), Rs 5.65 lakh (fitment factor 2.57x)
Level 3: Rs 4.34 lakh (fitment factor 1.92x), Rs 6.81 lakh (fitment factor 2.57x)
Level 5: Rs 5.84 lakh (fitment factor 1.92x), Rs 9.17 lakh (fitment factor 2.57x)
Level 10 (Gazetted): Rs 11.22 lakh (fitment factor 1.92x), Rs 17.65 lakh (fitment factor 2.57x)
What is the situation for pensioners?
Pensioners will also receive arrears based on the same fitment factor. If the fitment factor remains at 2.28, the minimum pension, which is currently Rs 9,000, could increase to approximately Rs 20,500. The difference between the old and new pensions will be multiplied by the number of months and will be used to pay the arrears to pensioners in a lump sum.
When can you expect to receive your arrears?
Experts believe it could take 12 to 24 months for the Pay Commission’s recommendations to be fully implemented. This means you could receive a significant amount of arrears in mid-2027 or early 2028. Effect of the Fitment Factor: When the fitment factor is set at 3.00, the basic salary could jump from Rs 18,000 to Rs 54,000, leading to even larger arrears. On the other hand, the government might choose to take a more balanced route between 1.92x and 2.28x. Keep in mind that the NPS portion and Income Tax (TDS) are taken out of the arrears, so the actual amount you get might be a bit lower than the estimate mentioned above.