8th Pay Commission Update – Everyone is eagerly awaiting the implementation of the 8th Pay Commission. The new year 2026 is about to begin in two days, and it could be a year full of expectations. Everyone is wondering how much the salaries of central government employees will increase under the 8th Pay Commission and what the new salary structure will be.
Salary increases are likely to be based on the fitment factor. In the 7th Pay Commission, a fitment factor of 2.57 was determined. Grade pay was abolished, and a new pay matrix was introduced. This made the salary structure much simpler and more transparent than before. Now, only two days remain until the term of the 7th Pay Commission ends. The 8th Pay Commission is likely to be implemented in 2027.
Learn about important aspects of the Pay Commission
Before the 7th Pay Commission, during the final stages of the 6th Pay Commission, inflation had risen significantly. Surprisingly, in December 2015, the Dearness Allowance (DA) reached 119 per cent. The basic pay of a Level-1 employee was ₹7,000, and the grade pay was ₹1,800, totalling ₹8,800. The DA on this amount was approximately ₹10,472.
In X-category cities, the House Rent Allowance (HRA) was ₹2,640. Based on this, the total salary was approximately ₹22,000. This clearly shows that the impact of rising inflation at that time was largely covered through the DA.
How much can the salary increase?
Similar to the 7th Pay Commission, a significant salary increase is possible in the future. A direct comparison reveals a clear picture. The basic pay increased from ₹8,800 to ₹18,000. The percentage rate of DA may seem lower, but the amount remains approximately ₹10,400.
Along with this, the HRA more than doubled compared to before. The total salary increased by approximately 5 per cent. The surprising thing is that the minimum basic pay has not increased since 2016. After the Dearness Allowance (DA) crossed percentage, eemployee organisationsare demanding a new fitment factor and a higher minimum wage. Now, with the 7th Pay Commission coming to an end, expectations from the 8th Pay Commission are very high.