8th Pay Commission – The wait for the 8th Pay Commission for central employees and pensioners has intensified. It is expected that with the implementation of this commission, the salary of central employees can increase by 20% to 30%. But the biggest question is how much salary will increase at which pay level and what will be the fitment factor? More than 50 lakh central employees and 65 lakh pensioners will get the benefit of the salary hike from the 8th Pay Commission.

According to government sources, the work of the 8th Pay Commission can start from April 2025 and it can be implemented from January 1, 2026. However, it is necessary to follow the entire process for this. The 7th Pay Commission came into effect from January 1, 2016 and its tenure is till December 31, 2025. Usually a new pay commission is implemented every 10 years, so the 8th CPC is expected to be implemented from January 2026.

What will be the fitment factor?

The fitment factor plays an important role in deciding the basic salary of central employees. In the 7th Pay Commission, it was 2.57, as a result of which the minimum salary increased from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000. Now three different estimates are being made regarding the fitment factor in the 8th Pay Commission: 1.92, 2.08 and 2.86. This will decide what will be the new salary of the employees. If the fitment factor is 2.86, then the minimum salary can increase from Rs 18,000 to Rs 51,480.

See the pay lavels

Level 1

Level 1 includes peons, attendants and support staff. Their basic pay of Rs 18,000 is expected to be revised to Rs 51,480, an increase of Rs 33,480.

Level 2

Level 2 includes lower division clerks who handle clerical work. Their basic salary of Rs 19,900 is likely to be increased from Rs 37,014 to Rs 56,914.

Level 3

The basic pay of Rs 21,700 in Level 3 is expected to be raised to Rs 62,062, an increase of Rs 40,362. This level includes constables and skilled employees in the police or public services.

Level 4

Level 4 includes Grade D stenographers and junior clerks. Their basic pay of Rs 25,500 is likely to be increased to Rs 72,930, i.e. an increase of Rs 47,430.

Level 5

The basic pay of Rs 29,200 in Level 5 can be revised to Rs 83,512, i.e. an increase of Rs 54,312. This level includes senior clerks and high level technology employees.

Level 6

The basic pay of Rs 35,400 in Level 6 can be increased to Rs 65,844 or Rs 1,01,244. The posts of Inspector and Sub-Inspector fall in this category.

Level 7

Level 7 which comprises Superintendents, Section Officers and Assistant Engineers, the basic pay of Rs 44,900 is expected to increase to Rs 1,28,414, an increase of Rs 83,514.

Level 8

The basic pay of Rs 47,600 in Level 8 is likely to increase from Rs 88,536 to Rs 1,36,136. Senior Section Officers and Assistant Audit Officers fall in this category.

Level 9

The basic pay of Rs 53,100 in Level 9 is expected to increase to Rs 1,51,866, i.e. an increase of Rs 98,766. This level includes the posts of Deputy Superintendent of Police and Audit Officer.

Level 10

Level 10 comprises entry-level officers in the civil services such as Group A officers. The basic pay of Rs 56,100 is likely to increase by Rs 1,04,346 to Rs 1,60,446.

 

Will DA be zero in the 8th Pay Commission?

In every new Pay Commission, Dearness Allowance (DA) is reset at the beginning. Currently, DA in the 7th Pay Commission is 53% and it is going to increase by another 3%. After this, there is to be another revision in July. But, in the 8th Pay Commission it will be reset from zero and then increased at regular intervals.

In short, the implementation of the 8th Pay Commission is a significant event for central employees and pensioners. What will be the fitment factor will definitely determine the amount of pay hike that employees and pensioners will get. As the implementation date is approaching, all eyes are on the decisions of the government and the recommendations of the commission.