New Delhi: The 8th Pay Commission may bring a major salary hike for Central government employees. A new proposal suggests a sharp increase in minimum pay along with better benefits, which could impact lakhs of employees and pensioners across India.
Big Salary Jump Proposed
The National Council–Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) has proposed a fitment factor of 3.83. If accepted, this could increase the minimum basic salary from Rs 18,000 under the 7th Pay Commission to around Rs 69,000.
This is a significant rise and shows the demand for higher wages due to rising living costs and inflation.
What Is Fitment Factor?
The fitment factor is a simple multiplier used to revise salaries. It is applied to the current basic pay to calculate the new salary.
For example, in the 7th Pay Commission, a fitment factor of 2.57 increased the minimum salary from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000.
Other Key Demands
Apart from the salary hike, NC-JCM has also made several other proposals:
- 6 percent annual increment for employees
- Two increments on promotion
- Minimum benefit of Rs 10,000 on promotion
- One month’s wages as gratuity
These changes aim to improve overall earnings and benefits.
Who Will Benefit?
If implemented, these changes will impact more than 50 lakh Central government employees and nearly 65 lakh pensioners.
The pay matrix system, which has 18 levels, will see uniform salary increases across all levels.
Additional Demands By Employee Groups
Some employee groups have also asked for the merger of 58 percent dearness allowance (DA) with basic pay. They have also demanded interim relief until the new Pay Commission is implemented.
What Happens Next?
The final decision will depend on what fitment factor the government approves. Experts believe it could be above 2.5, though some groups are demanding 3.15 or more.
The government has said that the 8th Pay Commission is expected to complete its recommendations within 18 months from November 2025.
