8th Pay Commission effective from January 1: What is the projected salary hike? Check inside

All the central government employees are expecting to increase in their salaries after the 8th Pay Commission comes into effect on January 1, 2026. The 8th Pay Commission was announced by the central government in January 2025. The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 8th Central Pay Commission was issued by the Union Cabinet, which will review salaries, allowances and pension benefits for central government employees and pensioners.

Along with the employees, pensioners also expect a high fitment factor in order to receive a good amount of arrears and pension in the future. However, the actual increase in salaries and pensions will be clear only after the Centre finalises the fitment factor.

6th Pay Commission salary hike

Under the 6th Pay Commission, a fitment factor of 1.92 led to a 1.92-fold rise in basic pay. The minimum basic salary rose from Rs 3,200 under the 5th Pay Commission to Rs 7,440, while the maximum increased from Rs 30,000 to Rs 90,000.

7th Pay Commission salary hike

The 7th Pay Commission applied a fitment factor of 2.57, resulting in a similar increase in basic pay and pensions. The minimum basic pay went up from Rs 7,440 to Rs 18,000, and the maximum climbed from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh.

What is the 8th Pay Commission's projected salary hike?

For the 8th Pay Commission, experts estimate that the fitment factor could range between 1.8 and 2.86, though no official announcement has been made yet. A higher factor would mean a bigger rise in the basic salary. For instance, if a factor of 2.15 is adopted and an employee currently earns a basic salary of Rs 50,000, the revised basic pay would be calculated by multiplying the existing salary by 2.15. (Rs 50,000x2.5 = 1,25,0000)