 "Under the 8th Pay Commission, the salaries of which government employees will be increased first? Read complete information")
The 8th Pay Commission has finally been approved. The Union Cabinet has approved the terms of reference for the Commission. This new pay structure is expected to come into effect from January 1, 2026. Meanwhile, let’s know which government employees will benefit from the 8th Pay Commission.
Central government employees will get the benefit first
Central government employees will be the first to benefit from the 8th Pay Commission. Upon implementation, more than 50 lakh employees will see a direct pay hike. These include employees of some key departments like Indian Railways, Income Tax, Postal Department and Customs.
Includes personnel of the armed forces and paramilitary forces
Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel will also be able to avail the benefits of the 8th Pay Commission. This includes not only officers and soldiers but also personnel serving in paramilitary forces like BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. It is to be noted that the pay scales of those coming under the jurisdiction of the Central Government will be adjusted as per the new fitment factor.
Benefits for Central Institutions and Autonomous Institutions
Apart from ministries and defense forces, several central educational and research institutes will also benefit from this new pay structure. These include IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, UGC, ICAR, and CSIR. Retired employees working in various sectors will also get the benefit of the Eighth Pay Commission. Their pensions may also increase.
What could be the fitment factor?
The fitment factor in the eighth pay commission is expected to be between 1.83 and 2.46. This means if an employee’s current basic pay is ₹20,000 and the fitment factor is set at 2.5, the new basic pay will be ₹20,000 x 2.5 = ₹50,000. This hike will also affect allowances like HRA and DA. After this, the take-home pay will increase even more.
However, the final fitment factor and pay slab will be determined only after the commission assesses inflation, cost of living and government revenue. This move by the central government will prove to be a big relief for central government employees and pensioners. According to estimates, the total salary increase could be 30% to 34%.