8th Pay Commission: Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary (Staff Side) of the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), has asserted that the fitment factor in the 8th Pay Commission should be no less than 2.57, ideally matching or exceeding that of the 7th Pay Commission. He emphasized that it must not fall below the threshold established by the previous Pay Commission.

Discussions regarding salary increases for central government employees

Following the announcement of the 8th Pay Commission last month, discussions regarding salary increases for central government employees have gained momentum. This fitment factor plays a crucial role in determining both base pay and pension adjustments.

Latest updates

Reports indicate that should the 8th Pay Commission adopt a fitment factor of 2.57, central government employees could anticipate a salary increase of 157 percent. The 7th Pay Commission, which recommended a fitment factor of 2.57 in 2016, resulted in the minimum salary rising from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000.

It is important to note that the fitment factor serves as a multiplier that dictates the extent of salary and pension increases, calculated by dividing the current basic salary by the revised basic salary, and it applies uniformly to all central employees. Analysts predict that the new pay commission may consider a fitment factor ranging from 1.92 to 2.86. Based on these potential fitment factors, the anticipated pay revision for central government employees and pensioners could range from 92 to 186 percent.

Additionally, several significant proposals have been put forth:

– Revising pension, gratuity, and family pension benefits, along with reinstating the defined pension scheme for employees hired after January 1, 2004.

– Enhancing CGHS facilities to provide cashless and seamless medical services.

– Increasing the children’s education allowance and hostel subsidy to cover up to the post-graduate level.

– Reviewing the salary structure for all employee categories, including the merger of pay scales.

– Establishing a reasonable minimum wage based on the Aykroyd Formula and the recommendations from the 15th Indian Labour Conference.