Good news for crores of central government employees. Shiv Gopal Mishra, who serves as the Secretary (Staff Side) of the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), has stated that the fitment factor for the 8th Pay Commission should be no less than 2.57.
He believes it should match or exceed the fitment factor from the 7th Pay Commission. Mishra emphasized that it shouldn’t fall below the threshold set by the previous commission. Following the announcement of the 8th Pay Commission last month, conversations about salary increases for central government employees have ramped up.
To break it down, Mishra mentioned, “I firmly believe the fitment factor needs to be at least 2.57 or higher.” This factor plays a crucial role in figuring out base pay and pension adjustments. Reports suggest that if the 8th Pay Commission goes with a fitment factor of 2.57, central government employees could see a salary increase of 157%.
Back in 2016, the 7th Pay Commission set the fitment factor at 2.57, which raised the minimum salary from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000. Just to clarify, the fitment factor is the multiplier that determines how much salaries and pensions will rise. It’s calculated by dividing the current basic salary by the new basic salary and applies to all central employees.
Potential salary increases
Experts predict that the upcoming pay commission might look at a fitment factor ranging from 1.92 to 2.86. Based on these factors, the possible salary adjustments for central government employees and pensioners could range from 92% to 186%.