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8th Pay Commission: How Much Will Central Govt Employees’ Salaries Rise? What We Know So Far
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The government has begun consultations for the 8th CPC to review salaries, pensions, and allowances for central employees and retirees. Suggestions are open until April 30.
8th Pay Commission.
8th Pay Commission: The government has started the consultation process for the 8th Central Pay Commission, which will review salaries, pensions and allowances for millions of central government employees and retirees.
The Ministry of Finance has invited suggestions from employees, pensioners, staff unions and other stakeholders as part of the exercise. Inputs can be submitted through an online portal until April 30, 2026.
The Terms of Reference for the commission were notified on November 3, 2025, and the panel has been given 18 months to submit its recommendations. Once the report is submitted and approved by the government, it could lead to a revision in pay structures and pension benefits.
The proposed revision is expected to affect around 50 lakh central government employees and nearly 69 lakh pensioners.
What Is The 8th Pay Commission?
Pay commissions are constituted periodically by the government to review the salary structure of central government employees and recommend changes based on inflation, economic conditions and fiscal capacity.
India’s first pay commission was set up in 1946, and since then seven such panels have revised pay and allowances.
Under the 7th Pay Commission, implemented in 2016, the minimum basic salary of central government employees was increased to Rs 18,000 per month, while the maximum basic salary was fixed at Rs 2.5 lakh.
How Salaries Have Changed Over Time
Each pay commission has significantly revised government salaries over the decades.
The 1st Pay Commission (1946-47) fixed the minimum basic salary at Rs 55, while the maximum salary was Rs 2,000.
The 2nd Pay Commission (1957-59) raised the minimum salary to Rs 80, with the maximum reaching Rs 3,000.
The 3rd Pay Commission (1972-73) increased the minimum pay to Rs 196, while the maximum salary was set at Rs 3,500.
The 4th Pay Commission (1986) raised the minimum basic salary to Rs 750 and the maximum to Rs 8,000.
Under the 5th Pay Commission (1996), the minimum salary increased to Rs 2,550, while the maximum rose to Rs 26,000.
The 6th Pay Commission (2006) pushed the minimum basic pay to Rs 7,000, with the maximum salary reaching Rs 80,000.
Finally, the 7th Pay Commission (2016) raised the minimum basic salary to Rs 18,000 and the maximum basic pay to Rs 2.5 lakh.
Will Minimum Salary Rise To Rs 46,000?
There has been speculation that the minimum basic salary could rise significantly under the 8th Pay Commission, depending on the fitment factor used to revise pay.
Some estimates suggest that if the fitment factor is set at a higher level, the minimum basic salary could increase substantially from the current Rs 18,000, potentially crossing Rs 40,000.
However, government officials have clarified that no final decision has been taken on the revised pay levels.
Long Process Before Pay Hike
The government has also said that financial provisions for implementing the new pay structure will only be made after the commission submits its report and the recommendations are approved.
For now, the consultation phase marks the first step in what is expected to be a lengthy process before any changes in salaries or pensions are implemented.
March 11, 2026, 16:34 IST
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