8th Central Pay Commission: 25 Key FAQs on Salary, Pension, Fitment Factor and More

Udaipur Times, Sept 28, 2026 - The 8th Central Pay Commission was officially established by the Centre through a notification on November 3, 2025.  The Commission is currently holding consultations and discussions with Central Government employees, pensioners, other stakeholders and related organisations across the country. These consultations are an important part of the process that will eventually shape the 8th Pay Commission's recommendations on pay and other benefits for all stakeholders.

Meetings have already been held in Puducherry on September 9 and in Chandigarh from September 16 to 18, 2026. On October 7 and 8, meetings are scheduled in Bengaluru followed by discussions in Mumbai on October 22 and 23. The Commission has set October 10 as the deadline for stakeholders to apply for Mumbai appointments in the prescribed format.

Around one crore Central Government employees and pensioners stand to be impacted by the 8th Pay Commission and therefore, have several relevant queries. Common questions revolve around salaries, pensions, Dearness Allowance (DA), insurance, the fitment factor and increments.

When will the 8th Pay Commission submit its recommendations? When will the report be implemented? How much will salaries increase? And how much arrears will employees receive? Here are 25 key questions and answers covering the latest updates, previous fitment factors and important dates. This is information key for every Central Government employee and pensioner.

1. What is the 8th Pay Commission?

The 8th Pay Commission is a temporary body set up by the Central Government to review the salaries, allowances, pensions and other service conditions of Central Government employees and pensioners.

2. When was the 8th Pay Commission constituted?

The 8th Pay Commission was constituted on November 3, 2025. The Central Government gave it 18 months to submit its final report.

3. Who are the 8th Pay Commission members?

Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai is its Chairperson while Professor Pulak Ghosh and Pankaj Jain are its members.

4. When is the 8th Pay Commission's report expected?

The 8th Pay Commission has been given 18 months, with its scheduled tenure expected to end around May 2027. The report is expected to be submitted to the Central Government within the next 8–9 months.

5. Has the 8th Pay Commission announced the fitment factor?

No, the 8th Pay Commission has not yet announced the final fitment factor.

6. What was the fitment factor for the 6th Pay Commission?

The fitment factor for the 6th Pay Commission was 1.86, as the government increased the factor from the 1.74 recommended by the Commission.

7. What was the fitment factor for the 7th Pay Commission?

The 7th Pay Commission recommended a fitment factor of 2.57 for determining salaries.

8. Did a fitment factor of 2.57 mean a 157% increase in salary?

No. The 2.57 factor included an adjustment for DA. The 7th Pay Commission said that the actual increase over the existing salary was approximately 14.29%.

9. What could the fitment factor for the 8th Pay Commission be?

Several major organisations, including the Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS), have suggested a fitment factor of 4. The NC(JCM) Staff Side and the Bharat Pensioners Samaj have proposed a factor of 3.833. Major organisations are seeking a fitment factor of more than 3.5 times to ensure a substantial increase in salaries.

10. What is the current minimum basic pay and how could it increase based on the fitment factor?

Under the 7th Pay Commission, the minimum basic pay is Rs 18,000 per month. If the Central Government approves a fitment factor of 3, the minimum basic pay could rise to Rs 18,000 × 3 = Rs 54,000.

11. Will the 8th Pay Commission increase the minimum basic pay?

The 8th Pay Commission is reviewing the salary structure, but no revised minimum basic pay has been announced so far. It is expected that the panel will increase the minimum basic pay to adjust government employees' salaries in line with inflation.

12. What impact will the fitment factor have on basic salary?

The fitment factor will be used in the process of determining revised salaries.

13. Will the 8th Pay Commission revise pensions?

Yes. Matters related to pensions are included within the scope of the 8th Pay Commission.

14. Will pensioners who retired before the 8th Pay Commission receive revised pensions?

The outcome for existing pensioners will depend on the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission and the Central Government's final decision on their implementation.

15. Will the 8th Pay Commission merge DA with basic pay?

So far, no final decision has been taken regarding the merger of DA with basic pay under the 8th Pay Commission.

16. Will the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission be implemented from January 1, 2026?

The government has not announced a final implementation date. However, it is expected that the recommendations may be implemented from January 1, 2026.

17. Will Central Government employees receive arrears?

The payment of arrears will depend on the effective date and the government's decision regarding implementation.

18. When will employees actually receive the increased salary?

Actual payment will begin only after the 8th Pay Commission submits its recommendations, the government takes a decision and orders for implementation are subsequently issued.

19. Has the 8th Pay Commission completed its consultations?

No. The consultation process is ongoing and further meetings will be held.

20. Where were the 8th Pay Commission's recent consultations held?

Recent consultations were held in Puducherry on September 9 and in Chandigarh from September 16 to 18.

21. When is the next meeting of the 8th Pay Commission?

The next scheduled meetings will be held in Bengaluru on October 7 and 8.

22. When will the 8th Pay Commission hold its meetings in Mumbai?

The 8th Pay Commission will hold consultations with stakeholders in Mumbai on October 22 and 23.

23. What is the deadline for requesting an appointment for the Mumbai consultations?

According to the official notice published on the 8th Pay Commission's website, stakeholders seeking an appointment for the Mumbai meetings must submit their requests by October 10.

24. Will State Government employees automatically benefit from the 8th Pay Commission?

No. Each State Government will separately decide how and whether to implement the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission.

25. What important dates related to the 8th Pay Commission should be remembered?

The key dates to remember are October 7–8 for the Bengaluru meetings and October 22–23 for the Mumbai meetings.