New Delhi: The 8th Pay Commission could significantly change the salaries of central government employees, with the final increase depending largely on the fitment factor recommended by the panel and approved by the Centre.
For a Level 8 central government employee, whose current basic pay is Rs 47,600, an illustrative calculation suggests that monthly gross salary could reach around Rs 1.52 lakh if a fitment factor of 2.57 is eventually adopted. However, this is not a confirmed salary figure, as the 8th Pay Commission is still in the consultation stage and has not finalised its recommendations.
The Commission is scheduled to hold consultations with employee and pensioner groups and other stakeholders in Bengaluru on October 7 and 8, followed by meetings in Mumbai on October 22 and 23, 2026. It has been given 18 months to submit its recommendations, putting the deadline around May 2027.
Current salary of a Level 8 employee
Under the existing 7th Pay Commission structure, a Level 8 employee starts with a basic pay of Rs 47,600.
The current gross salary used for the illustration is Rs 90,440. This calculation includes a 60% Dearness Allowance (DA) applicable from January 1, 2026, along with other components.
For the calculation, the current HRA rate for an X-category city is taken at 30%. The exercise then considers how the salary could change after implementation of the 8th Pay Commission under different fitment-factor assumptions.
It is important to note that the existing salary structure and future salary structure cannot simply be compared by multiplying the current gross salary by the fitment factor. The treatment of DA and allowances also affects the final figure.
What is the fitment factor?
The fitment factor is a multiplier used to calculate revised basic pay under a new Pay Commission.
The 7th Pay Commission used a fitment factor of 2.57. Under the 8th Pay Commission, the final factor has not yet been decided.
Different employee organisations have demanded higher fitment factors, while estimates discussed by experts have included lower ranges. For example, the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery staff side has demanded a fitment factor of 3.833. However, this is a demand and not an approved recommendation.
The final factor will be determined only after the Commission completes its consultations and submits its recommendations, followed by a government decision.
Level 8 salary at different fitment factors
The NDTV Profit calculation considers three illustrative fitment factors — 2.00, 2.38 and 2.57 — to demonstrate how a Level 8 employee’s salary could change.
Under the assumptions used in the calculation, the 8th Pay Commission scenario resets DA to zero at the time of pay revision. HRA for an X-category city is assumed at 24% of the revised basic pay.
The resulting gross salary estimates can be broadly understood as follows:
| Illustrative fitment factor | Estimated gross salary |
|---|---|
| 2.00 | Around Rs 1.18 lakh |
| 2.38 | Around Rs 1.40 lakh |
| 2.57 | Around Rs 1.52 lakh |
These are scenario-based calculations and not official salary figures. The actual amount will depend on the final fitment factor, HRA structure, DA treatment, transport allowance and other components approved by the government.
2.57 fitment factor could take gross salary to Rs 1.52 lakh
The highest scenario considered in the calculation uses the 7th Pay Commission’s fitment factor of 2.57.
Under this illustration, the Level 8 employee’s gross monthly salary could reach approximately Rs 1.52 lakh.
Compared with the assumed existing gross salary of Rs 90,440, this represents an increase of roughly 68%.
However, the calculation should not be interpreted as a forecast. The 2.57 factor has only been used as an assumption in the exercise; it has not been approved for the 8th Pay Commission.
Why DA matters in the salary calculation
Dearness Allowance is an important component when comparing salaries before and after a Pay Commission revision.
Under the 7th Pay Commission, the fitment factor was 2.57. However, the DA prevailing when the recommendations were implemented also influenced the actual increase in gross salary.
When the 6th Pay Commission was implemented, the DA under the previous pay structure was 47%, effectively giving employees a 1.47 factor before the new pay structure was applied. The 6th Pay Commission’s fitment factor was 1.86.
For the 7th Pay Commission, the situation was different. The DA was 125% when the recommendations were notified in June 2016. Consequently, the effective increase in gross salary was much lower than the headline 2.57 fitment factor might suggest.
This is why the future DA rate will be important in determining the actual increase employees receive under the 8th Pay Commission.
Current DA and possible future rate
The current DA rate used in the calculation is 60% from January 1, 2026.
The NDTV Profit report notes that DA could rise to around 66% if the 8th Pay Commission recommendations are approved during the second half of 2027. However, the actual rate at the time of implementation cannot be known in advance.
If DA is reset as part of the new pay structure, employees may initially see a different relationship between basic pay and allowances. Therefore, the final gross salary cannot be determined merely by multiplying the existing basic pay by a proposed fitment factor.
When will the 8th Pay Commission report come?
The 8th Central Pay Commission was constituted in November 2025 and has been given 18 months to submit its recommendations.
The Commission is currently consulting employee organisations, pensioner groups and other stakeholders. According to the latest information, its report is due around May 2027. The government has also confirmed that the Commission has not yet submitted its recommendations.
The consultation process is therefore important because employee groups are putting forward demands on salaries, allowances, pensions and the fitment factor.
Meetings are scheduled in Bengaluru on October 7 and 8 and Mumbai on October 22 and 23, 2026, after consultations held in several other cities.
Final salary will depend on government approval
The possible Rs 1.52 lakh gross salary for a Level 8 employee is based on an illustrative calculation and should not be treated as an official 8th Pay Commission figure.
The final salary will depend on the fitment factor recommended by the Commission, the government’s decision on those recommendations, the DA prevailing at implementation, HRA rates and other allowances.
For now, the different scenarios provide an indication of how the salary structure could change under different assumptions. Central government employees will have to wait for the Commission’s recommendations and the subsequent government approval before the revised salary can be established.