8th Pay Commission: Jan 1, 2026 Effective Date Expected; Salary Hike, Fitment Factor Explained

• 8th Pay Commission expected to be effective from January 1, 2026, with retrospective implementation for Central government employees and pensioners.
• Recommendations likely by May 2027; arrears from Jan 1, 2026, are anticipated.
• Employee unions concerned as the 8th Pay Commission's Terms of Reference (ToR) lack a specified effective date, unlike previous commissions.
• Fitment factor expected between 1.83 and 2.46, potentially raising minimum salary from Rs 18,000 to Rs 32,940-Rs 44,280.
• Government denies any proposal to merge Dearness Allowance (DA) with basic pay; DA/DR revisions continue based on AICPI-IW.

Why It Matters: 8th Pay Commission likely effective Jan 2026, promising significant salary hikes despite ToR date concerns.