8th Pay Commission: Delay Expected, Arrears Likely for Government Employees

• The 8th Pay Commission is expected to be effective from January 1, 2026, but implementation delays are highly probable.
• Government employees are likely to receive arrears for the period between the effective date and actual payment.
• Arrears will be calculated from January 1, 2026, covering the difference in salary due to delayed implementation.
• Historically, pay commissions have faced delays; the 7th Pay Commission also saw a gap between effective date and cabinet approval.
• Salary hike will depend on the 'fitment factor', which experts predict could range from 1.83 to 2.8 or higher.

Why It Matters: Government employees face likely delays for the 8th Pay Commission but can expect arrears from January 2026.