8th Pay Commission: Salary Hike Expected for Central Govt Employees by 2026

• The 8th Pay Commission is anticipated to benefit 50 lakh central government employees and 65 lakh pensioners, effective January 1, 2026.
• Salaries for Pay Levels 1 to 18 could increase by 20% to 35%, primarily driven by the fitment factor.
• The fitment factor, a multiplier converting old basic pay to new, is estimated by experts to range between 1.83 and 2.86, with 2.15 to 2.57 being more probable.
• Higher-level officers (Level 18) may see larger absolute increases, while lower-level employees (1-5) could benefit more in percentage terms.
• A committee chaired by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (Retd.) will assess economic conditions and submit recommendations by May-June 2027, with new salaries expected by December 2027.

Why It Matters: Central government employees and pensioners await significant salary hikes from the 8th Pay Commission by 2026.