8th Pay Commission Update: Estimated Pay Scale Revision and Fitment Factor for Level 1 to 18 Explained

Lakhs of central government staff and pensioners are waiting for a major 8th Pay Commission salary hike from 1 January 2026. The Narendra Modi cabinet cleared the Commission in October, and its decisions on pay, allowances and pensions are expected to shape incomes for the next decade.

The new rules from the 8th Central Pay Commission will replace the 7th Pay Commission, which ends on 31 December 2025. Its recommendations will decide how much basic pay, pensions and related allowances change for employees across all departments of the Centre.

How the 8th Pay Commission salary hike will be decided

Under the Centre’s pay structure, there are 18 different levels of employees. These range from entry-level posts to top officers. The 8th Pay Commission salary hike will not be uniform, as basic pay varies by level, so each group will see a different revised amount.

A key part of the 8th Pay Commission salary hike is the “fitment factor”. This is a multiplier that converts current basic pay into the new basic pay. The Commission will study inflation and other economic conditions before choosing the factor that will apply from 1 January 2026.

Fitment factor options for the 8th Pay Commission salary hike

The 7th Pay Commission used a fitment factor of 2.57, applied only to basic pay. That did not mean total salary rose 2.57 times, because allowances and other components followed separate rules. Experts quoted by Times Now now expect three possible fitment factors for the 8th Pay Commission salary hike.

According to that report, the conservative option is 1.92, the moderate option is 2.15, and the optimistic option keeps 2.57. A higher fitment factor means a larger 8th Pay Commission salary hike for both employees and pensioners whose pensions are linked to basic pay.

Current pay levels before the 8th Pay Commission salary hike

The Centre’s pay matrix divides jobs into Groups A, B, C and entry-level roles. Levels 1 to 18 cover all these posts. Levels 1 to 9 fall in Group C and entry-level categories. Levels 10 to 12 are Group B, while Levels 13 to 18 are senior Group A officers, including Cabinet secretaries.

Some reference points from the 7th Pay Commission are important to understand the possible 8th Pay Commission salary hike. The table below shows current basic pay for selected levels before any change is applied.

Formula and scenarios for the 8th Pay Commission salary hike

The basic formula for the 8th Pay Commission salary hike is simple: Revised Basic Pay = Current Basic Pay × Fitment Factor. Using this, different projections can be made for each pay level, depending on which factor the government finally accepts.

If the fitment factor is fixed at 1.92, seen as the lowest scenario, revised salaries will be as follows. At Level 1, basic pay becomes ₹34,560. Level 5 rises to ₹56,064. Level 10 goes to ₹1,07,712. Level 15 reaches ₹3,49,824, and Level 18 climbs to ₹4,80,000.

For a moderate 8th Pay Commission salary hike with a 2.15 factor, Level 1 basic pay would move to ₹38,700, and Level 5 to ₹62,780. Level 10 would become ₹1,20,615, Level 15 ₹3,91,730, and Level 18 ₹5,37,500 under this middle option.

Under the optimistic 2.57 fitment factor, considered the highest likely 8th Pay Commission salary hike, Level 1 basic pay would reach ₹46,260, and Level 5 would rise to ₹75,044. Level 10 would become ₹1,44,177, Level 15 would touch ₹4,68,254, and Level 18 would increase to ₹6,42,500.

Apart from the 8th Pay Commission salary hike, the Commission will also review Dearness Allowance. DA is linked to inflation and helps protect real income. The Centre usually revises DA twice a year, so future DA changes will work on top of the new basic pay figures.

The 8th Pay Commission salary hike will therefore influence monthly income, pensions and long-term planning for lakhs of families from 1 January 2026. Understanding pay levels, the fitment factor range of 1.92 to 2.57, and DA changes helps employees estimate how their earnings may change.