8th Pay Commission: Employees’ Union Seeks INR 69,000 Minimum Salary, 3.83 Fitment Factor, OPS
A delegation of the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has urged the 8th Pay Commission to recommend a minimum basic salary of INR 69,000, a 3.83 fitment factor, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), higher HRA and five financial upgradations. The commission is expected to submit its final report by mid-2027 after stakeholder consultations.
A delegation of the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has submitted a detailed memorandum to the 8th Central Pay Commission, seeking a minimum monthly basic salary of INR 69,000, implementation of a 3.83 fitment factor, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), higher House Rent Allowance (HRA) and other service-related reforms.
The three-member delegation met the 8th Central Pay Commission on June 22 and held discussions for around 40 minutes on issues concerning central government employees and pensioners. The delegation comprised S B Yadav, National President and State Executive President; Subhash Chandra Pandey, National Vice President and State President; and Ravindra Kumar Singh, State General Secretary.
Union Seeks INR 69,000 Minimum Basic Pay Under 8th CPC
In its memorandum, the Confederation urged the commission to implement the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission with effect from January 1, 2026.
The employees' body proposed a minimum basic pay of INR 69,000 per month along with a fitment factor of 3.83, arguing that the revision would better reflect current economic conditions and employees' needs.
What Is the Fitment Factor?
The fitment factor is the multiplier used to revise the basic pay of central government employees whenever a new pay commission's recommendations are implemented. It is applied to an employee's existing basic pay to determine the revised salary.
If the government's final recommendations were to include the union's proposed 3.83 fitment factor, the revised basic salary would be calculated by multiplying the current basic pay by 3.83.
Illustrative Salary Calculations
| Current Basic Pay | Basic Pay with 3.83 Fitment Factor* |
|---|---|
| INR 18,000 | INR 68,940 (around INR 69,000) |
| INR 25,500 | INR 97,665 |
| INR 35,400 | INR 1,35,582 |
| INR 44,900 | INR 1,71,967 |
| INR 56,100 | INR 2,14,863 |
These are illustrative calculations based on the employees' union's proposal. The final fitment factor and revised salaries will depend on the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission and approval by the Union government.
Pay Structure Changes Among Key Demands
The memorandum also called for rationalisation of the existing pay structure by removing anomalies across different pay levels.
Among its proposals, the Confederation sought:
- Merger of Pay Level-2 with Level-3
- Merger of Level-4 with Level-5
- Merger of Level-7 with Level-8
According to the organisation, these changes would help reduce pay disparities among employees.
Higher HRA and Five Financial Upgradations
The employees' body also requested at least five financial upgradations during an employee's service to compensate for limited promotional opportunities.
It further demanded revision of House Rent Allowance (HRA) rates to:
- 40% for X-category cities
- 35% for Y-category cities
- 30% for Z-category cities
The memorandum additionally sought restoration of welfare advances such as House Building Advance (HBA), computer advance and other employee welfare loans.
OPS Restoration, Healthcare and Social Security
Among its major demands, the Confederation urged the commission to restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for central government employees.
The delegation also sought expansion of healthcare facilities under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) to improve access to quality medical services for employees and pensioners.
It further requested that casual and contractual employees receive social security benefits on par with regular employees and called for a comprehensive policy for their regularisation.
The organisation also urged the commission to consider pending demands previously approved by the JCM National Council.
8th Pay Commission Timeline
The 8th Pay Commission is currently consulting stakeholders across the country regarding revisions to the pay structure for nearly 50 lakh central government employees and around 65 lakh pensioners.
While submissions of suggestions closed on June 15, stakeholders can continue submitting supporting data online until June 30, 2026.
The commission is expected to submit its final report by mid-2027, following which the Union government will examine the recommendations before taking a final decision on implementation.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 28, 2026 11:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
