8th Pay Commission News: IRSTA Proposes INR 52,000 Minimum Pay With 2.92 Fitment Factor; Here's Why
IRSTA has proposed a minimum basic pay of INR 52,000 under the 8th Pay Commission, suggesting a fitment factor of 2.92. The recommendation urges the government to include modern living costs - such as health insurance and internet - and adjust family size benchmarks to 4.6 units when calculating revised salaries for central government employees.
Employee associations have proposed a minimum basic pay of approximately INR 52,000 under the upcoming 8th Pay Commission, utilising a suggested fitment factor of 2.92. The recommendation aims to account for modern living costs, including essential utility and health expenses. The proposal, put forward by employee bodies like the Indian Railways Technical Supervisors’ Association (IRSTA), outlines a restructured calculation framework to benefit central government employees and pensioners once the commission's recommendations are finalised.
Revised Calculation Framework
In its memorandum to the 8th CPC submitted in May 2025, the IRSTA said, "In a modern welfare state, such as ours, Government as the employer has a responsibility for meeting the essential needs of its lowest paid Employee and for maintaining his health and efficiency," IRSTA said. It further added, "Hybrid system of calculating fitment factor using Dr. Wallace Aykroyd’s formula followed by 7th CPC and constant relative income approach followed by 5th CPC should be considered," reports Upstox. 8th Pay Commission Salary Calculator: How Level 10 Employees Can Earn INR 25 Lakh More in 10 Years.
Unlike past pay commissions that relied strictly on traditional consumer price indexes for basic commodities, employee associations have urged the 8th Pay Commission to incorporate modern household expenditures.
The recommendations suggest that consumption calculations should account for:
- Essential Utilities & Health: Inclusion of bottled drinking water, internet charges, and health insurance premiums.
- Family Size: Adjusting consumption units per family to 4.6 instead of the older benchmark of 3, factoring in dependent parents alongside children.
- Retail Price Index: Adopting updated Labour Bureau retail price data combined with traditional 7th CPC calculation methods.
Impact on Fitment Factor and Minimum Pay
The "fitment factor" serves as the multiplier used to convert existing basic pay under the 7th Pay Commission to the revised pay structure. While various employee unions have floated different projections - ranging from a 2.57 multiplier up to an aggressive 3.83 demand - the 2.92 proposal targets a minimum basic salary benchmark around the INR 52,000 mark. Who Can Attend the 8th Pay Commission Meetings in Chandigarh? Check Dates and Other Details.
The formal recommendations and memorandums submitted by various staff associations are currently under review by the 8th Pay Commission. The final decisions on the fitment factor, pay matrix adjustments, and allowance revisions will ultimately be determined by the central government ahead of implementation.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2026 06:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
