8th Pay Commission gets govt nod: What changes were made by 6th and 7th pay panels?
According to Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission are likely to be implemented in 2026.
The Union Cabinet recently okayed the formation of the 8th Pay Commission, which, like its seven predecessors, will revise the salaries of lakhs of central government employees and pensioners.
Making the announcement, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on January 15 that the commission will be formed soon and its recommendations are expected to be implemented from 2026.
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The announcement on the 8th Pay Commission came just days before the annual February 1 Union Budget.
7th Pay Commission
The current 7th Pay Commission was appointed in February 2014 and submitted its report to the government in November 2015. Its recommendations came into effect on January 1, 2016.
The commission set the “fitment factor” at 2.57; in simple words, this meant that the basic pay of the employees was multiplied by 2.57, leading to increased salaries across all levels of the central government's staff.
Additionally, the 7th Pay Commission recommended a minimum basic salary of ₹18,000 per month.
The minimum basic pension was increased to ₹9,000 per month.
6th Pay Commission
The recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission were implemented in January 2006. The panel kept the fitment factor at 1.86, raising the minimum basic monthly salary to ₹7,000, up from ₹2,750 in the 5th Pay Commission.
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The minimum basic pension was increased from ₹1,275 to ₹3,500 per month.
What is a Pay Commission?
A Pay Commission is formed every 10 years by the government of the day to review and recommend changes to the salary structure of its employees. Besides this, the commission reviews bonuses, perks, allowances, and other benefits provided to government employees.