8th Pay Commission salary: How 3.833x vs 4x fitment factors could mean ₹3,006 monthly basic-pay gap

8th Pay Commission has yet to finalize fitment factor. Unions have sought 3.833x and 4x. For Level 1 employees with ₹18,000 basic pay, these imply revised basic salaries of ₹68,994 and ₹72,000, increases of ₹50,994 and ₹54,000, respectively, with a difference of ₹3,006 between the two estimates. 

The 8th Pay Commission concluded its meeting in Bengaluru yesterday, 8 October. The Commission has its next meeting in Mumbai starting 22 October.

The Commission has already held meetings in Chandigarh, Jaipur, Puducherry, and Delhi. The core discussions at these meetings have centred on the fitment factor, salary revision and pension reforms, as detailed in memoranda from prominent unions and associations over the past few months.

For central government employees awaiting the 8th Pay Commission's recommendations, the question is, how high can the fitment factor go?

Several employee unions have sought fitment factors ranging from 3.0 to 4.0. Based on the current basic pay of ₹18,000 for a Level 1 employee under the 7th Pay Commission, the revised basic pay could range from ₹54,000 to ₹72,000 before allowances and other additional payments.