8th Pay Commission 2026: Employees Demand DA Merger at 25% and Fitment Factor Revision at 50%

8th Pay Commission Latest Update: Central government employees and pensioners are raising fresh demands over salary revisions, Dearness Allowance (DA), Dearness Relief (DR) and the fitment factor under the 8th Central Pay Commission.

Several employee and pensioner organisations have proposed changes to the existing salary revision system, arguing that rising inflation is reducing the purchasing power of government employees and retired personnel.

According to a report dated October 13, 2026, employee representatives raised these concerns during the Pay Commission's Bengaluru meeting.

One of the major proposals involves merging DA with basic pay once it crosses 25%. Another demand calls for revising the fitment factor whenever DA or DR reaches 50%.

Different organisations have also suggested fitment factors ranging from 3.61 to approximately 3.833.

However, these figures are demands submitted by employee organisations, not salary increases approved by the Central Government.

The commission's next reported meeting is scheduled for October 22 and 23 in Mumbai.

8th Pay Commission: What Happened at the Bengaluru Meeting?

During discussions in Bengaluru, representatives of central government employees and pensioners reportedly highlighted the impact of rising living costs.

They argued that the existing system of periodic DA increases may not be sufficient to protect employees against inflation over the long term.

The organisations requested the three-member commission, headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, to consider a higher fitment factor and a more responsive mechanism for revising salaries.

The fitment factor is particularly important because it is used to calculate revised basic pay when a new pay structure is introduced.

A higher factor can result in a larger revised basic salary, although the actual impact on take-home pay depends on how allowances and other salary components are adjusted.

Demand for 3.833 Fitment Factor

The National Council–Joint Consultative Machinery (Staff Side) has reportedly demanded a fitment factor of 3.833.

The organisation has proposed increasing the minimum basic pay from ₹18,000 to approximately ₹69,000.

Using the requested factor, the calculation would be:

₹18,000 × 3.833 = ₹68,994

The amount is approximately ₹69,000 when rounded.

Bharat Pensioners Samaj has also reportedly supported a fitment factor of around 3.83.

Meanwhile, the Ministerial Staff Association of the Survey of India has proposed a fitment factor of 3.61.

These proposals reflect the expectations of different organisations, but the final factor has not been announced.

8th Pay Commission: Fitment Factor Demands by Employee Organisations

The government is not required to accept any particular proposal.

The commission will consider the submissions and other relevant factors before preparing its recommendations.

What Is the Demand for DA Merger at 25%?

One of the significant proposals reportedly comes from the Federation of National Postal Organisations.

The federation has suggested that Dearness Allowance should be merged with basic pay when it crosses the 25% threshold.

Under the proposal, a portion of the allowance would become part of the employee's basic salary.

For example, suppose an employee has a basic pay of ₹30,000.

At a DA rate of 25%, the allowance would be:

₹30,000 × 25% = ₹7,500

If the entire 25% DA were merged with basic pay under a hypothetical approved mechanism, the revised basic salary could become ₹37,500.

However, this example is only intended to explain the proposal.

It does not mean that the Central Government has approved such a merger or that employees will automatically receive an additional ₹7,500.

The actual treatment of DA, the revised allowance rate and other salary components would depend on the rules adopted.

Demand for Fitment Factor Revision at 50% DA

The Federation of National Postal Organisations has also proposed a permanent wage review body.

According to the report, the organisation wants the fitment factor to be reconsidered whenever DA or DR reaches 50%.

The objective is to prevent salaries and pensions from losing purchasing power during periods of sustained inflation.

Employee representatives believe that a more frequent review mechanism could reduce dependence on long intervals between successive pay commissions.

However, there is currently no confirmed provision requiring the fitment factor to be revised automatically whenever DA reaches 50%.

This remains a proposal for consideration.

Pensioners Also Demand DR Merger

The demands are not limited to serving government employees.

Bharat Pensioners Samaj has reportedly suggested merging Dearness Relief with basic pension once DR reaches 25%.

Dearness Relief is provided to eligible pensioners to help offset the effects of inflation.

A merger could change the basic pension used for subsequent calculations, depending on the approved rules.

For example, if a pensioner receives a basic pension of ₹20,000, a 25% DR component would amount to ₹5,000.

Under a hypothetical full merger, the revised basic pension could become ₹25,000.

But this is only an illustration of the demand, not a confirmed government decision.

Any actual revision would require official approval and implementation instructions.

How Much Could Basic Pay Increase Under Different Fitment Factors?

To understand the potential impact of the proposed fitment factors, consider the following illustrative calculations.

These figures are mathematical illustrations based on the requested factors.

They are not official 8th Pay Commission salary tables.

The final revised pay may also depend on rounding rules, the approved pay matrix, treatment of existing DA and other implementation conditions.

What Is the Current DA Rate?

The supplied report states that central government employees are currently receiving DA at 60%.

It also cites employee representatives who said that DA increased from 46% in July 2023 to 60% in January 2026.

The report uses this increase to illustrate concerns about the effect of inflation on employee purchasing power.

However, employees should rely on the latest official government orders to confirm the applicable DA or DR rate and effective date.

The existence of a DA rate above 25% or 50% does not automatically trigger a merger with basic pay or a revision of the fitment factor.

Those actions require separate policy decisions.

How Does the 8th Pay Commission Compare With Previous Commissions?

Fitment factors have played an important role in previous central pay revisions.

The 6th Central Pay Commission used a fitment factor of 1.86 in its pay revision framework.

The 7th Central Pay Commission recommended a fitment factor of 2.57 for the revised pay structure.

It is important to understand that fitment factors across different pay commissions are not directly comparable measures of real salary growth.

They incorporate different pay structures, allowance treatments and revision methodologies.

Therefore, multiplying existing basic pay by a proposed factor does not necessarily represent the percentage increase in an employee's total salary.

When Will the 8th Pay Commission Submit Its Report?

According to the report, the 8th Central Pay Commission was constituted in November 2025 and has been given 18 months to submit its recommendations.

During this period, the commission is expected to examine salary structures, pension-related matters, allowances and submissions from stakeholders.

The commission's next reported meeting is scheduled for October 22 and 23, 2026, in Mumbai.

However, the submission of recommendations does not automatically mean that revised salaries will be credited immediately.

The Central Government must examine the report and decide which recommendations to accept.

Implementation dates, arrears and payment arrangements would depend on subsequent official decisions.

Will Central Government Employees Get ₹69,000 Minimum Basic Pay?

The proposal to increase minimum basic pay from ₹18,000 to approximately ₹69,000 has attracted attention.

However, the ₹69,000 figure is based on the 3.833 fitment factor demanded by the National Council–JCM Staff Side.

It is not a confirmed minimum salary under the 8th Pay Commission.

The government has not announced a final fitment factor or revised minimum basic pay in the supplied report.

Employees should therefore avoid treating calculations based on proposed factors as guaranteed salary increases.

What Happens Next?

Employee and pensioner organisations are expected to continue presenting their demands to the commission.

The reported Mumbai meeting on October 22 and 23 could provide another opportunity for discussions about salaries, pensions and allowances.

However, meetings and representations do not necessarily result in immediate decisions.

The key developments to watch will be the commission's formal recommendations and the government's subsequent announcements.

8th Pay Commission 2026: Latest Position

The latest reported demands focus on three major issues: a higher fitment factor, merger of DA or DR with basic pay or pension at 25%, and a review of the fitment factor when DA or DR reaches 50%.

Employee organisations have suggested factors including 3.61, 3.83 and 3.833.

The National Council–JCM Staff Side has also demanded an increase in minimum basic pay to approximately ₹69,000.

For now, none of these proposals should be treated as an approved salary or pension revision. The final outcome will depend on the 8th Pay Commission's recommendations and the Central Government's decision.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the October 13, 2026 report and the employee-organisation demands described in it. All salary and pension calculations are illustrative. No final 8th Pay Commission fitment factor, DA merger mechanism or revised pay matrix has been confirmed in the supplied information.