DA Hike 2026: Government Raises Dearness Allowance to 497% and 269%, Check New Salary and Arrears

DA Hike Latest News, October 30, 2026: The central government has announced an increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for eligible employees who continue to receive salaries under the old 5th and 6th Central Pay Commission pay structures.

According to a Live Hindustan report published on October 30, the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance issued separate orders on October 29, 2026, revising DA rates for employees covered by these older pay scales.

Under the reported revision, DA for employees covered by the 5th Pay Commission has increased from 483% to 497%, while the rate for those covered by the 6th Pay Commission has risen from 262% to 269%.

The revised rates are effective from July 1, 2026. Eligible employees may also receive arrears for the period between the effective date and the implementation of the revised payments.

5th Pay Commission DA Increased to 497%

Employees who continue to draw salaries under the 5th Central Pay Commission's pre-revised pay scales will receive DA at the revised rate of 497%.

Previously, the applicable rate was 483%.

This represents an increase of 14 percentage points.

For example, if an employee's basic pay eligible for DA calculation is ₹10,000, the earlier DA amount was ₹48,300 per month.

Under the revised rate of 497%, the monthly DA becomes ₹49,700.

This means the employee receives an additional ₹1,400 per month in DA.

5th Pay Commission DA Calculation

These examples are illustrative. Actual payments depend on the employee's applicable pay and service rules.

6th Pay Commission DA Increased to 269%

The government has also revised Dearness Allowance for eligible employees who remain under the 6th Central Pay Commission's pre-revised pay structure.

Their DA has increased from 262% to 269%.

This is a rise of 7 percentage points.

For employees covered by the 6th CPC, the DA calculation generally considers the applicable pay in the pay band and grade pay under the relevant rules.

For example, if an employee's combined pay used for DA calculation is ₹20,000, the previous monthly DA was ₹52,400.

At the revised rate of 269%, the DA amount becomes ₹53,800.

The monthly increase is therefore ₹1,400.

6th Pay Commission DA Calculation

The revised DA will increase the eligible employee's gross salary, although the change in take-home pay may differ because of applicable deductions.

DA Hike 2026: Comparison of 5th, 6th and 7th Pay Commission Rates

The central government has separate DA rates for employees covered by different pay commission structures.

The percentages are different because each pay commission uses a different salary structure and base for DA calculations.

A higher DA percentage under an older pay commission does not automatically mean that employees covered by that commission earn more than those under the 7th CPC.

Will Employees Receive DA Arrears From July 2026?

According to the reported government orders, the revised DA rates apply retrospectively from July 1, 2026.

This means eligible employees may receive the difference between the old and revised DA rates for the months before the updated payments are processed.

If an employee receives the revised DA beginning with the November salary, arrears may be payable for July, August, September and October.

However, the exact arrears period and payment date will depend on when the revised DA is incorporated into the payroll.

DA Arrears Calculation for Four Months

These calculations assume that the pay used for DA calculation remained unchanged during all four months.

Actual arrears may differ because of salary revisions, changes in eligibility, rounding rules and other applicable conditions.

Who Will Benefit From the New DA Rates?

The latest reported orders are relevant to central government employees who continue to receive salaries under the 5th or 6th Pay Commission's pre-revised structures.

Most central government employees are covered by the 7th Central Pay Commission pay structure.

Therefore, the revised 497% and 269% DA rates do not apply to every central government employee.

Employees should check their salary structure to determine which order applies to them.

The separate 7th CPC DA revision to 63% is relevant to eligible employees drawing salaries under that framework.

Why Are DA Rates So High Under Older Pay Commissions?

Dearness Allowance is intended to compensate employees for increases in the cost of living.

DA rates are linked to inflation-related calculations under the applicable government framework.

When a new pay commission is implemented, salary structures are revised, and the DA calculation base also changes.

This is why employees covered by older pay commissions may have DA rates running into several hundred percent.

For example, a DA rate of 497% under the 5th CPC is calculated against the corresponding older pay structure.

It should not be compared directly with the 63% DA rate under the 7th CPC without considering the different salary bases.

How Is the DA Increase Calculated?

Employees can estimate their monthly DA increase using a simple formula:

\[ \text{Extra Monthly DA}=\frac{\text{Eligible Pay}\times\text{DA Rate Increase}}{100} \]

For example, a 5th CPC employee with eligible basic pay of ₹12,000 receives an increase of 14 percentage points.

The additional DA would be:

₹12,000 × 14 ÷ 100 = ₹1,680 per month.

Similarly, a 6th CPC employee with eligible pay of ₹25,000 receives a 7-percentage-point increase.

The additional monthly DA would be:

₹25,000 × 7 ÷ 100 = ₹1,750.

Employees should use the pay amount specified under their applicable DA rules rather than assuming that every salary component qualifies.

Does the DA Hike Affect Basic Salary?

No. An increase in DA does not automatically revise an employee's basic salary.

DA is a separate component of remuneration calculated according to the relevant government rules.

The latest reported orders revise the allowance percentage for eligible employees under the older pay structures.

They do not announce a merger of DA with basic pay.

Any broader salary restructuring would require a separate decision.

What About the 8th Pay Commission?

The DA revision comes at a time when central government employees are also following developments related to the 8th Central Pay Commission.

However, the latest DA orders for employees under the 5th and 6th CPC are separate from the 8th Pay Commission's recommendations.

The announcement of higher DA rates should not be interpreted as approval of a new 8th CPC pay matrix, fitment factor or salary structure.

Employees will need to wait for official decisions regarding the next pay commission.

Where Can Employees Check Official DA Orders?

Central government employees can verify Dearness Allowance orders through the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance.

The official website publishes circulars, notifications and instructions relating to central government pay and allowances.

Employees should check the relevant order for their pay commission and confirm the effective date and applicability.

Official website: Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.

DA Hike 2026: What Employees Should Remember

The central government has reportedly revised DA rates for eligible employees drawing salaries under the older 5th and 6th Pay Commission structures.

The 5th CPC DA rate has increased from 483% to 497%, while the 6th CPC rate has risen from 262% to 269%.

Both revisions are effective from July 1, 2026.

Eligible employees may receive increased monthly DA and arrears, subject to departmental payment instructions.

The key takeaway: Employees covered by the 5th CPC will receive 14 percentage points more DA, while those under the 6th CPC will receive 7 percentage points more. The actual salary benefit depends on the employee's eligible pay, and the revised rates apply from July 1, 2026.

Source Credit:Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.