8th Pay Commission: When will salaries increase and how much will you receive as benefits? Here you will find answers to every question

8th Pay Commission: Discussion about the 8th Pay Commission is rife among central government employees and pensioners. Everyone has numerous questions about the dates, arrears, and salary increases. 

Will salaries increase from 2026? When will the report be released? What is the government's stance? If you have any doubts about the new Pay Commission, here's a simple question-and-answer guide to understanding the latest updates.

Question: When will the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission be considered applicable?

Answer: This is the biggest question. Employees generally expected that even if the recommendations were delayed, they would be considered effective from January 1, 2026, and they would receive arrears. 

However, the government has clarified in Parliament that no decision has yet been made on the "implementation date." The Minister of State for Finance stated clearly, " The government will decide the date of implementation of the 8th Pay Commission ." This means that the government has not yet officially approved the date of January 1, 2026.

Question: When is the commission's report expected?

Answer: The government has stated that the Commission's work has already begun. The Ministry of Finance issued the Commission's Terms of Reference (ToR) on November 3, 2025. 

According to the regulations, the Commission is expected to submit its report within 18 months from the date of notification. Consequently, the Commission's final report is expected by mid-2027.

Question: How much increase can there be in salary and pension?

Answer: The entire calculation of salary increases hinges on the "fitment factor." In the 7th Pay Commission, this factor was 2.57. Experts believe it could be increased to 2.86 or higher in the 8th Pay Commission. 

If this happens, the old salary and pension could see a substantial increase of approximately 30% to 34%. Additionally, the increased dearness allowance (DA/DR) will also be added to the new basic pay.

Question: How many people will benefit from this and does the government have the funds?

Answer: According to government data, there are 50.14 lakh central government employees and approximately 69 lakh pensioners in the country. 

This means that a total of over 1.19 crore people will directly benefit from this. Regarding funding, the government has assured Parliament that there is no need to worry about funding. 

Once the Commission's recommendations are approved, the government will allocate sufficient funds in the budget to implement them.