7th Pay Commission: Minimum pay to be hiked to Rs 26,000? Big decision on fitment factor soon

New Delhi: In what could be a big 7th Pay Commission's latest update, the Central cabinet could soon take a decision on increasing the basic salary to Rs 26,000, according to media reports. Lakhs of central government employees have long been pressing for the demand to hike the fitment factor. If the government increases the fitment factor, the salaries of the Central government will also hike accordingly. However, the government hasn’t taken any decision on the same yet. Currently, the minimum pay for Central government employees is Rs 18,000. With the hike in fitment factor, it could increase to Rs 26,000. 

However, for such an impressive hike to happen, the Central government will have to increase the fitment factor from 2.57 times to 3.68 times.

Here’s the Fitment Factor Calculation: 

If the Central government increases the fitment factor to 3.68, the basic salary of the employees will become Rs 26,000. For instance, if the government employee’s minimum salary is Rs 18,000, then excluding allowances, the minimum salary will be Rs 46,260 (18,000 X 2.57 = 46,260), according to the 2.57 fitment factor.

However, if the fitment factor is 3.68, then the salary will increase to Rs 95,680 (26000X3.68 = 95,680). 

The Union Cabinet in June 2017 approved the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission with 34 modifications. The new scales of pay provide for the minimum basic pay to go up from Rs 7,000 per month to Rs 18,000. On the other hand, at the highest level i.e. Secretary, went up from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh. For Class 1 officers, the starting salary was Rs 56,100. Also Read: Maintaining low bank account balance? You can miss out on benefits worth Rs 4 lakhs: Here’s how

So, till the time, the government makes an official announcement in relation to the fitment factor, nothing can be said for sure. Central government employees have no option but to wait for the announcement that could come in the coming days. Also Read: Apple could launch new HomePod by early 2023: Speculated features, price and more