October 11, 15:33Aaj Tak

Pensioners put forward major demands to the 8th Departmental Committee, including salary and pension increases

The Eighth Departmental Committee concluded its sessions in Bangalore, where negotiations took place with several pensioners' associations. These include the Government Pensioners Association Karnataka, Karnataka Post and Telecommunication Pensioners Association, Karnataka Income Tax Pensioners Association, Karnataka Central Government Pensioners Association, and other organizations.

During the meetings, numerous issues concerning salaries, pensions, fitment factor, allowances, and job restructuring were discussed. The pensioners presented a number of specific demands.

Based on the requests from the pension associations, the Karnataka Pensioners Body demanded that the minimum basic rate for employees be increased to 69,000 rupees. Furthermore, a request was made to raise the fitment factor to 3.833. It should be noted that according to the Seventh Departmental Committee, the minimum basic rate was 18,000 rupees.

Based on the proposed fitment factor of 3.833, the Karnataka Pensioners Body suggested that the Eighth Departmental Committee set the minimum pension amount at no less than 34,470 rupees. Previously, under the Seventh Departmental Committee, the minimum pension was 9,000 rupees.

The pensioners also appealed to the Eighth Departmental Committee to merge 18 employee levels from the Seventh Departmental Committee into 7 levels within the new wage system.

The Karnataka Pensioners Body insists on including five units in the new wage system, whereas in the Seventh Departmental Committee, the family was considered three-unit. These five units should include the employee, spouse, two children, and parent.

Before the Eighth Departmental Committee, the Karnataka Body proposed increasing the annual salary growth from the current 3% to 6%. The pensioners argued their position by stating that the current 3% growth is insufficient to motivate employees to improve productivity, acquire skills, and work consistently.

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www.aajtak.inOctober 6, 10:15

Potential Pension Amount with the 8th Departmental Commission Review: Calculations Based on Different Coefficients

The formation of the eighth departmental commission review (8th Pay Commission) is actively being discussed in the country, raising expectations among millions of employees. This new commission review, which could potentially take effect on January 1, 2026, will depend on the Fitment Factor used in calculating pension increases.

According to the current rules of the seventh departmental commission review, the minimum basic pension is 9,000 rupees. However, depending on the fitment factor applied under the 8th departmental commission review, a significant increase is expected. Particular interest is shown by employees working under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), who are monitoring possible changes to the basic pension after the introduction of the new commission review.

As a general rule, an employee's pension is calculated as 50% of their last basic salary or average basic salary over the last 10 months. Various trade unions demand that when determining the rules and conditions of the 8th departmental commission review, employees who retired before January 1, 2026, be included in the calculation on equal terms.

Based on data from various media and expert forecasts, if the 8th departmental commission review applies fitment factors of 2.1, 2.28, or 2.57, the following calculations for the minimum basic pension for levels 5 through 9 are possible:

Fitment Factor 2.1

Even with the minimum factor of 2.1, a substantial pension increase is expected. For level 5, the minimum basic pension may amount to about 30,660 rupees per month. For level 6, an increase to 37,170 rupees is projected. The minimum basic pension for level 7 is estimated at approximately 47,145 rupees, for level 8 at 49,980 rupees, and for level 9 at around 55,755 rupees.

Fitment Factor 2.28

With the application of a moderate factor of 2.28, the pension for level 5 will rise to 33,288 rupees per month. The pension for level 6 may reach 40,356 rupees. Level 7 employees may receive a minimum basic pension of 51,186 rupees. For level 8, the minimum basic pension will increase to 54,264 rupees, and for level 9, up to 60,534 rupees per month.

Fitment Factor 2.57

If the government maintains the factor of 2.57, similar to that in the 7th departmental commission review, pensioners will receive a significant benefit. The minimum basic pension for level 5 will be 37,522 rupees per month. For level 6, the minimum pension will rise to 45,489 rupees. The basic pension for level 7 may reach 57,697 rupees. The minimum basic pension for level 8 may reach 61,166 rupees, and for level 9, it may increase to 68,234 rupees per month.

Several organizations, including the All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF), insist on increasing the pension share from the current 50% of the last basic salary to at least 67%, and the family pension to 50%. Furthermore, 'Bharat Pensioners Samaj' demands that the minimum pension under the 8th departmental commission review be set at no less than 45,000 rupees monthly. After the new commission review comes into force, the current Dearness Relief (DR) factor will be zeroed out (0%), and a new inflation/assistance allowance will be established based on the adjusted basic pension.

It is important to note that all the calculations provided are based solely on hypothetical factors and approximate data; the actual pension situation will only become clear after the final recommendations of the 8th departmental commission review are approved and officially published by the central government.