8th Pay Commission in October 2026: Mumbai Next, 6% Increment Ask
The 8th Pay Commission met staff in Bengaluru on 7–8 October and visits Mumbai on 22–23 October. What unions want, what is decided and where the DA hike stands.
By Balaji Anbazhagan
· 4 min read
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The 8th Central Pay Commission held its consultations in Bengaluru on 7 and 8 October 2026, and its next stop is Mumbai on 22 and 23 October. At these meetings, staff unions and pensioner groups present their demands in person. The biggest asks are now a fitment factor of 3.833 to 4.0, a minimum basic pay of ₹69,000 to ₹72,000, and annual increments of 6% instead of 3%. None of this has been decided. The Commission’s report is not due until around May 2027. For the full background on the Commission, see our 8th Pay Commission guide.
The short answer
- Done: consultations in Jaipur (31 August–1 September), Chennai and Puducherry (7–9 September), Chandigarh (16–18 September) and Bengaluru (7–8 October).
- Next: Mumbai, 22–23 October 2026. The last date to ask for a meeting slot was 10 October.
- Report due: around May 2027, 18 months after the Commission was set up on 3 November 2025.
- Nothing is final. Salary figures going around on social media are union demands, not recommendations.
- DA hike: the July 2026 increase (expected to take DA from 60% to 63%) had still not been approved by the Cabinet as of 11 October.
Where the Commission has been
| City | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jaipur | 31 Aug – 1 Sep 2026 | Done |
| Chennai | 7–8 Sep 2026 | Done |
| Puducherry | 9 Sep 2026 | Done |
| Chandigarh | 16–18 Sep 2026 | Done |
| Bengaluru | 7–8 Oct 2026 | Done |
| Mumbai | 22–23 Oct 2026 | Next |
The Commission publishes a notice on its website, 8cpc.gov.in, a few weeks before each visit, with a deadline for associations to ask for a meeting. Individual employees usually take part through their union or association.
What the unions are asking for
| Demand | NC-JCM (staff side) | BPMS (defence workers’ union) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum basic pay | ₹69,000 | ₹72,000 |
| Fitment factor | 3.833 | 4.0 |
| Annual increment | 6% (now 3%) | 6% |
| Other | Merge pay levels 2 & 3, 4 & 5, 7 & 8, 9 & 10; one pay matrix up to Level 13 | Link the minimum wage to growth in per-capita income; count a family as 5 members, not 3 |
Pensioner groups, including the Karnataka Posts and Telecommunications Pensioners’ Association, have asked for the minimum basic pension to rise from ₹9,000 to about ₹34,500, using the same 3.833 fitment factor. They also want the formula used to set the minimum wage updated to include modern costs such as internet access.
For context: the 7th Pay Commission used a fitment factor of 2.57 and kept the annual increment at 3%. Commissions usually recommend much less than unions ask for, and the government then decides what to accept.
What a 6% increment would mean
The annual increment is the yearly rise in your basic pay, on top of DA. Doubling it from 3% to 6% would add up quickly over a career. For an employee on a basic pay of ₹50,000:
| Years | Basic with 3% a year | Basic with 6% a year |
|---|---|---|
| Now | ₹50,000 | ₹50,000 |
| After 5 years | ₹57,964 | ₹66,911 |
| After 10 years | ₹67,196 | ₹89,542 |
(Illustration only. Real pay also changes with promotions, DA and pay-matrix rounding.)
This is only a demand for now. The Commission will look at the cost to the government, which already pays the salaries and pensions of about 50 lakh employees and 69 lakh pensioners.
Where the DA hike stands
The dearness allowance increase due from 1 July 2026 has not yet been announced. DA is now 60% of basic pay. The inflation formula points to 63%, a 3-point rise, as we explained in our DA hike post. The Union Cabinet did not take it up at its meeting on 6 October, and staff unions have written asking for it before the festival season. When it is approved, arrears from July are normally paid with the salary that follows. Check your in-hand pay with the salary calculator.
Frequently asked questions
When will the 8th Pay Commission be implemented? The Commission has 18 months from November 2025 to submit its report, so around May 2027. The government then has to accept it. The new pay is expected to take effect from 1 January 2026 on paper, with arrears paid later, but that date has not been formally confirmed.
Is the 3.833 fitment factor confirmed? No. It is a demand from the staff side of the National Council (JCM). The Commission has not recommended any figure.
Will the annual increment become 6%? Unions have asked for it. There is no decision. The 7th Pay Commission kept it at 3%.
When is the Mumbai meeting? 22–23 October 2026. Requests for a meeting had to be sent by 10 October.
Has the DA hike for July 2026 been announced? Not as of 11 October 2026. It is expected to take DA to 63%, with effect from 1 July 2026.
Sources
- 8th Central Pay Commission, official notices of visits to Bengaluru and Mumbai, and Commission composition: 8cpc.gov.in
- The Sunday Guardian, “8th Pay Commission Latest News: Will Government Employees Get A 6% Annual Increment?”, updated 11 October 2026: sundayguardianlive.com
- LatestLY, “8th Pay Commission: Next Meeting in October 2026 As Staff Bodies Seek 6% Annual Increments”, 27 September 2026: latestly.com
- Upstox, “Dearness allowance: No DA hike decision in Union Cabinet meeting today”, 6 October 2026: upstox.com
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