7th Pay Commission: Buzz around fitment factor glimmers faintly? Basic salary hike of up to Rs 26,000 at stake?

The government reportedly is not in favour of hiking the fitment factor right now, though these are just initial reports and not official confirmation.

New Delhi: 7th Pay Commission latest update: Even as the central government employees have long been pressing for the demand to hike fitment factor, contradictory reports from time to time play spoilsport.

As per new reports, the buzz around fitment factor seem to be glimmering faintly. The government reportedly is not in favour of hiking the fitment factor right now. These are just initial reports though. Till the government has an official announcement regarding the same, nothing concrete can be evaluated.

Meanwhile, if and when the fitment factor is hiked, the basic salary or the minimum wages of the central government employees under 7th Pay Commission too will increase substantially.

Several media reports had previously said that the government might soon give its nod on raising the fitment factor. The central government employees unions have long been demanding for hiking  minimum pay of Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000 and fitment factor be raised from 2.57 times to 3.68 times.

If the government makes announcement regarding the hike in fitment factor of central employees, then their salary will consequently increase. In fact, with the increase in fitment factor, the minimum wage will also increase. Employees are currently getting salary under fitment factor on the basis of 2.57 percent, which if increased to 3.68 percent, there will be an increase of Rs 8,000 in the minimum salary of the employees. This means the minimum pay of the central government employees will be hiked from Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000.

Check out this assumptive salary calculation post the hike in fitment factor under 7th Pay Commission

If the fitment factor is raised to 3.68, the basic salary of the employees will become Rs 26,000. Right now, if your minimum salary is Rs 18,000, then excluding allowances, you will be getting Rs 46,260 (18,000 X 2.57 = 46,260) according to the 2.57 fitment factor.

Now, if the fitment factor is 3.68, then your salary will be Rs 95,680 (26000X3.68 = 95,680).

The Union Cabinet had in June 2017 approved recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission with 34 modifications. The new scales of pay provided for entry-level basic pay going up from Rs 7,000 per month to Rs 18,000, while 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 at Rs 56,100.