8th Pay Commission Update: Big relief for central govt employees and pensioners amid Middle East crisis as Modi govt may announce DA hikes in…

The government may take a decision in the last week of March or early April amid the transition from the 7th to the 8th Pay Commission.

8th Pay Commission update: In a big development at a time when thousands of central government employees and pensioners across the country are still waiting for an important decision on the dearness allowance (DA) which will decide their hike in the salary and pension, it is expected that the central government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi may announce the DA hike either in the last week of March or the first week of April. Here are all the details you need to know about the expected DA hike around 8th Pay Commission.

Although many central government employees and pensioners had expected the announcement to come around the time of the Holi festival on March 3, but the government did not make any declaration, leaving more than one crore employees and pensioners waiting anxiously.

When can central government employees and pensioners expect DA hike announcement?

However, according to recent information, the central government may announce the DA hike either in the last week of March or the first week of April. It should be noted that there has been no official confirmation yet. Meanwhile, several states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Chhattisgarh have already announced DA increases for their state government employees.

Why is 8th Pay Commission delayed?

Another reason behind the delay is the transition between pay commissions. The term of the Seventh Pay Commission officially ended on December 31, 2025. However, the recommendations are required to implement the 8th Pay Commission have not yet been finalized by the central government. Notably, the central government had earlier stated that it could take around 18 months for the new pay commission to start functioning, multiple media report said.

How government calculated DA hike for central government employees and pensioners?

The DA increase is calculated using the data of the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW). Based on current estimates, the government may increase DA by 2 percent, which could take it up to 60 percent for the implementation of the next Commission.

When does central government announce DA hikes?

Notably, DA (Dearness allowance)  is revised twice every year the first for the January to June period, usually announced around Holi and the second for July to December, generally announced during the Diwali season. Therefore, it can be said that central government employees and pensioners who are waiting for the government to take a final call may get the good news soon.