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8th Pay Commission pay matrix: How Level 1 to Level 18 salaries will look if fitment factor is 3
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4 min read | Updated on March 16, 2026, 09:04 IST
SUMMARY
8th Pay Commission expectations: As recommended by the 7th CPC, employees at Level 1 draw a minimum salary of ₹18,000, while employees at Level 18 draw the highest salary of ₹2.5 lakh. If the FNPO's proposal is accepted, the minimum salary at Level 1 will be ₹54,000, and the maximum salary at Level 18 could be ₹8,12,500.
An employees' body has suggested retaining the 7th CPC Pay Matrix. | Image source: Shutterstock
While it will take a long time for the 8th CPC to come up with its final decision on the fitment factor demand, there has been little discussion till now about the pay matrix, which tells an employee about his monthly take-home pay based on his level.
Recently, the Federation of National Postal Organisations (FNPO) suggested that the drafting committee of the NC-JCM Staff Side should propose to the 8th CPC to retain the pay matrix system introduced by the 7th CPC.
It said that the FNPO's suggestion to the 8th CPC Draft Committee is to retain the pay matrix system introduced by the Seventh Central Pay Commission, as it has:
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Replaced multiple pay scales and grade pay with a single, unified structure;
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Brought greater clarity and predictability in pay fixation and progression; and
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Reduced avoidable disputes and anomalies relating to pay.
However, the FNPO suggested certain changes to fixed the drawbacks of the current system.
"However, FNPO submits that while the structural framework of the Pay Matrix may be retained, there is a compelling need to substantially revise the entry pay, the rate of annual increment, and the inter-level progression, in order to correct the inadequacies of the existing system," it said.
Accordingly, the FNPO suggested the following:
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The Minimum Pay at Level-1 should be fixed at ₹54,000 per month.
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This minimum pay shall form the base of the entire Pay Matrix
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pay at higher levels shall be determined through appropriate rationalisation factors
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A uniform annual increment of 5% at all levels.
Proposed Pay Matrix: 7th CPC vs 8th CPC
The FNPO also proposed the following illustrative pay structure for the 8th CPC. It shows how salaries from Level-1 to Level 4 will look if the 8th CPC recommends a fitment factor of 3 while retaining the Pay Matrix system introduced by the 7th CPC.
| Level | Status / category | 7th CPC entry pay (₹) | Rationalisation factor | Proposed minimum pay for 8th CPC (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Entry level (Group ‘C’) | 18,000 | 3 | 54,000 |
| Level 2 | — | 19,900 | 3 | 59,700 |
| Level 3 | — | 21,700 | 3 | 65,100 |
| Level 4 | — | 25,500 | 3 | 76,500 |
| Level 5 | — | 29,200 | 3 | 87,600 |
| Level 6 | Group ‘B’ entry | 35,400 | 3.05 | 1,08,000 |
| Level 7 | — | 44,900 | 3.05 | 1,37,000 |
| Level 8 | — | 47,600 | 3.05 | 1,45,200 |
| Level 9 | — | 53,100 | 3.05 | 1,62,000 |
| Level 10 | Group ‘A’ entry | 56,100 | 3.1 | 1,74,000 |
| Level 11 | — | 67,700 | 3.1 | 2,09,900 |
| Level 12 | — | 78,800 | 3.1 | 2,44,300 |
| Level 13 | — | 1,18,500 | 3.05 | 3,61,500 |
| Level 13A | — | 1,31,100 | 3.05 | 3,99,900 |
| Level 14 | — | 1,44,200 | 3.15 | 4,54,300 |
| Level 15 | HAG | 1,82,200 | 3.15 | 5,74,000 |
| Level 16 | HAG+ | 2,05,400 | 3.2 | 6,57,300 |
| Level 17 | Apex scale | 2,25,000 | 3.25 | 7,31,300 |
| Level 18 | Cabinet Secretary | 2,50,000 | 3.25 | 8,12,500 |
As recommended by the 7th Pay Commission, employees at Level 1 draws minimum salary of ₹18,000 while the employee at Level 18 draws highest salary of ₹2.5 lakh. If the FNPO's proposal is accepted then the minimum salary at Level 1 will become ₹54,000 and the maximum salary at level 18 could be ₹8,12,500.
Please note that the 8th CPC has recently commenced its work, and it may take up to 18 months to submit its recommendations.
The above is just a proposal by one of the many employees' bodies and it may or may not be accepted by the 8th CPC.
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