8th Pay Commission: The math behind Staff Side's ₹1,12,000-₹3,52,663 salary proposal for Pay Scale 3

At Pay Scale-3 after merger of existing Level 4 and Level 5, the Staff Side has suggested a minimum salary of ₹1,12,000. This article explains the math behind this proposal.

Before reading further, please note that the Staff Side's suggestions are not binding on the 8th CPC. The pay panel may accept or reject any or all of the suggestions of the Staff Side in the course of preparing its final report.

The math

Under the 7th Pay Commission, the existing salary range for Level 4 and Level 5 is from ₹29,000 to ₹92,000.

By applying the same method, the maximum salary at this pay scale would be:

₹92,000 x 3.8333 = ₹3,52,663.

But how did the Staff Side arrive at the fitment factor of 3.8333? You may ask. The answer is below:

The Staff Side has proposed a fitment factor of 3.833 by considering a family unit of five members. The calculation of this is as follows:

The above fitment formula has been arrived at by dividing the proposed minimum pay for Group C, i.e., ₹69,000, by ₹18,000, which is the minimum salary at this level under the 7th CPC.

Fitment factor: 69000/18,000 = 3.8333.

The 8th CPC is expected to finish its report by May 2027, which is 18 months from its notification in November 2025.