A comprehensive timeline of all Pay Commissions in India and their impact on government employee salaries.
7th Pay Commission (Current)
Implemented: January 1, 2016
Fitment Factor: 2.57x
Minimum Salary: ₹18,000
Maximum Salary: ₹2,50,000
Highlights: Abolished Grade Pay system, introduced Pay Matrix with 18 levels, increased HRA to 24%/16%/8%
6th Pay Commission
Implemented: January 1, 2006
Fitment Factor: 1.86x
Minimum Salary: ₹7,000
Maximum Salary: ₹80,000
Highlights: Introduced Grade Pay system, revised pension rules, merged DA with basic pay
5th Pay Commission
Implemented: January 1, 1996
Fitment Factor: 2.54x
Minimum Salary: ₹2,550
Maximum Salary: ₹26,000
Highlights: Significant increase in basic pay, revised allowances structure, modernized pay scales
4th Pay Commission
Implemented: January 1, 1986
Fitment Factor: ~2.3x
Minimum Salary: ₹750
Maximum Salary: ₹9,000
Highlights: Major pay revision, introduced new allowances, improved pension benefits
3rd Pay Commission
Implemented: January 1, 1973
Minimum Salary: ₹185
Maximum Salary: ₹3,500
Highlights: Focused on reducing disparities, improved allowances, interim relief granted
2nd Pay Commission
Implemented: July 1, 1959
Minimum Salary: ₹80
Maximum Salary: ₹2,250
Highlights: Rationalized pay structure, introduced dearness allowance system
1st Pay Commission
Implemented: April 1, 1946
Minimum Salary: ₹55
Maximum Salary: ₹2,000
Highlights: First systematic pay structure for central government employees post-independence era
📅 Implementation Pattern
Pay Commissions are typically constituted every 10 years:
- 1st CPC: 1946 (Post-Independence)
- 2nd CPC: 1959 (13 years gap)
- 3rd CPC: 1973 (14 years gap)
- 4th CPC: 1986 (13 years gap)
- 5th CPC: 1996 (10 years gap)
- 6th CPC: 2006 (10 years gap)
- 7th CPC: 2016 (10 years gap)
- 8th CPC: Expected 2026 (10 years gap)