8th Pay Commission: Demand for Uniform Fitment Factor Across All Pay Bands
The National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), which represents government employees, has asked for a uniform fitment factor for all central government employees in the 8th Pay Commission.
What is the Demand?
NC-JCM (Staff Side) Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra stated that they want the same fitment factor for all employees, regardless of their pay band (whether Pay Band 1 or Pay Band 4). This demand will be presented before the 8th Pay Commission.
NC-JCM is an official body made up of government officials and employee union leaders. It works to resolve disputes between the government and its employees through discussions.
What is a Fitment Factor?
The fitment factor is a multiplying number used to calculate salary revisions. If it is uniform, all employees will get a similar raise, no matter which pay band they belong to.
In the 7th Pay Commission, different fitment factors were applied:
- Pay Band 1: 2.57
- Pay Band 2: 2.62
- Pay Band 3: 2.67
- Pay Band 4: 2.72
- Apex Level (highest salary): 2.81
This difference happened because of an index of rationalisation, which gave higher increases to employees with more responsibilities. However, NC-JCM argues that this increases the salary gap between the highest and lowest-paid employees, and they want the same fitment factor for everyone to reduce this gap.
Why Employee Unions Want a Uniform Fitment Factor?
- If the index of rationalisation was not used, the fitment factor could have been a middle value between 2.57 and 2.81.
- The 4th Pay Commission had suggested reducing the gap between minimum and maximum salaries, but over time, this gap has increased instead of decreasing.
- The 8th Pay Commission should fix this issue by ensuring a uniform fitment factor.
Other Demands from NC-JCM
During a recent meeting with the Department of Personnel and Training, NC-JCM also requested the merger of lower pay scales to prevent salary stagnation. They suggested:
- Merging Pay Level 1 with Level 2
- Merging Level 3 with Level 4
- Merging Level 5 with Level 6
This is important because small pay levels cause salary stagnation, which affects promotions under the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme.
What Happens Next For 8th Pay Commission?
Last month, the government approved the formation of the 8th Pay Commission. The commission will have a chairman and two members. Once it is officially set up, it will discuss these issues with all stakeholders before submitting a final report to the central government.
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