A message claiming that a 50% DA merger had been approved with effect from 1 January 2026 has been circulating widely, and many central government employees are asking whether the 8th pay commission DA merger has actually been decided.
The government's position in Parliament is also clear. In a reply in the Lok Sabha, the government told the members that no proposal to merge the existing dearness allowance (DA) with basic pay was under consideration.
For the employees and pensioners, DA continues to be paid in the usual manner. It stands at 63% of basic pay from 1 July 2026, and it is revised twice a year. Families who had seen the viral message are now checking official records before drawing any conclusion about their salary or pension.
Where the Commission stands
The Union Cabinet approved the terms of reference of the 8th Central Pay Commission on 28 October 2025, as per a release from the Press Information Bureau. The Commission is a temporary body under these terms.
It was constituted by a government resolution dated 3 November 2025, and Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai chairs it. The Commission has been given 18 months from its constitution to submit its recommendations.
NewsBytes reported on 24 October 2026 that the Commission plans to finish its review and share the recommendations around May 2027. The effect of its recommendations is normally expected from 1 January 2026, as per the same release.
The sequence is therefore fixed:
- The Commission completes its review and submits the recommendations.
- The Cabinet considers the recommendations and accepts them.
- Only after this, any change in pay or allowances takes effect.
A DA merger will take effect only if the Commission recommends it and the Cabinet accepts it.
The salary demand is a separate matter
Employee unions have also asked for a minimum monthly salary of Rs 69,000, as per the NewsBytes report of 24 October 2026. This demand is separate from the demand for merging DA with basic pay and the two are often mixed up in messages shared online.
The salary figure is a demand put forward by the unions. It is not a decision, and it is not an order issued by the government or by the Commission. Any figure for minimum pay will be known only when the Commission submits its recommendations and the Cabinet takes its decision on them.
The Commission plans to share its recommendations around May 2027 and until the Cabinet accepts them, nothing changes for DA.
