Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
As government employees wait for the 8th Pay Commission and the next revision in their salaries, it is worth taking a step back and looking at how much pay has changed over the years.
From a minimum basic salary of just Rs 55 a month under the 1st Pay Commission to Rs 18,000 under the seventh, government pay has come a long way since Independence. Each Pay Commission has brought changes not just in the amount employees earn, but also in how their salaries are structured.
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So, as the country marks 80 years of Independence, here’s a look at how government salaries have evolved over the decades.
IT STARTED WITH RS 55 A MONTH
The 1st Pay Commission came into effect in 1946, before India became independent. It fixed the minimum basic pay for government employees at Rs 55 a month, while the maximum basic pay stood at Rs 2,000, according to figures based on information available from official government sources (www.doe.gov.in).
The 2nd Pay Commission, effective from 1959, raised the minimum basic pay to Rs 80 per month. The maximum basic pay also increased to Rs 3,000.
By the time the 3rd Pay Commission came into effect in 1973, the minimum basic pay had risen to Rs 196 a month, while the maximum stood at Rs 3,500.
“The evolution of government pay since Independence shows how significantly the structure and level of basic pay have changed over time,” said Adhil Shetty, CEO, Bankbazaar.
SALARY INCREASES BECAME BIGGER OVER TIME
The 4th Pay Commission, which came into effect in 1986, took the minimum basic pay to Rs 750 a month. The maximum basic pay rose to Rs 8,000.
The 5th Pay Commission, implemented in 1996, brought another sharp increase. The minimum basic pay was fixed at Rs 2,550 per month, while the maximum rose to Rs 26,000.
The 6th Pay Commission, effective from 2006, pushed the minimum basic pay further to Rs 7,000. At the top end, the maximum basic pay rose to Rs 80,000.
Shetty said the rise in basic pay over successive commissions shows how the government salary structure has changed over time.
“Minimum basic pay for central government employees has risen from Rs 55 under the 1st Pay Commission to Rs 18,000 under the 7th Pay Commission,” he said.
7TH PAY COMMISSION BROUGHT A NEW PAY STRUCTURE
The 7th Pay Commission, which came into effect in 2016, increased the minimum basic pay to Rs 18,000 per month. The maximum basic pay was fixed at Rs 2.5 lakh.
But the 7th Pay Commission was not just about increasing salaries. It also changed the way government employees’ pay was structured.
The earlier Pay Band and Grade Pay system was replaced by the Pay Matrix. This provided a new framework for determining the basic pay of central government employees.
“The pay structure has also evolved through successive commissions, with the Pay Matrix replacing the earlier Pay Band and Grade Pay system under the 7th Pay Commission,” Shetty said.
WHAT WILL THE 8TH PAY COMMISSION BRING?
The 8th Pay Commission is now the focus of government employees waiting for the next salary revision. However, the minimum basic pay under the 8th Pay Commission has not yet been finalised.
Any new salary figures will be known only after the commission makes its recommendations and the government takes a final decision through an official notification.
“The 8th Pay Commission will determine the next revision to this structure,” Shetty said.
For now, the minimum basic pay remains Rs 18,000 under the 7th Pay Commission. From Rs 55 in the 1st Pay Commission to Rs 18,000 today, the numbers show just how much the basic salary of central government employees has changed across nearly eight decades.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
