Chairman of the 7th Pay Commission: the 7th Central Pay Commission was chaired by Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur, a retired Supreme Court judge, with Vivek Rae as full-time Member, Dr. Rathin Roy as part-time Member and Meena Agarwal as Secretary. It submitted its report on 19 November 2015, and its pay matrix, 2.57 fitment factor and ₹18,000 minimum pay took effect from 1 January 2016. Below are the commission's timeline, its key recommendations and how they compare with the 8th Pay Commission.
7th Pay Commission Chairman and Members
| Position | Name | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur | Retired judge of the Supreme Court; former Chairperson of the Armed Forces Tribunal |
| Member (full-time) | Vivek Rae | Retired IAS officer; former Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas |
| Member (part-time) | Dr. Rathin Roy | Economist; Director, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy |
| Secretary | Meena Agarwal | Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer |
The Commission covered Central Government civilian employees, the defence forces, All India Services, Union Territories, the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, regulatory bodies (except RBI) and Central Government pensioners.
7th Pay Commission Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 25 September 2013 | Government announces the 7th Central Pay Commission |
| 28 February 2014 | Resolution constituting the Commission, with its terms of reference |
| 19 November 2015 | Report submitted to the Finance Minister |
| 29 June 2016 | Cabinet approves pay and pension recommendations |
| 1 January 2016 | Revised pay and pension take effect (arrears paid from this date) |
| August 2016 | Arrears from 1 January 2016 paid in one instalment |
| 6 July 2017 | Revised allowances notified, effective from 1 July 2017 |
The full report is on the Pensioners' Portal (7th CPC report, PDF) and the Central Pay Commission section of the Department of Expenditure. Sources: GKToday: 7th CPC recommendations and implementation; Cabinet decision of 29 June 2016.
Key Recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission
| Item | 6th CPC | 7th CPC |
|---|---|---|
| Pay structure | Pay bands + grade pay | Pay matrix, Levels 1 to 18 |
| Fitment | — | 2.57 × (pay in band + grade pay) |
| Minimum pay | ₹7,000 | ₹18,000 |
| Maximum pay | ₹90,000 | ₹2,25,000 (Apex); ₹2,50,000 (Cabinet Secretary) |
| Annual increment | 3% | 3%, one cell up in the matrix |
| Allowances | 196 allowances | 51 abolished, 37 subsumed |
| HRA | 30% / 20% / 10% | 24% / 16% / 8%, rising to 27/18/9 and 30/20/10 as DA crosses 25% and 50% |
| Gratuity ceiling | ₹10 lakh | ₹20 lakh, raised 25% when DA rises 50% (₹25 lakh from 1 January 2024) |
| Minimum / maximum pension | ₹3,500 / ₹45,000 | ₹9,000 / ₹1,25,000 |
| MACP benchmark | "Good" | "Very Good" |
A Level 7 direct recruit with the old entry pay of ₹17,140 (grade pay ₹4,600) got 17,140 × 2.57 = ₹44,050, placed at ₹44,900 in Level 7. The Government estimated the cost at about ₹1,02,100 crore in 2016-17.
How the 7th CPC Shapes Pay Today
- Pay matrix: still in force for Central Government employees; see every level in the 7th Pay Matrix calculator.
- DA: 60% of basic pay from 1 January 2026; DA for July 2026 had not been announced by 24 October 2026.
- States: most states revised pay on the 7th CPC pattern with their own matrices; see the state-wise 7th pay matrix.
- Your salary: work out pay, DA, HRA and in-hand salary with the 7th Pay Commission salary calculator.
7th Pay Commission vs 8th Pay Commission
| Item | 7th CPC | 8th CPC |
|---|---|---|
| Chairperson | Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur | Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai |
| Members | Vivek Rae, Dr. Rathin Roy | Prof. Pulak Ghosh, Pankaj Jain |
| Constituted | 28 February 2014 | 3 November 2025 (terms of reference 28 October 2025) |
| Report | 19 November 2015 | Due by about May 2027 |
| Effective date | 1 January 2016 | To be decided by the Government |
| Fitment factor | 2.57 | Not decided |
Follow the latest in the 8th Pay Commission news and timeline, and project your pay with the 8th Pay Commission salary calculator.
About This Guide
How the Facts Were Checked
Names, dates and figures are from the Government resolution of 28 February 2014, the Commission's report of 19 November 2015, the Cabinet decision of 29 June 2016 and the allowance orders of July 2017. 8th CPC facts are from the Government's notifications of October and November 2025.
Who This Guide Is For
Central Government employees and pensioners, exam candidates preparing current affairs and polity, and HR and accounts staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the chairman of the 7th Pay Commission?
Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur, a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India and former Chairperson of the Armed Forces Tribunal.
Who were the members of the 7th Pay Commission?
Vivek Rae was the full-time Member, Dr. Rathin Roy the part-time Member and Meena Agarwal the Secretary, with Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur as Chairman.
When was the 7th Pay Commission constituted?
The Government announced it on 25 September 2013, and the resolution constituting it was issued on 28 February 2014.
When did the 7th Pay Commission submit its report?
On 19 November 2015. The Cabinet approved the pay and pension recommendations on 29 June 2016, with effect from 1 January 2016.
What was the fitment factor of the 7th Pay Commission?
2.57, applied uniformly to all levels. Pay in the pay band + grade pay on 31 December 2015 was multiplied by 2.57 and placed in the pay matrix.
What were the minimum and maximum pay under the 7th CPC?
Minimum pay ₹18,000 a month (from ₹7,000); maximum ₹2,25,000 for the Apex Scale and ₹2,50,000 for the Cabinet Secretary.
How many allowances did the 7th CPC abolish?
It examined 196 allowances and recommended abolishing 51 and subsuming 37. The revised allowances took effect from 1 July 2017.
What did the 7th CPC change in pension?
Pension and family pension were revised from 1 January 2016, with existing pensions multiplied by 2.57; the minimum pension became ₹9,000 and the maximum ₹1,25,000. The gratuity ceiling rose from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh.
Who is the chairperson of the 8th Pay Commission?
Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, a retired judge of the Supreme Court. The 8th CPC was constituted on 3 November 2025, with Prof. Pulak Ghosh and Pankaj Jain as members.
When will the 8th Pay Commission report?
Its terms of reference, notified on 28 October 2025, give it 18 months, so the report is due by about May 2027. The date of effect will be decided by the Government.