8th Pay Commission News: November Inflation Data Signals Big DA Move—Is 60% Just The Start?

Key Highlights

• Based on the established formula under the 7th Central Pay Commission, DA had already reached 59.93 per cent by November 2025, just a fraction below the 60 per cent threshold. With only the December 2025 data left to be released, most projections indicate that the outcome is nearly locked in.
• Even if inflation fluctuates modestly in December, the computed DA is expected to cross the 60 per cent mark.
• Since DA hikes are announced in whole numbers, this points to a likely 2 percentage point increase, raising DA from the current 58 per cent to 60 per cent starting January 2026. Could The DA Increase Be Bigger?Employee bodies believe there is room for a steeper hike if inflation remains firm.
• According to Manjeet Singh Patel, president of the All India NPS Employees Federation, if December’s AICPI-IW stays close to November levels, the DA hike could fall in the range of 3 per cent to 5 per cent, states a CNBC report. Scenario-based calculations suggest that if the December index prints around 146–147, DA could move up to 61 per cent.
• A reading closer to 148 could even push DA to 63 per cent.