The 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) introduced the concept of a fitment table to rationalise pay fixation for Central Government employees. At its core lies the adoption of a uniform fitment factor of 2.57, ensuring that all existing pay was multiplied by this factor to arrive at the new pay levels. This shift was a response to the inconsistencies of the 6th CPC, where grade pay and irregular spacing of pay bands created disparities across cadres. By standardising the fitment factor, the 7th CPC brought transparency, equity, and simplicity to the pay structure, ensuring a more balanced progression for employees across different levels.
The 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) was constituted in February 2014 under the chairmanship of Justice A.K. Mathur with a mandate to review the pay, allowances, and benefits of Central Government employees, including defence personnel, railways, and pensioners. It aimed to create a fair, sustainable, and transparent compensation system for the public workforce. The Commission submitted its report in November 2015, and its recommendations came into effect from 1st January 2016.
In the 7th Pay Matrix, adoption of a uniform fitment factor of 2.57, replacement of grade pay with a simplified Pay Matrix, rationalisation of allowances, raising the minimum pay to ₹18,000 per month, and revising pensions in line with the new scales. The 7th CPC’s scope covered nearly 48 lakh employees and 55 lakh pensioners, making it one of India’s most comprehensive compensation reforms, designed to ensure equity, transparency, and simplicity across all cadres.
Here’s the fitness factor of the 7th pay commission, explained:
A multiplier applied to the existing basic pay (including grade pay) to fix the revised pay in the 7th CPC pay matrix.
In the 7th CPC, this multiplier was set at 2.57.
Employee’s basic pay under the 6th CPC × 2.57 = Revised pay in 7th CPC.
Ensured uniform application across all cadres and levels.
Based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and projected inflation.
Designed to maintain real wages while keeping government finances sustainable.
6th CPC used different fitment factors for different pay bands, leading to disparities and anomalies.
7th CPC introduced a single uniform fitment factor to promote equity, transparency, and ease of implementation.
The 7th CPC Fitment Table serves as a conversion chart to fix revised pay by calculating the old basic pay (including grade pay) under the 6th CPC to the new Pay Matrix levels. Its structure reflects the functional hierarchy of posts, with distinct levels ensuring clarity in rank and pay progression. The table standardises increments within each level, offering a transparent growth path for employees. The uniform fitment factor of 2.57 was applied to existing pay to arrive at the new scales. The minimum pay of ₹18,000 was determined using a need-based formula that considered living costs, CPI, and financial feasibility for the government.
The Pay Matrix under the 7th Central Pay Commission is designed as a single fitment table containing 760 cells. It is structured into 19 columns and 40 rows, where the horizontal axis (Levels 1 to 18) represents the functional hierarchy of roles in government service. The vertical axis reflects the pay progression within each level, capturing the annual increment of 3%. The entry-level pay in the matrix is based on the 15th ILC norms, also known as the Aykroyd formula, which determines the minimum pay benchmark for government employees.
Here is a concise and structured version of the pay matrix table under 7th CPC:
| Cell (Step) | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18,000 | 19,900 | 21,700 | 25,500 | 29,200 |
| 2 | 18,500 | 20,500 | 22,400 | 26,300 | 30,100 |
| 3 | 19,100 | 21,100 | 23,100 | 27,100 | 31,000 |
| 4 | 19,700 | 21,700 | 23,800 | 27,900 | 31,900 |
| 5 | 20,300 | 22,400 | 24,500 | 28,700 | 32,900 |
| 6 | 20,900 | 23,100 | 25,200 | 29,600 | 33,900 |
| 7 | 21,500 | 23,800 | 26,000 | 30,500 | 34,900 |
| 8 | 22,100 | 24,500 | 26,800 | 31,400 | 35,900 |
| 9 | 22,800 | 25,200 | 27,600 | 32,300 | 37,000 |
| 10 | 23,500 | 26,000 | 28,400 | 33,300 | 38,100 |
| 11 | 24,200 | 26,800 | 29,300 | 34,300 | 39,200 |
| 12 | 24,900 | 27,600 | 30,200 | 35,300 | 40,400 |
| 13 | 25,600 | 28,400 | 31,100 | 36,400 | 41,600 |
| 14 | 26,400 | 29,300 | 32,000 | 37,500 | 42,800 |
| 15 | 27,200 | 30,200 | 33,000 | 38,600 | 44,100 |
| 16 | 28,000 | 31,100 | 34,000 | 39,800 | 45,400 |
| 17 | 28,800 | 32,000 | 35,000 | 41,000 | 46,800 |
| 18 | 29,700 | 33,000 | 36,100 | 42,200 | 48,200 |
| 19 | 30,600 | 34,000 | 37,200 | 43,500 | 49,600 |
| 20 | 31,500 | 35,000 | 38,300 | 44,800 | 51,100 |
| 21 | 32,400 | 36,100 | 39,400 | 46,100 | 52,600 |
| 22 | 33,400 | 37,200 | 40,600 | 47,500 | 54,200 |
| 23 | 34,400 | 38,300 | 41,800 | 48,900 | 55,800 |
| 24 | 35.400 | 39,4.00 | 43,100 | 50,400 | 57,500 |
| 25 | 36,500 | 40,600 | 44,400 | 51900 | 59,200 |
| Cell (Step) | Level 6 | Level 7 | Level 8 | Level 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35,400 | 44,900 | 47,600 | 53,100 |
| 2 | 36,500 | 46,200 | 49,000 | 54,700 |
| 3 | 37,600 | 47,600 | 50,500 | 56,300 |
| 4 | 38,700 | 49,000 | 52,000 | 58,000 |
| 5 | 39,900 | 50,500 | 53,600 | 59,700 |
| 6 | 41,100 | 52,000 | 55,200 | 61,500 |
| 7 | 42,300 | 53,600 | 56,900 | 63,300 |
| 8 | 43,600 | 55,200 | 58,600 | 65,200 |
| 9 | 44,900 | 56,900 | 60,400 | 67,200 |
| 10 | 46,200 | 58,600 | 62,200 | — |
| Cell (Step) | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 56,100 | 67,700 | 78,800 |
| 2 | 57,800 | 69,700 | 81,200 |
| 3 | 59,500 | 71,800 | 83,600 |
| 4 | 61,300 | 74,000 | 86,100 |
| 5 | 63,100 | 76,200 | 88,700 |
| 6 | 65,000 | 78,500 | 91,400 |
| 7 | 66,900 | 80,900 | 94,100 |
| 8 | 68,900 | 83,300 | 96,900 |
| 9 | 70,900 | 85,800 | 99,800 |
| 10 | 73,000 | 88,400 | — |
| 11 | 75,100 | 91,100 | — |
| 12 | 77,300 | 93,800 | — |
| Cell (Step) | Level 13 | Level 13A | Level 14 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,23,100 | 1,31,100 | 1,44,200 |
| 2 | 1,26,800 | 1,35,000 | 1,48,500 |
| 3 | 1,30,600 | 1,39,100 | 1,53,000 |
| 4 | 1,34,500 | 1,43,300 | 1,57,600 |
| 5 | 1,38,500 | 1,47,600 | 1,62,300 |
| 6 | 1,42,700 | 1,52,000 | 1,67,200 |
| 7 | 1,47,000 | 1,56,600 | 1,72,200 |
| 8 | 1,51,400 | 1,61,300 | 1,77,400 |
| 9 | 1,55,900 | 1,66,100 | 1,82,700 |
| 10 | 1,60,600 | 1,71,100 | 1,88,200 |
| 11 | 1,65,400 | 1,76,200 | 1,93,800 |
| 12 | 1,70,400 | — | — |
| Cell (Step) | Level 15 | Level 16 | Level 17 | Level 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,82,200 | 2,05,400 | 2,25,000 | 2,50,000 |
| 2 | 1,87,700 | 2,11,600 | — | — |
| 3 | 1,93,300 | 2,17,900 | — | — |
| 4 | 1,99,100 | 2,24,400 | — | — |
| 5 | 2,05,100 | — | — | — |
| 6 | 2,11,300 | — | — | — |
| 7 | 2,17,600 | — | — | — |
| 8 | 2,24,100 | — | — | — |
You can directly access the Official 7th CPC Fitment table by following these steps:
Go to the Department of Expenditure (DoE) site → open Archive → Pay-related matters (or Orders → Central Pay Commission). Find the item titled “The Seventh Central Pay Commission – Resolution No. 1-2/2016-IC (25-07-2016)” and open the PDF. Department of Expenditure
In that PDF, scroll to Annexure / Appendix-I: “Pay Matrix (Civilian Employees)”—this is the official fitment table. You can download/print it from there.
To cross-verify context (minimum pay, effective date, etc.), read the Resolution text inside the same file; it records the Government’s adoption of the Pay Matrix w.e.f. 1 January 2016. DOPT Circulars
If you need a department/UT copy, open the PFMS (Public Financial Management System) version of the Pay Matrix; the UT Ladakh Pay Matrix PDF is hosted on PFMS and mirrors the 7th CPC structure. PFMS
For fixation rules and worked steps, refer to the MoF/CGDA implementation circular that explains how to place pay in the revised matrix (useful while applying the 2.57 factor)
The 7th CPC Fitment Table, also called the Pay Matrix, is a single consolidated chart introduced in 2016 that merges pay bands and grade pay into structured levels, showing pay progression for central government employees.
The fitment factor is a multiplier of 2.57, applied to the basic pay (including grade pay) from the 6th CPC to arrive at the new pay in the 7th CPC matrix.
Your pay matrix level is determined by your grade pay in the 6th CPC or your post/designation. Each grade pay was mapped to a specific level in the 7th CPC
The pay structure is recommended by the Central Pay Commission and finalised by the Government of India through the Ministry of Finance.
All central government civilian employees, defence personnel, and pensioners drawing pay under the 6th CPC are eligible for fixation under the 7th CPC.
Yes. MACP (Modified Assured Career Progression) grants upgradations in pay levels after fixed service intervals, which means an employee may move to a higher pay level in the Fitment Table even without a regular promotion.
