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8th Pay Commission HRA Calculator
Estimate how your House Rent Allowance could change under the 8th Pay Commission. Enter your current 7th CPC basic pay, city class and a fitment factor.
Estimate only. The 8th Pay Commission has not yet recommended a fitment factor or HRA rates. Its report is due by about May 2027. Results here depend on the assumptions you pick.
Calculate your estimated HRA
Current HRA (7th CPC) –
Estimated revised basic pay –
Estimated HRA (8th CPC) –
Change per month / per year –
Current HRA rates under the 7th Pay Commission
HRA for central government employees is a percentage of basic pay, not including DA. The rate steps up as DA crosses fixed levels. DA crossed 50% on 1 January 2024, so the highest rates apply now.
| City class | Start of 7th CPC | DA above 25% | DA above 50% (now) | Minimum HRA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X | 24% | 27% | 30% | ₹5,400 |
| Y | 16% | 18% | 20% | ₹3,600 |
| Z | 8% | 9% | 10% | ₹1,800 |
Example: Level 7 employee (basic pay ₹44,900)
Assuming a fitment factor of 2.28, the revised basic pay would be about ₹1,02,372.
| City | HRA now | 8th CPC, rate resets | 8th CPC, rate unchanged |
|---|---|---|---|
| X | ₹13,470 | ₹24,569 | ₹30,712 |
| Y | ₹8,980 | ₹16,380 | ₹20,474 |
| Z | ₹4,490 | ₹8,190 | ₹10,237 |
8th Pay Commission status (October 2026)
- The Cabinet approved the 8th Pay Commission in January 2025 and its terms of reference on 28 October 2025. It was formally constituted on 3 November 2025.
- It is chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and must report within 18 months, that is by about May 2027.
- Stakeholder memoranda closed in June 2026 and regional consultations are under way.
- The fitment factor, new pay matrix, HRA rates and effective date have not been announced. 1 January 2026 is widely expected as the effective date, with arrears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the 8th Pay Commission announced new HRA rates?
No. The 8th Pay Commission was constituted on 3 November 2025 and is still holding consultations. It has up to 18 months, roughly until May 2027, to submit its report. HRA rates, the fitment factor and the pay matrix will be known only after the government accepts the recommendations.
How is HRA calculated for central government employees today?
Under the 7th CPC, HRA is a percentage of basic pay only (DA is not included): 30% in X cities, 20% in Y cities and 10% in Z cities since 1 January 2024, subject to minimums of ₹5,400, ₹3,600 and ₹1,800.
How does this 8th Pay Commission HRA calculator work?
It multiplies your current 7th CPC basic pay by the fitment factor you choose to estimate the revised basic pay, then applies the HRA rate for your city class. You can choose whether HRA resets to 24/16/8% (as happened at the start of the 7th CPC) or stays at 30/20/10%.
What fitment factor will the 8th Pay Commission use?
It has not been decided. Unofficial estimates range from about 1.92 to 2.86, the 7th CPC used 2.57, and the staff side of the NC-JCM has asked for 3.83. Treat any figure as an assumption until the report is accepted.
Will HRA go back to 24%, 16% and 8% after the 8th Pay Commission?
Possibly. When the 7th CPC began, DA was merged into the new basic pay and HRA started at 24/16/8%, rising to 27/18/9% and 30/20/10% as DA crossed 25% and 50%. The 8th CPC may follow a similar pattern, but nothing has been announced.
Which cities are X, Y and Z for HRA?
X cities are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune (urban agglomerations above 50 lakh population). Y cities have a population of 5 to 50 lakh. All other places are Z.
From when will the 8th Pay Commission be effective?
The effective date has not been notified. Past commissions took effect from 1 January of the year after the previous one ended, so 1 January 2026 is widely expected, with arrears paid once the new pay is implemented.
Is DA included when calculating HRA?
No. Central government HRA is calculated on basic pay alone. DA matters only because it triggers the step-ups in the HRA rate.
Is the HRA I receive fully tax-free?
Not necessarily. Under the old tax regime, the exempt part is the lowest of actual HRA, rent paid minus 10% of salary, and 50% or 40% of salary depending on the city. Under the new regime, HRA is fully taxable. Use the HRA exemption calculator to work out the tax-free part.
Does this calculator apply to state government employees?
Only as a rough guide. State governments set their own pay commissions and HRA rates, which often differ from the central rates used here.