Railway employees may soon receive good news under the 8th Pay Commission. A major proposal suggests that the minimum basic salary could be increased to around ₹52,600.
Various government employee groups are currently submitting their demands to the commission.
Among them, the Indian Railway Technical Supervisor Association (IRTSA) has made a strong case for improving salaries, allowances, and retirement benefits for railway technical staff.
Demand for 5 Different Fitment Factors
One of the biggest demands is to introduce not one, but five different fitment factors based on job level.
IRTSA argues that employees at different levels have different responsibilities, skills, and work pressure. So, using the same formula for everyone is not fair.
Here is the proposed fitment structure:
Level L-1 to L-5: 2.92
Level L-6 to L-8: 3.50
Level L-9 to L-12: 3.80
Level L-13 to L-16: 4.09
Level L-17 to L-18: 4.38
New Salary Structure for Technical Staff
The association has also suggested a revised salary structure for technical supervisors.
Proposed salaries include:
Junior Engineer (Level 7): ₹1,57,400
Senior Section Engineer (Level 8): ₹1,66,800
Head SSE (Level 9): ₹2,01,600
Chief SSE (Level 10): ₹2,13,000
Principal SSE (Level 11): ₹2,57,000
Along with this, the minimum salary demand has been set at ₹52,600.
Increment and Promotion Benefits
IRTSA has asked for better growth opportunities for employees.
Annual increment of 5%
Promotion increment equal to two years’ growth
Five promotions in 30 years (at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 years)
Changes in DA and Cost of Living Calculation
The association has proposed creating a separate Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate Dearness Allowance (DA).
It also wants daily life expenses like internet bills, bottled water, and health insurance to be included.
Key demands include:
DA should be tax-free
50% of DA should be added to basic salary
HRA May Be Revised into 4 Categories
Currently, HRA is divided into 3 categories. IRTSA wants this changed to 4 categories:
A Class Cities: 40% + DA
B Class Cities: 30% + DA
C Class Cities: 20% + DA
D Class Cities: 10% + DA
Big Changes in Allowances
Several changes have been proposed in allowances:
Night Duty Allowance (NDA):
Formula: (Basic + DA) / 200 for all employees
Remove the ₹43,600 limit
Children Education Allowance (CEA):
Coverage till post-graduation
₹10,000 per month or actual expenses
Travel & Daily Allowance:
Proposed to be increased up to 3 times compared to the 7th Pay Commission
Leave and Retirement Benefits
IRTSA has also suggested major changes in leave and retirement rules:
50% leave encashment allowed
Increase leave limit from 300 to 600 days
For retirement:
Bring back Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for employees hired after 2004
Increase gratuity limit to ₹50 lakh
Changes in Group Insurance
The association has demanded improvements in the CGEGIS scheme:
Lower premium
Higher coverage of ₹50 lakh, ₹25 lakh, and ₹15 lakh
Why These Demands Matter
IRTSA believes railway technical staff deserve better pay and benefits due to their skills, experience, and job risks.
All these proposals are now with the 8th Pay Commission. The final decision will be taken after reviewing these demands, which could bring significant changes to salaries and benefits for railway employees.
