New Delhi, June 1 -- The fitment factor used during the 7th Pay Commission was set at 2.57 in 2016. Whereas for the 6th Pay Commission, this metric was 1.86, which was about 20 years ago, in 2006.

The fitment factor of the 7th Pay Commission has now become the benchmark for all discussions and views on the upcoming 8th Pay Commission. This gains traction amid nearly a decade of inflationary pressure and rising living expenses, with employees, unions, and pensioners now debating whether the next revision should be significantly higher to offset inflation's impact.

Let us understand this concept in greater depth, along with the demands of employee unions and the way forward for determining the actual number.

To put it simply, a fitment f...