New Delhi, Oct. 27 -- As Diwali approaches, eligible central government employees are awaiting their productivity-linked bonus payments. The Centre has approved a 30-day ad-hoc bonus for the financial year that ended in March 2026 (FY26), which is typically released in October, during the peak festival season. Based on a monthly emolument ceiling of Rs.7,000, the maximum 30-day payout works out to Rs.6,908.

The government, which had 3.66 million civilian employees as of March 2025, has not disclosed how many are expected to receive the bonus. Mint explains who qualifies for the bonus and how the payout is calculated.

The bonus is available to central government employees in Group C and non-gazetted Group B categories, but excludes Group...