The Central Government has approved a non-productivity-linked ad hoc bonus of up to ₹6,908 for eligible employees for the 2025–26 accounting year. The Ministry of Finance’s Department of Expenditure issued the approval on October 15, 2026, sanctioning a bonus equivalent to 30 days of emoluments for qualifying employees. The maximum payout is calculated using a monthly emoluments ceiling of ₹7,000, meaning the amount an employee receives depends on the applicable calculation and eligibility rules.
The bonus primarily covers Group C and non-gazetted Group B Central Government employees who are not covered by a productivity-linked bonus scheme. Eligible personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and Armed Forces are also covered, along with qualifying employees of certain Union Territory administrations. Employees generally need to have been in service on March 31, 2026, and completed at least six months of continuous service during the accounting year. Those who meet the requirements for only part of the year may receive a proportionate payment.
Key Takeaways
- Maximum bonus: Eligible employees can receive up to ₹6,908 for 2025–26 under the standard 30-day calculation.
- Calculation ceiling: Monthly emoluments are capped at ₹7,000 for calculating the standard bonus.
- Who qualifies: Eligible Group C and non-gazetted Group B employees not covered by productivity-linked bonus schemes, along with specified personnel and qualifying Union Territory employees.
- Minimum service: Employees generally need six months of continuous service during 2025–26 and must have been in service on March 31, 2026.
- Pro-rata payment: Eligible employees with six months to less than a full year of qualifying service receive a proportionate amount.
- Casual labourers: Separate eligibility rules apply, with a maximum standard calculation of approximately ₹1,184 for 30 days.
- Railway employees: Their productivity-linked bonus is governed by a separate scheme and calculation.
What Has the Government Announced?
The Department of Expenditure issued an Office Memorandum dated October 15, 2026, approving a non-productivity-linked ad hoc bonus for the accounting year 2025–26.
The order provides a bonus equivalent to 30 days of emoluments for eligible employees. It applies to Central Government employees in Group C and non-gazetted Group B who are not covered by a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) Scheme.
The benefit also extends to eligible personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and Armed Forces. Qualifying employees of Union Territory administrations that follow the Central Government’s emolument structure may also receive the payment, provided they are not covered by another bonus or ex-gratia scheme.
The payment is called an ad hoc or non-productivity-linked bonus because it is not calculated using the same productivity-based formula used by certain government departments. Instead, the amount follows the prescribed 30-day calculation and the conditions set out in the official memorandum.
Employees should check their department’s implementation instructions to confirm their eligibility and the applicable payment process.
How Much Bonus Will Employees Receive?
The maximum standard bonus is ₹6,908. The amount is derived from a monthly calculation ceiling of ₹7,000 and a 30-day bonus period.
The government uses the lower of the employee’s average monthly emoluments and the prescribed ₹7,000 ceiling for the calculation. Therefore, employees whose average monthly emoluments exceed ₹7,000 do not receive a higher bonus under this formula.
The calculation is:
Bonus = Monthly emoluments used for calculation × 30 ÷ 30.4
Using the full ₹7,000 ceiling:
₹7,000 × 30 ÷ 30.4 = ₹6,907.89
After rounding to the nearest rupee, the maximum standard payment becomes ₹6,908.
Bonus calculation examples
| Monthly emoluments used for calculation | Bonus for 30 days |
|---|---|
| ₹7,000 or more | ₹6,908 |
| ₹6,000 | Approximately ₹5,921 |
| ₹5,000 | Approximately ₹4,934 |
| ₹4,000 | Approximately ₹3,947 |
| ₹3,000 | Approximately ₹2,961 |
These are illustrative calculations for a full 30-day bonus, rounded to the nearest rupee. The actual payment depends on the employee’s qualifying average emoluments, service period and applicable rules.
The amount is a one-time bonus for the accounting year, not a monthly salary increase. It should also not be confused with a change in basic pay, dearness allowance or another component of government compensation.
Who Is Eligible for the ₹6,908 Bonus?
The official order sets out the main categories and service conditions for receiving the bonus.
1. Group C employees
Group C Central Government employees who are not covered by a productivity-linked bonus scheme are within the main eligible category, subject to the service requirements.
2. Non-gazetted Group B employees
Eligible non-gazetted Group B employees may also receive the bonus if they are not covered by a PLB scheme.
3. Central Armed Police Forces and Armed Forces personnel
The order extends the benefit to eligible personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and Armed Forces. Department-specific implementation and eligibility rules may apply.
4. Certain Union Territory employees
Employees of Union Territory administrations that follow the Central Government’s emolument structure may qualify if they are not covered by another bonus or ex-gratia scheme.
5. Employees with six months or more of service
The general eligibility conditions require employees to have been in service on March 31, 2026, and to have completed at least six months of continuous service during 2025–26.
Employees who have completed at least six months but less than a full year of qualifying service can receive a pro-rata payment. The service period is counted in months, rounded to the nearest month as specified in the order.
Meeting the service requirement alone does not automatically qualify every government employee. The employee must also fall within a covered category and not be excluded by the applicable bonus-scheme conditions.
What If an Employee Joined During 2025–26?
Employees who joined during the accounting year may still qualify if they meet the minimum service requirement and other eligibility conditions.
For example, an employee who completed eight months of qualifying continuous service during 2025–26 may receive a proportionate bonus rather than the full 30-day amount.
The amount depends on the qualifying service period and the average emoluments used for calculation. The employee’s department must apply the rules in the official memorandum to determine the final payment.
Employees who completed less than six months of qualifying service generally do not meet the minimum service requirement under the standard rule.
The order also addresses special circumstances involving temporary appointments, retirement, death, deputation, transfers and periods of leave. These cases are not all treated identically, so employees in such situations should refer to the memorandum’s annexure or seek clarification from their establishment or accounts section.
For example, certain employees who superannuated, retired on medical invalidation or died before March 31, 2026, may qualify on a pro-rata basis if they completed at least six months of regular service during the accounting year. Other departures or service arrangements may be subject to different conditions.
What About Casual Labourers?
Casual labourers are covered under separate conditions and a lower calculation ceiling.
To qualify, casual labourers working in offices following a six-day week must generally have completed at least 240 days of work in each year for three or more years. In offices following a five-day week, the requirement is at least 206 days in each year for three or more years.
For eligible casual labourers, the calculation ceiling is ₹1,200 per month. A full 30-day bonus at this ceiling is calculated as follows:
₹1,200 × 30 ÷ 30.4 = ₹1,184.21
After rounding, the maximum payment under this calculation is ₹1,184. If actual monthly emoluments are below ₹1,200, the calculation uses the lower actual amount.
Casual labourers should therefore not assume that they will receive the same ₹6,908 payment available under the standard calculation for eligible employees.
How Is This Different From the Railway Employees’ Bonus?
The ₹6,908 ad hoc bonus is different from the productivity-linked bonus announced for eligible non-gazetted Railway employees for 2025–26.
Railway employees covered by the separate scheme have been approved a bonus calculated on the basis of 78 days of wages. The reported standard payout under that scheme is ₹17,591 per eligible employee.
| Feature | Standard ad hoc bonus | Railway productivity-linked bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Covered group | Eligible Group C and non-gazetted Group B employees and other specified categories | Eligible non-gazetted Railway employees |
| Basis | 30 days of emoluments | 78 days of wages |
| Reported maximum or standard amount | Up to ₹6,908 under the ₹7,000 monthly calculation ceiling | ₹17,591 under the announced calculation |
| Scheme type | Non-productivity-linked ad hoc bonus | Productivity-linked bonus |
The two payments follow different schemes and calculation methods. The difference does not mean that every Railway employee qualifies for ₹17,591 or that every other government employee qualifies for ₹6,908. Eligibility depends on the employee’s category and the applicable order.
When Will the Bonus Be Paid?
The Department of Expenditure issued the sanction on October 15, 2026. The expenditure is to be met from the sanctioned budget provisions of the concerned ministries and departments for the financial year 2026–27.
The memorandum establishes the government’s approval, but employees should consult their respective departments for the payment schedule and administrative processing.
The order does not establish a single confirmed credit date for every employee across all departments. Timing may depend on departmental procedures and the processing of eligible employee records.
Employees should check official communications from their department, drawing and disbursing officer or accounts section for updates about the release of funds.
What Should Employees Check Before Expecting Payment?
Employees can use the following checklist to understand whether they may qualify:
- Confirm that their post and employee category fall within the covered groups.
- Check whether they are covered by a productivity-linked bonus or another bonus or ex-gratia scheme.
- Verify that they meet the minimum continuous-service requirement for 2025–26.
- Confirm whether they were in service on March 31, 2026, or fall under a specific exception in the order.
- Check the average emoluments used by their department for the calculation.
- Confirm whether a pro-rata calculation applies.
- Consult the official memorandum and departmental instructions if they were on deputation, transferred, retired or employed temporarily.
The official order is available through the Department of Expenditure’s website under its circulars and orders for October 15, 2026.
The Bigger Picture
The ad hoc bonus provides a one-time payment to eligible Central Government employees ahead of the festive season, but its value is constrained by a calculation ceiling that has remained a point of debate among employee representatives. The ₹6,908 maximum is a result of the prescribed ₹7,000 monthly ceiling and 30-day formula, rather than a percentage of an employee’s full salary.
The announcement also highlights why different government employee groups may receive different bonus amounts. Productivity-linked schemes, ad hoc bonuses and special categories operate under separate rules. Employees should therefore rely on the applicable official order rather than comparing headline amounts without checking eligibility and calculation methods.
What Happens Next?
The next step is the implementation of the October 15 order by the concerned ministries and departments. Eligible employees should look for departmental instructions on verification, processing and the timing of the payment. Employees with unusual service histories, including deputation, retirement or transfers, may need to check the memorandum’s annexure to determine how their cases are handled.
For the 2025–26 accounting year, the maximum standard ad hoc bonus remains ₹6,908 under the notified calculation. The final amount may be lower for employees whose qualifying average emoluments are below the ceiling or whose service period attracts a pro-rata payment. Casual labourers are subject to separate eligibility conditions and a lower calculation ceiling.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the maximum bonus for central government employees for 2025–26?
The maximum standard non-productivity-linked ad hoc bonus is ₹6,908 for eligible employees under the 30-day calculation and ₹7,000 monthly emoluments ceiling.
2. Who is eligible for the ₹6,908 bonus?
The main covered categories are eligible Group C and non-gazetted Group B Central Government employees who are not covered by a productivity-linked bonus scheme. Specified Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel and qualifying Union Territory employees are also covered.
3. What is the minimum service required?
Employees generally must have completed at least six months of continuous service during 2025–26 and been in service on March 31, 2026. Eligible employees with between six months and one year of service receive a proportionate amount.
4. Will every eligible employee receive ₹6,908?
No. ₹6,908 is the maximum standard amount under the ₹7,000 monthly calculation ceiling. Employees with lower average emoluments or a shorter qualifying service period may receive less.
5. How much bonus can eligible casual labourers receive?
The standard calculation uses a monthly ceiling of ₹1,200, producing a maximum 30-day bonus of approximately ₹1,184. Casual labourers must also meet separate work-day and service-history conditions.
6. Is the Railway bonus the same as the ₹6,908 ad hoc bonus?
No. Eligible non-gazetted Railway employees are covered by a separate productivity-linked bonus scheme, which uses a 78-day wage calculation. The reported standard payout is ₹17,591, subject to that scheme’s rules.
Get the day’s top stories in your inbox
One concise email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
