Diwali Bonus 2026 for Central Government Employees: Who Gets What

Who gets what

Group	Days	Maximum	Basis	Status
Central Government Group C and non-gazetted Group B, not under a PLB scheme (including eligible CAPF and Armed Forces staff)	30	Rs 6,908	Department of Expenditure O.M., 15 Oct 2026	Official
Casual labour who qualify	30	Rs 1,184	Same O.M. (Rs 1,200 x 30 / 30.4)	Official
ESIC Group C	60	Rs 13,816	ESIC O.M., 16 Oct 2026	Official
Department of Posts: MTS, Group C, non-gazetted Group B, and Gramin Dak Sevaks	60	Rs 13,816	Posts order of 16 Oct 2026	Reported (order not opened)
Railway non-gazetted staff (about 11.4 lakh)	78	Rs 17,951	Cabinet, 14 Oct 2026 (PIB)	Official

Group A and gazetted Group B officers are not covered by the ad-hoc order. Staff who are under a productivity-linked bonus scheme do not also get the 30-day ad-hoc bonus.

The Rs 7,000 ceiling and the formula

The order works on average monthly emoluments, but caps them at Rs 7,000 for the calculation. Because most central staff earn more than that, nearly everyone gets the same maximum.

Bonus = (average monthly emoluments or Rs 7,000, whichever is lower) ÷ 30.4 × days of bonus.

For the 78-day railway bonus the Cabinet release states the maximum, Rs 17,951. This site uses that figure and does not derive it.

Try your own numbers in the Diwali bonus calculator.

Eligibility

• You must have been in service on 31 March 2026 and have rendered at least six months of continuous service during 2025-26.
• Service from six months to a full year gets a pro-rata amount, in terms of the nearest number of months.
• Employees who retired on superannuation or on invalidation on medical grounds, or died, before 31 March 2026 are covered as a special case if they completed at least six months of regular service in the year, pro rata.
• Employees on deputation to State Governments, public sector undertakings and others are generally paid by the borrowing organisation under its own scheme.
• Casual labour need the required days of work: 240 days a year for three years or more in six-day-week offices, and 206 days in five-day-week offices.

All of this is from the Annexure to the Department of Expenditure order. Read it for your case, because it deals with leave without pay, suspension and transfers between departments.

When is it paid?

The Department of Expenditure order sets no payment date. ESIC told its offices to complete payment within five working days of its memorandum. Other offices pay on their own schedule.

Common mistakes

• Expecting more than the ceiling gives. A higher basic pay does not raise a ceiling-based bonus.
• Forgetting that railway staff, Posts staff and ESIC staff have separate orders and day counts.
• Assuming a bonus for staff who joined after 30 September 2025 without checking the six-month rule.
• Treating a union demand for a higher ceiling as a decision. The NC-JCM request is reported but no change has been announced.

Official sources

• Department of Expenditure O.M. dated 15 October 2026
• PIB: Cabinet approves PLB for 78 days to railway employees (14 Oct 2026)
• ESIC O.M. of 16 October 2026

FAQ

Pay levels and roles

Salary scenarios for the 8th Pay Commission, by level and by role. Every figure is a scenario, not an official number.

By pay level

• Level 1
• Level 2
• Level 3
• Level 4
• Level 5
• Level 6
• Level 7
• Level 8
• Level 9
• Level 10
• Level 11
• Level 12
• Level 13
• Level 14
• Level 15
• Level 16
• Level 17
• Level 18

By role

• Loco Pilot
• Assistant Loco Pilot
• Station Master
• TTE
• Railway Running Staff
• Railway Group D
• MTS
• LDC / UDC
• KVS Teacher
• CAPF Constable

The full 7th CPC pay matrix