Diwali Bonus Calculator for Central Government Employees
Short answer
Last checked · 4 key figures from the fact register
Key facts
| Fact | Value | Source | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad-hoc bonus 2025-26 (Central staff) | 30 days; ceiling Rs 7,000 a month; up to Rs 6,908 Official source | Department of Expenditure O.M. dated 15 October 2026: ad-hoc bonus 2025-26 (doe.gov.in) (opens in a new tab) | |
| ESIC bonus 2025-26 | 60 days, up to Rs 13,816 (Group C) Official source | ESIC O.M. dated 16 October 2026: PLB for 2025-26 (opens in a new tab) | |
| Railway PLB 2025-26 | 78 days; up to Rs 17,951; 11.4 lakh staff Official source | PIB: Cabinet approves Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) for 78 days to Railway Employees (opens in a new tab) | |
| Department of Posts bonus 2025-26 | 60 days, up to Rs 13,816, incl. GDS (reported) Reported by reputable sources | Times Now Hindi: postal staff annual bonus 2025-26 (opens in a new tab) |
The 2026 ad-hoc bonus for central Group C and non-gazetted Group B staff is worked out on a monthly pay ceiling of ₹7,000, divided by 30.4 and multiplied by the days of bonus. Choose 30 days (ad-hoc), 60 days (Posts and ESIC), 78 days (railway PLB) or your own number of days, enter your pay and months of service, and see the amount with the formula.
Your Diwali bonus
₹6,908
- Days of bonus
- 30
- Pay counted (after ceiling)
- ₹7,000
- Bonus for one day
- ₹230.26
- Months of service counted
- 12
- Full-year amount
- ₹6,908
How it is calculated
- Pay counted = the lower of your monthly pay and the ₹7,000 ceiling
- Bonus for one day = pay counted ÷ 30.4
- Bonus = one-day bonus × days of bonus × months of service ÷ 12 (full year = 12 months), rounded to the nearest rupee
- Under 6 months of service: no bonus. For 78 days the amount is held to the Cabinet's stated maximum, ₹17,951.
- This follows the Department of Expenditure order of 15 October 2026. Posts, ESIC and Railways have their own orders; your office pays the final amount.
Estimates for information only; not financial, tax or legal advice.
Worked example
Example (the default inputs): basic pay ₹56,100, 30 days and 12 months of service. The pay counted is capped at ₹7,000, so the one-day amount is ₹7,000 ÷ 30.4 = ₹230.26 and the bonus is ₹230.26 × 30 = ₹6,908. With 6 months of service the bonus is ₹6,908 × 6 ÷ 12 = ₹3,454. At 60 days the amount is ₹13,816. At 78 days the result is held to ₹17,951, the maximum in the Cabinet's press release.
Frequently asked questions
Why does everyone get the same amount?
Because the order caps monthly pay at ₹7,000 for the calculation, and most central staff earn more than that. A higher basic pay does not raise a ceiling-based bonus.
Who is eligible?
Employees who were in service on 31 March 2026 and completed at least 6 months of continuous service in 2025-26. Between 6 and 12 months the bonus is pro rata, in terms of the nearest number of months. Group A and gazetted Group B officers are not covered.
Does this cover railway, Posts and ESIC staff?
It applies each scheme's days. Railways pay 78 days up to ₹17,951 (Cabinet release, 14 October 2026), ESIC pays 60 days up to ₹13,816, and the Department of Posts 60-day order is reported but we did not open it. Your own office pays the final figure.
Is the result exact?
It follows the Department of Expenditure formula and rounds to the nearest rupee. The order works on average emoluments and your accounts office decides the final amount, so treat this as an estimate.
Related perks
- Leave Encashment for Central Government Employees
- LTC (Leave Travel Concession) for Central Government Employees
- CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) Medical Cover
Sources and status
Each figure on this page comes from the fact register. What the badges mean.
- Official sourcechecked 2026-10-26
Department of Expenditure Office Memorandum dated 15 Oct 2026 (Non-Productivity Linked Bonus for 2025-26): 30 days' emoluments for Group C and non-gazetted Group B Central Government employees not covered by a Productivity Linked Bonus scheme, including eligible employees of Central Armed Police Forces and Armed Forces. Calculation ceiling Rs 7,000 a month: bonus for one day = average emoluments (or the ceiling, whichever is lower) divided by 30.4, times the days granted; for 30 days at the ceiling Rs 7,000 x 30 / 30.4 = Rs 6,907.89, rounded to Rs 6,908. Only employees in service on 31 Mar 2026 with at least six months' continuous service in 2025-26 are eligible, pro rata (nearest month) between six and twelve months. Casual labour with the required days of work: Rs 1,200 x 30 / 30.4 = Rs 1,184
Department of Expenditure O.M. dated 15 October 2026: ad-hoc bonus 2025-26 (doe.gov.in)
- Official sourcechecked 2026-10-26
ESIC Office Memorandum A-28012/6/2022-E-III dated 16 Oct 2026, following Ministry of Labour approval of 15 Oct 2026: Productivity Linked Bonus of 60 days' wages, maximum Rs 13,816, for eligible Group C employees of the Corporation for 2025-26, with at least six months of service in the year; payment within 5 working days of the memorandum
- Official sourcechecked 2026-10-26
PIB, 14 Oct 2026: the Union Cabinet approved a Productivity Linked Bonus of 78 days for Rs 2,009.61 crore to 11,40,770 railway employees (about 11.40 lakh non-gazetted staff). The maximum amount payable per eligible railway employee is Rs 17,951 for 78 days
PIB: Cabinet approves Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) for 78 days to Railway Employees
- Reported by reputable sourceschecked 2026-10-26
Times Now Hindi reports that a Department of Posts order of 16 Oct 2026 grants 60 days' bonus, up to Rs 13,816, to regular MTS, Group C and non-gazetted Group B staff, and as ex-gratia to regular Gramin Dak Sevaks, calculated on the Rs 7,000 ceiling
(Unconfirmed) The Department of Posts order itself was not opened
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
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- Level 16
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By role
Estimates for information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Disclaimer.