Central government employees have received a major gift ahead of Diwali. The central government has approved the payment of a non-productivity-linked bonus (Non-PLB)—also known as an 'ad-hoc bonus'—to central government employees for the financial year 2025-26. According to an Office Memorandum issued by the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance on October 15, 2026, eligible employees will receive a bonus equivalent to 30 days' wages. However, a ceiling of ₹7,000 has been set as the maximum monthly salary for the purpose of calculating this bonus.

This decision will benefit Group C and non-gazetted Group B employees who are not covered under any productivity-linked bonus scheme.

Which employees are eligible for the bonus?
As per the government order, the following employees are eligible for the ad-hoc bonus:

Eligible Group C employees of the central government.
Non-gazetted Group B employees who are not covered under any other productivity-linked bonus scheme.
Eligible personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and the Armed Forces.
Eligible employees of Union Territories that follow the same pay structure as the central government, provided they are not covered under any other bonus or ex-gratia payment scheme.
What are the conditions for the bonus?
Employees must meet certain criteria to avail of this bonus:

1. Minimum of six months of service: An employee must be in service as of March 31, 2026. Additionally, they must have completed at least six months of continuous service during the financial year 2025-26. The bonus will be paid on a pro-rata basis for eligible service periods ranging from six months to one year.

2. Calculation based on a ₹7,000 ceiling: The bonus will be calculated based on either the employee's average monthly salary or the prescribed ceiling of ₹7,000—whichever is lower. According to the government's example, if a limit of ₹7,000 is applied for the calculation, the amount for a 30-day bonus would be as follows:

7,000 × 30 ÷ 30.4 = ₹6,907.89

In other words, the employee will receive a bonus of approximately ₹6,908. The actual payment will depend on the employee's eligibility and the specific calculation.

Benefits for casual employees
The order also includes provisions for a bonus for eligible casual employees. In offices with a six-day work week, employees who have worked for at least 240 days each year for three or more consecutive years may be eligible.

For offices with a five-day work week, the requirement is to have worked for at least 206 days each year. For such eligible employees, the bonus will be calculated based on a monthly limit of ₹1,200.

Based on this, the amount for a 30-day bonus would be ₹1,184. If an employee's actual monthly salary is less than ₹1,200, the bonus will be calculated based on their actual salary.

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