The Dearness Allowance (DA) is the most frequently debated salary component of central government employees. Due to the fact that the DA percentage exceeded 58% in December 2025, there were speculations about it being merged with basic pay under the 7th Pay Commission. The debate was further encouraged by posts on social media and demands from the union, but the government has ultimately unveiled the truth.
What is DA Merger?
The merger of DA is an occasion when the total value of the DA gets included in the basic salary after the DA exceeds a certain limit (usually 50%) which is a way to keep the employees’ real salaries up. These benefits are resulting from the increase in basic pay directly associated with the increase in allowances, pensions, and other benefits. DA was merged during the past pay commissions precisely to counteract the inflation factor.
Rumors on Social Media
In December 2025, a barrage of unverified messages on WhatsApp and a plethora of posts on the web circulated the news that the government had sanctioned a DA merger starting January 2025. These rumors also implied that employees’ salaries would become quite high prior to the 8th Pay Commission. Nevertheless, these assertions were not given any official backing.
Government Clarification
A declaration refuting the rumors was made by the Finance Ministry on the 13th of December, 2025. The confirmation that the DA increases would continue to occur separately along with the assertion that a merger has not been approved under the 7th Pay Commission was made by the officials. The Ministry stressed that the revisions of DA would be twice a year until the 8th Pay Commission comes into being in January 2026.
Employee Union Demands
Employee unions have been at the forefront of calling for a DA merger, maintaining that inflation has wiped off the real wages. As a result of this, unions are saying that the merger would be the quickest way to relief the situation. But the government has delay this claim, giving the reason of the economic downturn and the forthcoming 8th Pay Commission.
Reality Check: DA Trends
DA went as high as 119% under the 6th Pay Commission (2006–2015) in July 2015. On the other hand, the 7th Pay Commission (2016–2025) is ending with a lower DA of 58%, which is much less compared to the previous cycles. This gap has led to a lot of frustration among the employees but the government continues to insist that the 8th Pay Commission will tackle the issue of salary revisions in a comprehensive manner.
Latest Information Table
| Aspect | 6th Pay Commission | 7th Pay Commission | Current Status (Dec 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DA Peak | 119% (2015) | 58% (2025) | Last hike of 3% in July 2025 |
| DA Merger | Approved at 50% | Not approved | Govt rejected merger demand |
| Employee Impact | Higher basic pay | DA separate | Awaiting 8th Pay Commission |
| Next Revision | 2016 (7th CPC) | 2026 (8th CPC) | Effective Jan 1, 2026 |
Expert Views
Merging DA with the salary would result in a significant government spending hike at present, according to economists, especially since there are over 1.2 crore employees and pensioners. Waiting for the 8th Pay Commission, which will comprehensively revise the pay scales, is the advice from policy experts. Unions, on the other hand, continue to demand for prompt relief.
Conclusion
Talks of the DA Merger related to the 7th Pay Commission are more in the form of rumor than reality. The government has, in fact, rebuffed the merger proposals made by the employees, notwithstanding their demands and the buzz on social media. The employees will continue to receive the DA hikes separately until the 8th Pay Commission commences in January 2026.