Diwali Bonus 2026: Rs 6,908 Ad-hoc Bonus and Rs 17,951 Railway PLB Likely, Order Awaited
No Diwali bonus order for 2026 yet. At the Rs 7,000 ceiling, central staff would get Rs 6,908 and railway staff up to Rs 17,951. Who is eligible and when.
Key highlights
- As of 13 October 2026, no bonus order for 2025-26 has been issued
- At the Rs 7,000 monthly ceiling, the 30-day ad-hoc bonus works out to Rs 6,908
- Railway staff got a 78-day PLB of up to Rs 17,951 last year
- Last year the railway PLB was approved on 24 September 2025
- Staff side unions want a Rs 21,000 ceiling, which would make the ad-hoc bonus Rs 20,724
In this article
The Diwali bonus for Central Government employees has not been announced yet. As of 13 October 2026, there is no Department of Expenditure order for the ad-hoc bonus and no Cabinet approval for the railways’ Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) for 2025-26. If the government keeps last year’s Rs 7,000 calculation ceiling, Group C and non-gazetted Group B staff would get Rs 6,908, and railway staff up to Rs 17,951.
The bonus paid around Dussehra and Diwali is for the previous financial year. So the 2026 Diwali bonus is the bonus for 2025-26, and it depends on your service between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026.
Who gets which bonus?
| Who | Bonus | Days | Amount at Rs 7,000 ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group C and non-gazetted Group B staff not under a PLB scheme | Ad-hoc (non-productivity linked) bonus | 30 days | Rs 6,908 |
| Non-gazetted railway staff | Productivity Linked Bonus | 78 days | Up to Rs 17,951 |
| Central Armed Police Forces and Armed Forces personnel | Ad-hoc bonus, when the order is extended to them | 30 days | Rs 6,908 |
Gazetted officers do not get either bonus. Some departments, such as Posts and defence production units, have their own productivity linked bonus schemes, with separate orders.
How is the Rs 6,908 ad-hoc bonus calculated?
The bonus is 30 days’ emoluments, worked out on your average monthly emoluments or Rs 7,000, whichever is lower. Since every pay level now starts above Rs 7,000, the ceiling decides the amount for almost everyone.
Rs 7,000 × 30 ÷ 30.4 = Rs 6,907.89, rounded to Rs 6,908
The 30.4 is the average number of days in a month, which the bonus orders use.
Do you need a full year of service?
You must meet two conditions from last year’s order:
- You were in service on 31 March 2026.
- You put in at least six months of continuous service during 2025-26.
If you worked between six months and a full year, you get a pro-rata share for the number of months.
Worked example: an employee who joined on 1 July 2025 has nine months of service in 2025-26. The bonus is Rs 6,908 × 9 ÷ 12 = Rs 5,181.
How much will railway employees get?
Railway staff get a Productivity Linked Bonus, not the ad-hoc bonus. On 24 September 2025, the Cabinet approved 78 days’ wages for 10,91,146 non-gazetted employees, at a cost of Rs 1,865.68 crore. The maximum was Rs 17,951 per employee.
It covers staff such as track maintainers, loco pilots, guards, station masters, technicians, pointsmen and other Group C staff. The PLB is paid every year before the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays.
The days and the ceiling were the same in 2024, when the Cabinet approved the bonus on 3 October. A 78-day bonus is expected again this year, but the amount is final only when the Cabinet approves it.
When will the 2026 bonus be paid?
Last year the railway PLB was approved on 24 September 2025, and the ad-hoc bonus order followed on 29 September 2025. This year both are later than that.
Dussehra falls on 20 October 2026 and Diwali on 8 November. The orders usually come before the Dussehra holidays, so an announcement is expected within days. Departments then pay the bonus with the salary or as a separate credit, often before Diwali.
Will the bonus ceiling go up to Rs 21,000?
The staff side of the National Council (JCM) has asked for the bonus to be calculated on Rs 21,000 a month instead of Rs 7,000. That would raise the 30-day ad-hoc bonus to Rs 21,000 × 30 ÷ 30.4 = Rs 20,724.
The government has not accepted the demand. Unless the 2026 order says otherwise, expect the Rs 7,000 ceiling and Rs 6,908.
What else is due this festival season?
The DA hike from July 2026, expected to take DA from 60% to 63%, is also awaiting Cabinet approval. Read our report on DA/DR at 63% from July 2026 for the rupee gain at your pay level, and see the latest government orders for the bonus order once it is issued.
Frequently asked questions
Has the Diwali bonus for 2026 been announced?
Not as of 13 October 2026. Neither the Department of Expenditure order for the ad-hoc bonus nor the Cabinet approval for the railway Productivity Linked Bonus for 2025-26 has been issued.
How much is the ad-hoc bonus for central government employees?
If the Rs 7,000 calculation ceiling stays, it is Rs 6,908 for 30 days: Rs 7,000 multiplied by 30 and divided by 30.4. Staff with six to eleven months of service get a pro-rata amount.
Who gets the ad-hoc bonus?
Group C and non-gazetted Group B employees who are not covered by a productivity linked bonus scheme. Last year's order was also extended to Central Armed Police Forces and Armed Forces personnel.
How much bonus do railway employees get?
Last year the Cabinet approved a Productivity Linked Bonus of 78 days' wages for non-gazetted railway staff, up to Rs 17,951 per employee. The 2026 decision is still awaited.
Will the bonus ceiling be raised to Rs 21,000?
It is a demand from the staff side of the National Council (JCM). The government has not agreed to it, so expect the Rs 7,000 ceiling unless an order says otherwise.
Sources
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