The Ministry of Finance has released the non-productivity-linked bonus (non-PLB), ad hoc bonus, or the annual bonus for central government employees and casual labourers.

As per the ministry’s statement dated October 15, 2026, central government employees in Group ‘C’ and all non-gazetted employees in Group ‘B’, who are not covered by any productivity-linked bonus scheme (PLB), will get the non-PLB bonus equivalent to 30 days of emoluments for the accounting year 2025-26.

The bonus amount for central government employees will be Rs 6,908 each, which has been calculated at 30 days of wages and a bonus wage ceiling of Rs 7,000.

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Central Para Military Forces and Armed Forces employees will also get non-PLB bonus

The Finance Ministry says that eligible employees of Central Para Military Forces and Armed Forces will also get the non-PLB bonus.

Employees of the Union Territory (UT) administration who follow the central government pattern of emoluments and are not covered by any other bonus or ex-gratia scheme will also get this non-PLB bonus.

Service conditions for central government employees to get non-PLB bonus for 2025-26

Only those employees who were in service as of March 31, 2026, and had completed at least six months of continuous service during the year 2025-26 will be eligible for the bonus.

A pro rata payment will be admissible to the eligible employees for a continuous service period during the year, from six months to a full year.

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In such a case, the eligibility period, in terms of the number of months, will be rounded off to the nearest number of months.

How Rs 6,908 non-PLB bonus will be calculated for such employees

The quantum of non-PLB will be worked out on the basis of average emoluments or bonus ceiling, whichever is lower.

To calculate the bonus for one day, the average emoluments in a year will be divided by 30.4 (average number of days in a month).

This will, thereafter, be multiplied by the number of days (30) for which the bonus is granted.

To illustrate, taking the ceiling of monthly emoluments of Rs 7,000 (where actual average emoluments exceed Rs 7,000), non-PLB (ad-hoc bonus) for 30 days would work out to-

Rs 7,000 X 30/30.4 = Rs 6,907.89 (rounded off to Rs 6,908).

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Non-PLB bonus for casual labour

The casual labour working in offices and following a six-day week for at least 240 days for each year for three years or more (206 days in each year for three years or more in the case of offices observing a five-day week) will also be eligible for this the-PLB payment.

How non-PLB bonus will be calculated for casual labour

For such workers, the amount of the bonus payable will be (Rs 1,200 X 30/30.4 = Rs 1,184.21 (rounded off to Rs 1,184).

In cases where the actual emoluments fall below Rs 1,200 per month, the amount will be calculated on the basis of actual monthly emoluments.

All payments under these orders will be rounded off to the nearest rupee, says the ministry in the order.