Diwali gift for these railway employees: 30-day non-productivity-linked bonus approved; know eligibility, calculation

The Ministry of Railways has approved a 30-day non-productivity-linked bonus for Group 'C' personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) for the financial year 2025-26. The bonus will be equivalent to 30 days' emoluments and will be payable without any wage eligibility ceiling.

According to the circular released on 2 November, “the President has accorded sanction to grant ad-hoc bonus equivalent to 30 (thirty) days' emoluments for the financial year 2025-26 to all Group 'C' RPF/RPSF personnel.”

However, a calculation ceiling of ₹7,000 per month will apply to determine the bonus amount, as revised with effect from 1 April 2014.

The Non-Productivity Linked Bonus (or ad-hoc bonus) will be calculated based on the employee's average monthly emoluments or the prescribed calculation ceiling, whichever is lower.

The monthly average emoluments will first be divided by 30.4 (the average number of days in a month) to arrive at the one-day bonus amount. This figure will then be multiplied by the number of bonus days granted.

The circular illustrates that where the actual average monthly emoluments exceed ₹7,000, the calculation ceiling of ₹7,000 will apply. Accordingly, the 30-day non-PLB (ad hoc) bonus will amount to ₹6,907.89 ( ₹7,000 × 30/30.4), rounded off to ₹6,908. All payments will be rounded off to the nearest rupee.

According to the circular, the following conditions must be met:

• The employee must have been in service on 31 March 2026.
• The employee must have completed at least six months of continuous service during the financial year 2025-26.
• Employees who have completed between six months and one year of service will receive the bonus on a pro-rata basis.
• The eligibility period will be calculated based on the number of months of service, rounded to the nearest month.

“All the Group 'C' RPF/RPSF personnel, regardless of whether they are in uniform or out of uniform and regardless ofplace oftheir posting, shall be eligible for ad-hoc bonus in terms of these orders.”

The accompanying annexure provides clarifications on the eligibility of employees in different service situations.

• Temporary employees: Employees appointed on a purely temporary ad hoc basis are eligible, provided there is no break in service, and they meet the minimum six-month service requirement.
• Employees who retired or died before 31 March 2026: As a special case, employees who superannuated, retired on medical invalidation or died before 31 March 2026 will be eligible if they completed at least six months of regular service during the year.
• Employees on deputation: Employees deputed to state governments, Union Territory administrations or public sector undertakings will not receive the bonus from their lending departments. The borrowing organisation will be responsible for payment.
• Employees on reverse deputation: Employees from state governments, UT administrations, or public sector undertakings who are on reverse deputation with the Central Government are eligible, provided they do not receive any additional incentives beyond the deputation allowance and their lending authorities have no objection.
• Employees on leave: Periods of half-pay leave, leave not due, and study leave will count towards the eligibility period. However, extraordinary leave (EOL) and dies non will be excluded.
• Employees under suspension: Subsistence allowance will not be treated as emoluments. Eligibility will depend on reinstatement and whether the employee receives emoluments for the suspension period.
• Part-time employees: Employees engaged on a part-time basis for nominal fixed payment are not eligible.

Sheetal Goel is a Content Producer at Livemint, where she covers corporate developments, personal finance, business trends, markets, and SEBI-related updates. She focuses on simplifying complex financial concepts and presenting them in a clear, reader-friendly manner, thereby helping audiences better understand investment trends, personal finance, and market developments. Her writing focuses on making finance more accessible to everyday readers while maintaining clarity, accuracy, and relevance. <br><br> She holds a degree in Economics (Hons.) along with an MBA in Finance, which has helped her develop a strong foundation in financial analysis, market understanding, and business reporting. Before joining journalism, she worked with finance and broking firms, where she closely followed market developments, investment strategies, and evolving industry trends. This practical exposure strengthened her understanding of financial markets. She has also written content across multiple formats and platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. <br><br> Over time, she has developed expertise in covering market-linked stories, investor-focused topics, and regulatory updates in a simplified yet informative style. She also enjoys reading and listening to Hindi poetry, reflecting her appreciation for literature and creative expression beyond the world of markets and numbers.

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