Central Government employees with disabilities have received an important clarification from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). In an Office Memorandum dated 7 September 2026, the Department clarified that Ministries and Departments may consider granting an advance of up to 80% of the estimated cost of a prescribed aid or assistive device, subject to the overall ceiling of ₹10 lakh every three years.
At the same time, a separate debate is unfolding before the 8th Central Pay Commission, where the Staff Side of the National Council–JCM has demanded restoration of several employee advances that were withdrawn after the 7th Pay Commission—including Festival Advance, Natural Calamity Advance and Four-Wheeler Advance.
These are two separate developments, and employees should not confuse the newly clarified disability-assistive-device advance with the wider advances being demanded before the 8th CPC.
What did the Government clarify on 7 September 2026?
The latest clarification has been issued through O.M. No. P-12015/1/2025-Policy dated 7 September 2026 by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
The clarification came after the Ministry of Civil Aviation, through its O.M. dated 21 August 2026, sought guidance on whether an advance could be sanctioned for employees with disabilities to purchase prescribed aids and assistive devices.
DEPwD referred to its earlier guidelines of 22 September 2025 and stated that there was no objection to allowing advance as a facilitative mechanism.
The new clarification says that Ministries and Departments may consider limiting the advance to:
Up to 80% of the estimated cost of the prescribed device
subject to:
An overall ceiling of ₹10 lakh every three years.
Any excess advance, if eventually found payable back, has to be recovered or adjusted according to applicable financial rules.
Does every employee automatically get ₹10 lakh?
No.
This is the most important clarification for employees.
The Government has not sanctioned an automatic ₹10 lakh payment to every Central Government employee.
The provision relates specifically to employees with disabilities requiring prescribed aids or assistive devices for effective performance of their official duties.
The ₹10 lakh figure is the maximum cost ceiling for assistive-device provision during a three-year period under the 2025 framework. The 2026 clarification permits Departments to consider an advance of up to 80% of the estimated cost within that framework.
For example:
If the prescribed device is estimated to cost ₹5 lakh, an advance may be considered up to ₹4 lakh.
If the estimated cost is ₹10 lakh, an advance may be considered up to ₹8 lakh.
It is therefore incorrect to describe the clarification simply as a “₹10 lakh loan sanctioned for all Central Government employees.”
Why was this advance facility needed?
Under the original DEPwD Office Memorandum of 22 September 2025, assistive devices could already be provided in two ways:
- reimbursement after purchase; or
- direct purchase and supply by the concerned Department.
The latest clarification adds a practical third route—advance payment before purchase.
This can be important because sophisticated assistive technology may involve substantial upfront expenditure. An employee who cannot immediately pay the entire cost would otherwise have to depend on reimbursement after making the purchase or wait for departmental procurement.
Advance payment can therefore make the system more practical and give the employee greater ability to obtain the prescribed device in time.
Which assistive devices can be considered?
The September 2025 guidelines make it clear that there cannot be a “one size fits all” approach. The actual requirement has to be determined according to the employee’s disability, assigned duties and individual needs.
The Government’s illustrative list includes:
- motorised wheelchairs and tricycles;
- high-quality hearing aids;
- low-vision assistive devices;
- prosthetics and orthotics;
- special furniture;
- screen-reading and accessibility software;
- scanners;
- computers and related hardware;
- magnification tools;
- text-to-speech and speech-to-text technologies; and
- specialised accessibility software for different disabilities.
The list is illustrative, not exhaustive. The Department has also stressed that the device should be identified in consultation with the employee and, where required, the concerned National Institute under DEPwD.
What if the device costs more than ₹10 lakh or replacement is required early?
The 22 September 2025 O.M. already provides a route for exceptional cases.
Where:
- the cost goes beyond ₹10 lakh;
- an additional assistive device is required; or
- replacement becomes necessary before completion of three years,
the matter may be referred to DEPwD for comments.
For cases within the normal framework, reimbursement or departmental purchase can be considered by the concerned Ministry or Department with approval at the prescribed level.
This means the ₹10 lakh ceiling should not be interpreted as an absolute prohibition on considering higher-cost exceptional requirements.
Is this advance interest-free?
The 7 September 2026 clarification itself does not state an interest rate or describe the advance as an interest-free loan.
It simply permits Ministries and Departments to consider an advance of up to 80% of the estimated cost, subject to the ₹10 lakh three-year ceiling and existing conditions.
This is important because a separate discussion is taking place before the 8th CPC regarding interest-free employee advances. The two issues should not be mixed.
What happened to the old Central Government employee advances after the 7th CPC?
For decades, Central Government employees had access to several forms of advances.
After the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, the Ministry of Finance issued orders on 7 October 2016 restructuring this system.
A number of interest-free advances were discontinued, including:
- Bicycle Advance;
- Warm Clothing Advance;
- Advance of Pay on Transfer;
- Festival Advance;
- Natural Calamity Advance; and
- Advance of Leave Salary.
At the same time, certain advances such as medical treatment, travel-related advances and LTC-related advances were retained.
A separate order of the same date amended the rules for Personal Computer Advance, while Motor Car Advance and Motorcycle/Scooter/Moped Advance were discontinued. The Department of Expenditure continues to list this 7 October 2016 order in its official archive.
What has NC-JCM now demanded from the 8th Pay Commission?
Almost a decade later, the Staff Side of the National Council–Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) has again raised the issue before the 8th Central Pay Commission.
Its memorandum dated 14 April 2026 argues that employee advances should generally be available without interest and seeks restoration or introduction of several facilities.
Three demands are particularly important.
1. Four-Wheeler Advance up to ₹10 lakh
NC-JCM has proposed that the 8th CPC recommend a Four-Wheeler Advance with a maximum limit of ₹10 lakh.
The Staff Side has asked that the entire advance be interest-free.
This is only a demand before the Pay Commission. It has not yet been sanctioned by the Government.
2. Natural Calamity Advance
The Staff Side has also sought restoration of the earlier Natural Calamity Advance.
Its proposal is:
One month’s Basic Pay
to be recovered in:
24 instalments
and without interest.
The argument is that employees affected by floods, cyclones, heavy rains, droughts and similar disasters may require immediate financial support.
3. Festival Advance
For Festival Advance, NC-JCM has proposed:
Advance equivalent to one month’s Basic Pay
with recovery in:
10 instalments.
The Staff Side has also sought restoration of this facility as an interest-free advance.
The big difference employees must understand
There are currently two very different issues.
Already clarified by Government
Why the 7 September clarification matters?
The real significance of the latest order is not merely the ₹10 lakh figure.
Its importance is that an employee requiring expensive assistive technology may no longer necessarily have to arrange the entire cost first and wait for reimbursement.
By permitting Ministries and Departments to consider up to 80% advance payment, the Government has added a more practical procurement route aimed at providing reasonable accommodation at the workplace.
For Central Government employees more broadly, attention will now remain on the 8th Pay Commission.
Nearly ten years after several old advances were withdrawn following the 7th CPC, the employee side is asking for some of those facilities to return—this time with a strong emphasis on interest-free financial assistance.
Whether the 8th CPC recommends those proposals, and whether the Government eventually accepts them, remains to be seen.
Sources
DEPwD — Official Circulars Page
Official O.M. dated 7 September 2026 — Advance for Assistive Devices
Official O.M. dated 22 September 2025 — Aids and Assistive Devices Guidelines
Department of Expenditure — Advances to Government Servants Archive
NC-JCM Staff Side Memorandum — Advances demanded before 8th CPC
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