Central government employees and pensioners are anticipated to receive a 2 percentage point increase in dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) effective January 1, 2026. This projection is based on the latest All-India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW) data for November 2025, which indicates the DA is nearing the 60% mark. The official announcement is expected around March or April 2026, with arrears to be paid retrospectively.