The prospect of the 8th Pay Commission has sparked intense speculation and debate across the country, as the tenure of the 7th Pay Commission draws to a close. However, the Union Finance Ministry recently clarified that there are currently no plans to establish the 8th Central Pay Commission, dismissing ongoing speculation. This announcement has come as a significant letdown for over 1 crore central government employees and pensioners, dashing their hopes.

Pankaj Chaudhary, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, has clarified that there are currently no plans to establish a new pay commission, as stated in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, the National Council (Staff Side) Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) has appealed to the Union Cabinet Secretary to establish the 8th Central Pay Commission without delay. This move comes on the heels of the finance ministry’s statement. The Staff Side of the NC-JCM states that nine years have passed since the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission’s recommendations, and as per standard practice, the next review of wages and pensions to take effect from January 1, 2026.

Shiva Gopal Mishra, Secretary, NC-JCM noted, “The 7th Central Pay Commission was constituted on February 28, 2014, nearly two years before its implementation on January 1, 2016. With only a year left for the next revision, there is no justification for further delay.” He said, “the Pay Commissions used to take almost 2 years period for submitting their final report to the government and the government takes 3 to 6 months for considering and implementing its recommendations.”

8th Pay Commission: Will Salaries Rise By 186%?

Mishra earlier mentioned that the upcoming Pay Commission may likely consider implementing a fitment factor of “at-least 2.86”. If the government approves this fitment factor, it would lead to a substantial 186% hike in the minimum salary, elevating it from the existing Rs 18,000 to Rs 51,480. Additionally, keeping the same fitment factor, the minimum pension for central government employees could rise from Rs 9,000 to Rs 25,740.

However, The central government’s clarification has sparked widespread disappointment and uncertainty among central government employees and pensioners. The future prospects of establishing a new pay commission remain uncertain and bear close watching.

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