8th Pay Commission: The first big move after the Centre notified the 8th Pay Commission on November 3 is now set to happen.
The NC-JCM Staff Side — the body that speaks for lakhs of central government employees — has called its Standing Committee members for a crucial meeting on November 15 in New Delhi.
While the official letter issued by Staff Side secretary Shiva Gopal Mishra does not reveal the agenda, this closed-door discussion is expected to shape the employees’ strategy and demands before formal talks with the government begin.
So, what exactly could be discussed? And why is this meeting important for government employees and pensioners? Let’s break it down.
Why this NC-JCM Staff Side meeting on 8th Pay Commission matters
This is the first internal strategy meeting of the NC-JCM Staff Side since the government notified the formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission (8th CPC).
The Staff Side is the recognised platform through which employees negotiate pay, pensions, allowances, service conditions and — during a Pay Commission —nearly every aspect of central government compensation.
A consolidated response is essential before they sit across the table with the government’s Official Side.
What is NC-JCM and how does it function?
The National Council of the Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) is a three-tier system that enables structured dialogue between: Government employees (Staff Side) and Representatives of central ministries (Official Side).
It works at three levels: National Council (Apex body) – where major policy-level issues like Pay Commission matters are taken up; Departmental Councils – for discussions within ministries/ departments; and Regional/Office Councils – for local-level concerns.
The Staff Side consists of representatives from major employee federations and unions.
Their job: protect employee interests and negotiate on issues like pay, pension, allowances and working conditions.
Likely agenda: What the Staff Side may prioritise on Nov 15
Although the letter does not spell out the meeting points, the Staff Side has earlier raised several issues with the government. Some of these are expected to dominate the November 15 discussion.
The NC JCM Staff Side members are likely to revisit several demands they had earlier proposed for inclusion in the ToR. Back in February this year, the Staff Side had submitted a detailed list of issues ranging from pay-level corrections to pension reforms, DA merger, interim relief and health benefits. As the final ToR does not fully reflect many of these expectations, the upcoming meeting may focus on points that were left out or require further clarity.
AIDEF letter to govt over ToR inconsistency
The All India Defence Employees’ Federation (AIDEF) recently wrote to the government, flagging various alleged inconsistencies in the 8th Pay Commission Terms of Reference, notified recently.
The federation wrote to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting the absence of a specific mention of the “date of effect” of the 8th pay panel in the ToR.
It also alleged that the notified ToR is unfair to around 69 lakh pensioners. One of the biggest flashpoints is that the ToR for the 8th Pay Commission do not mention pension revision for around 69 lakh pensioners and family pensioners, it said.
The defence employees’ federation has strongly objected, calling this “unfortunate and unjustified”.
The AIDEF further said that the ToR suggests that the Centre might change the set practice going on for decades where pay panel recommendations have been implemented every 10 years. Also, the 7th Pay Commission ToR had explicitly mentioned the date of implementation of the recommendation – which was 1st January 2016.
Summing up…
The NC-JCM Staff Side’s upcoming meeting on November 15 may look like an internal affair, but what happens inside will directly influence the direction of the 8th Pay Commission.
For many government employees and pensioners, this meeting is where their concerns may begin to take shape as formal demands.
Whether it is pension inclusion, implementation date clarity, or broader pay revisions — the Staff Side now has the task of building a strong, united case before stepping into the official negotiation room.
