8th Pay Commission News: Over 1 crore central government employees and pensioners are eagerly awaiting an announcement from the Centre regarding the formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission, which will give its recommendations to revise salaries and pensions of the staff based on the current economic realities in the country.
Recent media reports suggest that the Narendra Modi government might forgo establishing the 8th Pay Commission altogether. Instead, it could introduce a new mechanism to ensure timely salary and pension revisions for central government employees, replacing the traditional pay commission-based approach.
New mechanism to replace 8th Pay Commission for revision of salary, pension for central staff
The government may introduce a new mechanism in place of pay panels for salary revision, suggests an NDTV Profit report. The report, citing employee union leaders, claims that there is a “possibility” of a new method.
There is a possibility that the Centre may resort to a different mechanism, Shiv Gopal Mishra, secretary, staff side of the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery or NC-JCM, was quoted as saying in the report.
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Recently, the National Council (Staff Side) Joint Consultative Machinery (NC JCM) wrote to the Union Cabinet Secretary, requesting “immediate” formation of the new pay commission.
A letter dated December 3 reads that it has been 9 years since the implementation of the 7th CPC recommendations, and the next wage and pension revision is due from January 1, 2026.
Mishra in his letter referred to the historical precedence of a 10-year cycle being maintained since the 4th Pay Commission in 1986 for revising the pay, allowances, pensions, and other benefits of central government employees.
When does the 7th Pay Commission term end?
The 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations were implemented in January 2016. Based on past trends, where the government typically sets up a new pay commission every 10 years, there has been growing anticipation that a new panel would soon be formed to submit its report in time for implementation starting January 2026.
No proposal under consideration for 8th Pay Commission, says Finance Ministry
The Union Finance Ministry recently disappointed central government employees and pensioners by saying that there was no proposal under consideration for setting up the 8th Central Pay Commission.
In the Rajya Sabha, Pankaj Chaudhary, Minister of State for Finance, responded to a query regarding the possibility of the new pay commission. In his response, the minister stated that there was no proposal to initiate the process for the next pay commission.