8th Pay Commission News: The delay in fixing the terms of reference of the 8th Central Pay Commission and the appointment of its chairman and members is creating an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty among the pensioners of the central government.
This issue has now been taken up seriously by the Bharat Pensioners Samaj (BPS), and it has written a letter to the Ministry of Finance and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) demanding immediate action.
BPS is one of the oldest and largest federations representing pensioners and senior citizens across the country.
The government had announced the formation of the 8th Pay Commission in January 2025, which was a long-standing demand of the pensioners and employees. It was expected that the government would decide its ToR by April and appoint the chairman and members and direct the commission to start work, so that the panel can submit its report by mid-2026 and after that the process of salary and pension revision can start.
But with no progress till mid-June, the chances of implementation of the commission’s recommendations in 2026 have also diminished, considering the fact that under previous commissions, it took more than 2 years to implement the recommendations.
‘Rumours and confusion’ are fuelling tension among pensioners, says BPS
The letter sent by the BPS to the finance minister and DoPT secretary reads:
“…the lack of further progress — notably the non-finalization of the Terms of Reference and the absence of announcements regarding the Chairman and Members of the Commission has led to growing unease.”
“The prolonged delay is fuelling rumours, speculations, and misunderstandings, causing anxiety and uncertainty among government pensioners. Unverified information circulating on various media and social platforms is creating confusion and adversely affecting morale.”
The letter makes three major demands from the government:
“Given the criticality of the situation, we humbly request your good offices to kindly expedite the necessary steps,” writes the pensioners’ body. These steps are following:
-Early finalization of the Terms of Reference (ToR),
-Prompt appointment of the Chairman and Members of the 8th CPC, and
-Ensuring representation of pensioners in the Commission.
BPS has written that “Clear and timely communication will not only dispel rumors and reassure stakeholders but will also facilitate the smooth and effective functioning of the Commission to deliver its recommendations on schedule.”
Also read: New CGHS rules: Big reforms coming; key facilities central govt employees should know about
Employee organizations had also expressed displeasure
Earlier also, many employee unions had expressed concern about the delay in the 8th Pay Commission and appealed to the government to speed up its process. The unions say that previous commissions – like the 6th and 7th Pay Commissions – have taken an average of 18 to 24 months to submit the report. In such a situation, even if the process starts today, the report and its implementation may take time till mid-2027.
What is the next step?
Now the eyes of the pensioners are fixed on the next step of the government. Will the Finance Ministry approve the ToR soon? Will there be any announcement on the structure of the Commission? And most importantly – will the hopes of millions of employees and pensioners become a reality again?
For the time being, uncertainty remains. But activism from organisations like BPS has brought the issue back into the spotlight – now it has to be seen how the government moves ahead and takes transparent action to restore employees and pensioners’ trust.