8th Pay Commission: July talks to test pension, pay parity demands

The 8th Pay Commission heads into a critical round of consultations in July with five employee demands on the table, following a May meeting where the Cabinet Secretary flagged them for review.

At the 49th session of the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery on 11 May, the Staff Side pressed for pension revision, restoration of the commuted portion of pension, and a return to the old pension scheme. The Cabinet Secretary recommended those issues be referred to the 8th Pay Commission or examined by the relevant departments.

The other demands include pay parity adjustments, maternity benefit improvements, and a broader reconsideration of allowances. The Staff Side also requested the Commission to revisit salary revision and fitment factor, though no decision has been taken on those yet.

The Commission is scheduled to meet employee associations and unions in Bhubaneswar on 6-7 July and in Kolkata on 9-10 July. If more unions echo the same demands during those sessions, the proposals could gain wider consensus before the Commission finalises its recommendations.

The 8th Pay Commission was constituted on 3 November 2025. It has roughly 10 months left to submit its final report to the government. The July meetings are the first major platform for employee unions to formally raise their concerns since the Commission began its work.

For updates on the 8th Pay Commission, refer to the official website: https://8cpc.gov.in/