8th Pay Commission: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday 28 October approved the formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission. After this approval from the Cabinet, lakhs of central government employees and pensioners have got a big relief. After the approval of the 8th Pay Commission in January, 2025, the Pay Commission has now been officially constituted.

The commission will present its recommendations in 18 months

The 8th Central Pay Commission will be a temporary body. The Commission will consist of a Chairman, a Member (Part Time) and a Member-Secretary. The commission will be headed by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. This commission will submit its recommendations within 18 months from the date of formation. If necessary, the Commission may consider sending an interim report on any matter once the recommendations are finalized. On the basis of these recommendations, the 8th Pay Commission will be implemented in the country.

The Commission will keep these 5 things in mind while making recommendations

• The economic condition of the country and how much fiscal discipline will be required.
• What will be required to provide adequate resources for developmental expenditure and welfare measures?
• What will be the unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes?
• What impact may the Commission's recommendations have on the finances of state governments, which will generally adopt these recommendations with some modifications.
• Salary structure, benefits and working conditions available to employees of Central Public Sector Undertakings and Private Sector.

When will the 8th Pay Commission be implemented?

After the formation of the 8th Pay Commission by the government, its recommendations will come into effect from January 1, 2026. However, in case of delay, the government can also make them retroactive (effective from previous date).

Who will benefit from the 8th Pay Commission?

About 50 lakh central employees and 65 lakh pensioners will get direct benefits from the 8th Pay Commission. Overall, after its implementation, the salary and pension structure of more than 1.15 crore people will improve.

How much can the salary increase with the 8th Pay Commission?

The exact figure related to the 8th Pay Commission will be decided only after the recommendations of the Commission are implemented, but it is believed that the basic salary may increase by 30 to 35%.

Pay commission is implemented every 10 years

The government implements a new pay commission every 10 years. The 7th Pay Commission was implemented from January 1, 2016. At the same time, now the 8th Pay Commission is to be implemented from January 1, 2026.