Overview
- The Government constituted the 8th Central Pay Commission in late 2025 and the panel is now collecting stakeholder input through regional visits after an online MyGov consultation that closed on March 31, 2026.
- The commission posted a notice on its website on May 21 that a key Lucknow consultation is scheduled for June 22–23, 2026 and interested groups must apply for meetings by June 10.
- Major staff bodies including the NC‑JCM and AIDEF have formally demanded a ₹69,000 minimum basic pay while other groups seek large increases in pensions, higher increments, and changes to allowances.
- The Union Cabinet has already approved a 2% rise in dearness allowance effective January 1, 2026, but core choices such as the fitment factor, pay‑matrix redesign and any DA merger remain undecided.
- Officials and union leaders say the commission must balance large demands with long‑term pension liabilities and fiscal limits so recommendations will affect pay, retirement benefits and state wage follow‑ups if acted on.