8th Pay Commission: The recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission were expected to be implemented from January 2026, but it may be delayed till 2027. The government may approve the Terms of Reference (ToR) next month. The commission’s report is likely to come by the end of 2026.
8th Pay Commission: Central government employees and pensioners were expecting an increase in salary and pension from January 2026 under the 8th Pay Commission. However, their wait may be a bit longer. According to a report by Financial Express, it may be delayed till 2027 instead of January 2026. The reason for this is that the recommendations of the commission may take more time to be implemented.
When will the new pay scale be implemented?
The term of the Pay Commission will officially begin from January 2026. But, the revised pay and pension changes under it will not come into effect until early 2027. However, whenever the new pay scale comes into effect, employees and pensioners will get 12 months of arrears.
According to government sources, the commission may take 15 to 18 months to finalise its recommendations. Apart from this, the commission may also submit an interim report before submitting the final report. But the full report is likely to come only by the end of 2026.
When will the 8th Pay Commission be formed?
According to reports, the Union Cabinet may approve the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 8th Pay Commission next month. The government is in the final stages of the process of forming the commission and the official notification will be issued as soon as the cabinet approves it. After this, the commission will start its work from April 2025.
What has happened so far and what will happen next?
The government had announced the formation of the 8th Pay Commission on 16 January 2025. Since then, many important decisions have been taken regarding the ToR and the process. Recently, the government was questioned in Parliament on the ToR of the commission and the appointment of panel members. In response, the government said that a decision will be taken at an ‘appropriate time’ on the notification, chairman, members and timeline of the commission.
What changes will happen in the 8th Pay Commission?
So far, the staff side of the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) has sent its recommendations for the ToR. It demands major changes in the pay structure, allowances and facilities of government employees and pensioners.
An important recommendation is related to the merger of some pay scales, so that the pay system can be simplified. Also, problems related to career growth can be resolved. The government has also sought suggestions from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on this subject.
What will be the government’s future strategy?
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had sought inputs from the staff side of the National Council (JCM) to finalise the reference rules of the 8th Pay Commission. Now it remains to be seen how much the government implements these recommendations and pays attention to the demands of the employees.
