Post by : Badri Ariffin

New Delhi, October 28: The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC), setting the stage for the next big salary revision for nearly 50 lakh central government employees and 69 lakh pensioners.

Headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, the Commission will submit its recommendations within 18 months, paving the way for implementation from January 1, 2026.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the decision during a Cabinet briefing, confirming that the ToR had been finalised after extensive consultations with ministries, state governments, and the Joint Consultative Machinery representing government staff.

The 8th Pay Commission will review and recommend new pay structures, allowances, and pension benefits, ensuring compensation keeps pace with inflation and evolving economic conditions. The panel will also consider the principles governing dearness allowance (DA), which is revised every six months to offset the impact of rising prices.

Apart from Justice Desai as chairperson, the Commission includes Professor Pulak Ghosh as member and Pankaj Jain as member-secretary.

The Centre sets up a pay commission roughly every ten years to revise remuneration for government employees. The 7th Pay Commission, constituted in February 2014, came into effect on January 1, 2016, bringing significant structural changes to government pay scales.

As anticipation builds over the upcoming recommendations, the 8th Pay Commission marks another crucial step in aligning public sector salaries with current economic realities—offering much-needed relief and recognition to millions of government employees across India.

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