Central govt yet to form 8th Pay Commission
India’s Eighth Pay Commission remains unformed nearly 10 months after approval, prompting central employee organizations to press for immediate action. The Central Secretariat Service Forum wrote to the Prime Minister, noting that the Seventh Pay Commission received nearly two years for study before implementation, while the current commission faces a December 2025 deadline with no structure in place.
The forum urged authorities to appoint a chairman and members, and to set a start date to ensure recommendations arrive on time. Officials approved the commission in January 2025 but have issued no formation notification, raising concerns about meeting the proposed January 2026 implementation target for benefits affecting more than 5 million workers and 6.5 million retirees.
Past commissions typically required two years between formation and implementation. If established in November, recommendations might not arrive until November 2027, with implementation potentially delayed until January 2028, though government sources suggest an expedited timeline could deliver results within one year.
Authorities may implement recommendations retroactively from January 2026, mirroring the Seventh Pay Commission’s June 2016 approval, with an effective date of January 2016.
