Central government employees are waiting for the implementation of the 8th pay commission, which has already been notified, and are expecting salary hikes.
The term of the 7th pay commission, set at 10 years, is ending this month. As the wait for the new implementation continues, minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary has shared an update in the Parliament regarding the same.
The new pay panel, which will revise the salaries and pensions of the employees, has already been constituted, and its terms of reference (ToR) have been notified.
When will the 8th Pay Commission come into effect?
Minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary told the Lok Sabha on Monday that the timing and funding of the 8th Pay Commission will be decided later. He was responding to a query during the question hours in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.
“The 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) has already been constituted. The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 8th Central Pay Commission have been notified vide ministry of finance’s Resolution dated 03.11.2025. The number of Central Government employees is 50.14 lakh, and the number of pensioners is approximately 69 lakh. The date of implementation of the 8th Central Pay Commission shall be decided by the government. The government will make appropriate provision of funds for implementing the accepted recommendations of the 8th CPC," Chaudhary said in response to the question about whether the government proposes to implement the 8th Pay Commission with effect from January 1, 2026, according to News18.
The minister added that the commission will make its recommendations within 18 months from the date of its constitution.
The 8th Pay Commission
{{/usCountry}}The minister added that the commission will make its recommendations within 18 months from the date of its constitution.
The 8th Pay Commission
{{/usCountry}}The 8th Pay Commission was announced by the central government earlier this year, in January.
Headed by retired Justice Ranjana Desai, the 8th Pay Commission is expected to submit the recommendations on salaries, basic pay and fitment factor within 18 months.
The 7th Pay Commission came into effect on January 1, 2016, and pay commissions typically operate on a 10-year cycle. That makes 2026 the natural year for revising pay structures. However, News18 reported that the timeline of implementation could be delayed by at least two years due to delays in appointments, ToR clarification, and the overall process.
The Terms of Reference (ToR), along with the names of its members and chairperson, were announced in October 2025, nine months after the announcement of the new pay panel.