New Delhi: Back in January 2025, the Modi government officially announced the formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission—the body responsible for revising salaries, pensions, and allowances of central government employees and pensioners every 10 years.
But even after seven months, there has been no major progress. The key document—the Terms of Reference (ToR), which outlines the commission’s role—is still pending.
Also, no chairman or members have been appointed so far. This delay has raised concerns among more than 1 crore central government employees and pensioners.
Employee unions have already written to the government demanding updates. The Finance Ministry has said it is still collecting inputs from various states, ministries, and staff groups before moving forward with the official notification.
How Long Did the 7th Pay Commission Take?
To understand the current delay better, let’s look at the timeline of the 7th Central Pay Commission:
Announced: 25 September 2013 (UPA Government)
ToR Issued: 28 February 2014 (after 5 months)
Members Appointed: 4 March 2014 (4 days after ToR)
Report Submitted: 19 November 2015 (after 1 year 8 months)
Implementation: 29 June 2016 (7 months after submission; effective from 1 January 2016)
Total Time Taken: Nearly 2 years and 9 months from announcement to implementation.
What to Expect from the 8th Pay Commission Timeline
The 8th Pay Commission was announced on 16 January 2025. If the process follows a similar timeline as the 7th Commission, then final implementation may not happen until late 2027 or early 2028.
So far:
Only the announcement has been made.
The Staff Side of the National Council – JCM, which represents employees, has submitted a draft proposal.
However, the ToR and appointment of members are still awaited.
If the ToR is released by August 2025, and the process runs like last time, the recommendations might only be implemented by January 2028.
Will the Pay Hike Be Backdated?
Yes. Even if the implementation is delayed, the salary and pension hike will likely be retrospective, meaning it will apply from 1 January 2026—just like it was done with the 7th Pay Commission.
