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8th Pay Commission: Deadline Extended, Basic Pay, Pension Demands Explained
The 8th Pay Commission has begun formal consultations with central government employee bodies. A key development is the extension of the memorandum submission deadline to May 31, 2026, along with a push for online submissions only and several salary and pension demands.
Why It Matters
The outcome could influence salaries, pensions, allowances, and working conditions for lakhs of central government employees, including a debate over reviving the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and a higher minimum basic pay.
Timeline
3 Events
April 28, 2026: NC-JCM outlines key demands for the 8th CPC
April 28, 2026
NC-JCM highlighted several demands to influence the 8th Pay Commission’s final report, including a fitment factor of 3.83, a push to bring back the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), separate hearing time for different employee federations, field visits to risky workplaces, and a fixed timetable for regular discussions.
April 28, 2026: Online submission required; offline formats rejected
April 28, 2026
The Commission stated that memorandums must be submitted only through the official online portal in a structured format. It rejected the possibility of accepting PDFs, Word files, emails, or hard copies, and noted that authorised nodal officers may submit inputs separately under a structured category.
April 28, 2026: NC-JCM meets 8th Pay Commission and seeks deadline extension
April 28, 2026
Chairperson Ranjana Prakash Desai met the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM). NC-JCM pressed to extend the memorandum submission deadline from April 30 to May 31, 2026, and the Commission accepted this request, extending the deadline to May 31, 2026.