The 8th Pay Commission has commenced its two-day stakeholder consultations in Kolkata today, running until July 10, 2026, marking another crucial step in the government's comprehensive feedback collection process. These meetings follow the Commission's consultations in Bhubaneswar on July 6-7, 2026, where it interacted with associations, employee unions, pensioners and other stakeholders. The Kolkata consultations represent the latest milestone in a series of discussions that have already been held in Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Srinagar and Ladakh. As per Mint, these meetings are crucial for collecting feedback, ideas and views before making final decisions on recommendations regarding salaries, allowances, and pensions for serving employees and pensioners.
The most critical issue likely to dominate Kolkata consultations is the demand for a higher fitment factor revision, with most unions seeking a multiplier between 2.86 and 3.833, compared with 2.57 under the 7th Pay Commission. The Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS) has proposed an even more ambitious 4x fitment factor, resulting in a minimum basic salary of ₹72,000. The National Council (JCM) Staff Side (NCJCM) has specifically proposed a fitment factor of 3.833 in their submissions. This metric is particularly important as it determines the revised basic pay, with unions seeking an increase from the current ₹18,000 minimum basic pay to significantly higher levels depending on the fitment factor decision.
The 8th Central Pay Commission has granted a one-month extension for Central government ministries, departments and Union Territories to submit employee-related data through its online portal, extending the deadline to July 31, 2026. According to an order issued on Monday, the extension was necessitated as several ministries and departments were unable to submit the required details within the earlier deadline. The Commission stated that this additional time will help government organisations complete the information required for the ongoing review of pay and service conditions. The extension aims to ensure comprehensive data collection as the Commission continues its preliminary exercise.
Beyond fitment factor discussions, participating unions are expected to put forth comprehensive demands including restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) alongside concerns over the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). Other key changes likely to be discussed include House Rent Allowance (HRA) reclassification for cities in West Bengal and the Northeast, Dearness Relief parity improvements, better medical facilities for pensioners, and major changes to the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme. The Commission had invited stakeholders attending the Kolkata consultations to submit memoranda through its official portal, with the deadline extended to June 15, 2026 as per a notification on the 8th Pay Commission's website dated June 29.
The 8th Pay Commission was introduced by the Central Government in January 2025 and constituted on November 3, 2025, with an 18-month deadline to submit its recommendations. As per its Terms of Reference, the Commission will assess the country's economic conditions, economic realities, fiscal sustainability, government finances, pension liabilities, pay structures in Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs), private-sector compensation and broader service conditions before finalising its report. The Kolkata consultations are therefore not expected to produce immediate decisions on pay hikes, but represent another crucial stage in the Commission's nationwide stakeholder outreach, with feedback expected to influence final recommendations that will determine the future pay, allowances and pension structure for lakhs of central government employees and pensioners.
