The Jammu & Kashmir Employees' Federation has submitted a comprehensive plea to the 8th Pay Commission for a 3.05 fitment factor and a minimum basic pay of ₹55,000. According to reports, Federation President Rafeeq Malik outlined these demands during the Commission's visit to Srinagar, where he submitted a memorandum to 8th Pay Commission Chairperson Ranjana Prakash Desai. The federation argues that the proposed revision is essential to address rising living costs and reflect the needs of larger family units, with the organization representing National Pension System (NPS) employees from the union territory. The 8th Pay Commission is currently visiting Leh-Ladakh on June 9 as part of its nationwide consultations, where it will meet local employees' groups, defence personnel, and administrative representatives to understand concerns related to pay structure, allowances, and pensions.
The federation's calculation methodology reveals significant differences in family structure assumptions. As reported, the current salary structure is based on three family units, whereas the revised calculation should account for five family members, including dependent parents. Based on this expanded family unit concept, the federation estimated a minimum pay of ₹30,000, which rises to ₹47,400 after merging the current 58% dearness allowance. Factoring in a 20% to 25% increase in nutritional and consumption costs, the federation calculated a need-based minimum pay range of ₹55,000-60,000. The proposed calculation methodology shows ₹6,000 per unit × 5 units = ₹30,000 for the revised basic pay structure.
The federation has recommended several structural changes to improve employee compensation. According to the memorandum, the federation seeks to increase the annual increment rate from the current 3% to 6%, arguing that the existing provision does not ensure meaningful income growth over time. On dearness allowance calculations, the body demanded an end to the practice of rounding down Consumer Price Index-linked figures and sought full incorporation of actual inflation data. Additionally, the federation proposed revised HRA rates, a 10% hard-zone allowance for employees serving in difficult areas, and pay-scale upgrades for teachers, headmasters and zonal education officers. The federation also recommended merging dearness allowance with basic pay, with HRA rates for X, Y and Z cities set at 30%, 20% and 10% respectively.
The federation's comprehensive proposals extend beyond basic pay revisions. As reported, the memorandum also includes demands for merger of Dearness Allowance (DA) with basic pay, enhanced House Rent Allowance (HRA), restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), and increased retirement age for school teachers. According to the memorandum, the federation recommends that the minimum basic pay (for a Level-1 employee) should be fixed in the range of ₹50,000 to ₹60,000, with ₹55,000 may be adopted as the minimum assured benchmark for practical implementation. The federation also suggested pay scale changes for zonal education officers to be equivalent to principals, abolition of existing teacher designations, and pay scales of masters brought at par with naib tehsildars. The 8th Pay Commission has extended the deadline for submitting suggestions to June 15, with the government officially setting up the commission on November 3, 2025.
