The 8th Central Pay Commission has extended the deadline for submission of memorandums to May 31, 2026, providing central government employees and stakeholders with additional time to present their demands. According to an official notice issued by the Commission, authorized and nominated officers across ministries, departments and Union Territories can submit their representations in a structured format through the official portal. The earlier deadline of April 30 has been pushed back following requests from employee representatives, as key issues such as salary revision and pension reforms gain momentum. The Commission is currently engaged in discussions with various employee unions and associations in Delhi from April 28-30, with yesterday's meeting specifically held with the National Council Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) (Staff Side) to understand their demands and proposed suggestions.
The extension comes after multiple employee organisations reported technical issues while uploading their inputs on the portal, as reported by The Financial Express. The Commission stated the move is aimed at ensuring that all stakeholders get a fair opportunity to present their views. The official 8th Pay Commission website faced heavy traffic as employee interest surged, with the portal experiencing slowdowns linked to a surge in traffic as interest around the commission grew. The decision also follows a request from the Staff Side of the National Council-JCM, which represents a wide cross-section of government employees. All submissions must be made online through the official portal in a structured format, with paper-based memoranda, hard copies, PDFs, or emails not being considered by the Commission.
One of the most closely watched demands is the proposal to raise the fitment factor to 3.83, which would determine revised salaries by multiplying existing basic pay. Under the 7th Pay Commission, the fitment factor was set at 2.57, resulting in a minimum basic pay of ₹18,000. If the proposed 3.83 factor is approved, the minimum basic pay could increase to around ₹69,000, marking a significant jump in salaries. Employee representatives have also put forward several proposals, including a 6 per cent annual increment, two additional increments on promotion with a minimum benefit of ₹10,000, and one month's wages as gratuity. The inputs received during this period will play a crucial role in shaping recommendations related to pay structure, allowances, salary payments, pension frameworks, and service conditions for government employees across the country.
The restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) has emerged as another major demand, with employee groups urging the Commission to scrap the National Pension System (NPS) and Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and reinstate the OPS, under which pensions are fully funded by the government. Given its financial implications, this issue is expected to be one of the most debated aspects of the 8th Pay Commission. The NC-JCM has also called for separate hearings for sectors such as railways, defence, postal services, the Income Tax Department, and Audit and Accounts to ensure department-specific concerns are adequately addressed. There are an estimated 7.5 million Central government employees in the country, which includes defence personnel, the Railways, and public sector undertakings (PSUs), while about 69 lakh pensioners in the country are eagerly awaiting the 8th CPC's recommendations.
The consultation process is broad-based, with the Commission inviting inputs from central government employees, defence personnel, All India Services officers, Union Territory staff, judiciary employees, regulatory bodies (excluding RBI), pensioners, service associations and unions. The inputs received during this period will play a crucial role in shaping recommendations related to pay structure, allowances, salary payments, pension frameworks, and service conditions for government employees across the country. The NC-JCM has emphasised the importance of regular consultations with the Commission and suggested a structured schedule for ongoing discussions throughout the review process. Manjeet Singh Patel, President, All India NPS Employees Federation and National Mission for Old Pension Scheme, welcomed the move, stating "We express our gratitude to the Hon'ble 8CPC for extending the final deadline for suggestions on the Eighth Pay Commission from 30 April to 31 May from all organisations, individuals, judiciary, ministries and departments, and appeal to all employees across the country to please send your suggestions to the commission online."
