8th Pay Commission: What Is Decided and What Is Not

Everything below, except the figures in the news, is from the Government’s own records, linked where it is used. Last checked on 28 October 2026.

What is decided

• There is an 8th Central Pay Commission. It was set up by a Gazette resolution of 3 November 2025: Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai is its Chairperson, Prof. Pulak Ghosh its Member (part-time) and Pankaj Jain its Member-Secretary. Its headquarters are in Delhi (Gazette resolution).
• It has 18 months. “The Commission will make its recommendations within 18 months of the date of its constitution.” It may also send interim reports. Eighteen months from 3 November 2025 runs to about May 2027, by our count.
• What it looks at. Pay, allowances, bonus schemes, gratuity and pensions of central government employees, the armed forces, the All India Services and some others. It must keep in view “the economic conditions in the country and the need for fiscal prudence”, money for development and welfare, “the unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes”, the effect on state finances, and pay in public sector undertakings and the private sector.
• It has its own website, 8cpc.gov.in, where it posts its notices.

What is not decided

• The fitment factor. No figure has been announced. Asked in the Lok Sabha on 10 August 2026 whether the fitment factor had been finalised, the Government answered: “The 8th Central Pay Commission has not submitted its recommendations to the Government yet” (answer to question 3456).
• The new pay matrix and the minimum pay. The resolution sets neither.
• The start date. The Government said that, by the usual ten-year pattern, the effect of the recommendations “would normally be expected from 01.01.2026” (PIB, 28 October 2025), and told Parliament that “The date of implementation of the 8th Central Pay Commission shall be decided by the Government” (Lok Sabha, 8 December 2025).
• What happens to DA, HRA and other allowances. Until the new pay starts, DA keeps being paid on 7th CPC pay; the Cabinet raised it from 60% to 63% from 1 July 2026 on 28 October 2026 (Cabinet decision). In 2016, DA started again at 0 on the new pay; whether that happens again is not decided.

What has happened so far

1. January 2025

   The Government announces that it will set up the 8th Central Pay Commission. (PIB)

2. 17 March 2025

   The Finance Minister tells the Lok Sabha: “It has been decided by the Government to constitute the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC).” (answer)

3. 28 October 2025

   The Cabinet approves the Commission’s terms of reference. (PIB)

4. 3 November 2025

   The Commission is set up: Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (Chairperson), Prof. Pulak Ghosh (Member, part-time), Pankaj Jain (Member-Secretary). It has 18 months to make its recommendations. (Gazette)

5. 8 December 2025

   The Government tells the Lok Sabha that the date of implementation “shall be decided by the Government”. (answer)

6. 5 February to 31 March 2026

   The Commission’s questionnaire is open on MyGov. (Commission)

7. 5 March to 15 June 2026

   Unions, associations and ministries send memoranda to the Commission. (Commission)

8. May to October 2026

   The Commission meets staff associations in Delhi and visits states; the latest visit listed is to Mumbai on 22 and 23 October 2026. (notice)

9. 10 August 2026

   The Government tells the Lok Sabha: “The 8th Central Pay Commission has not submitted its recommendations to the Government yet.” (answer)

10. 28 October 2026

    The Cabinet raises DA and DR from 60% to 63% of 7th CPC pay and pension, from 1 July 2026: the 8th Pay Commission’s pay has not started, so DA keeps rising on today’s pay. (PMIndia)

11. About May 2027

    Eighteen months from 3 November 2025, by our count. The Government then decides what to accept and from when.

Who it covers

The Government told the Lok Sabha on 8 December 2025: “The number of Central Government employees is 50.14 lakh and the number of pensioners is 69 lakh approximately” (answer to question 1347). On 10 August 2026 it gave a count for civilians only: about 35.77 lakh employees and 33.76 lakh pensioners and family pensioners, not counting defence pensioners (answer to question 3571).

The numbers in the news

The staff side of the National Council (JCM) has asked the Commission for a factor of 3.833, with a minimum pay of ₹69,000; other staff bodies have asked for other figures. Analysts and a former Finance Secretary have guessed between 1.8 and 2.46. These are demands and guesses, not decisions. The table works them out for a basic pay of your choice when you use the calculator on our homepage.

How long the 7th Pay Commission took

For comparison only, the last commission’s dates:

• Set up on 28 February 2014 (Lok Sabha, 9 December 2024).
• Report signed on 19 November 2015, after its deadline was moved to 31 December 2015 (7th CPC report).
• Approved by the Cabinet on 29 June 2016 (PMIndia).
• Pay rules notified on 25 July 2016, with effect from 1 January 2016 (CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016).

Nothing says the 8th Pay Commission will follow the same pace.

How to follow it

The Commission posts its notices on 8cpc.gov.in, and the Finance Ministry posts DA orders on doe.gov.in. We update this page when either changes.

Updated 28 October 2026