8th Pay Commission News: Amid lots of deliberations among various stakeholders of the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC), curiosity concerning impending pay hikes and other changes is growing among more than 1 crore central government employees and pensioners across the country.
Last month, the central government announced its formation, but the appointment of its chairman and two members is yet to be done. It is expected that the names for these important posts will be announced soon. But the real question is, on what terms of reference (Terms of Reference – ToR) will the commission work? This is the point on which all eyes are fixed.
Current status of Terms of Reference of 8th Pay Commission
The ToR has not been finalised yet, but it is likely to be prepared by April 2025. In response to the letter sent by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the National Council – Joint Consultative Mechanism (NC-JCM) Staff Side has submitted the proposed ToR for the Commission.
NC-JCM secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra has demanded a meeting of the standing committee to formally discuss the proposal so that a final ToR can be prepared keeping in mind the concerns of the employees.
Also read: 8th Pay Commission: Employees’ 15 big demands – Interim relief, at least 5 promotions and more!
Possible key points of the 8th Pay Commission
- Restructuring of pay and allowances
The pay structure of all central employees will be comprehensively reviewed. This will include employees of All India Services, Defence Forces, Paramilitary Forces, Postal Department (Rural Postal Servants) and Union Territories.
It has been recommended to provide better career progression opportunities by merging non-professional pay scales.
There has been a demand for reform in the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme so that employees can get at least five promotions.
- Minimum Wages and National Wage Policy
The Pay Commission will be given the responsibility to fix a fair minimum wage based on the Aykroyd formula and the recommendations of the 15th Indian Labour Conference.
It is recommended to take into account inflation, cost of living and consumer spending pattern while creating the pay structure.
- Dearness Allowance (DA) and Interim Relief
It is recommended to include Dearness Allowance (DA) in the Basic Pay to ensure economic security of employees and pensioners.
» Read More
