8th Pay Commission: Central government employees were hoping for some good news regarding the 8th Pay Commission on New Year’s Day, January 1st, but no formal announcement was made. Employees were expecting an increase in their salaries and pensions from the first day of 2026, but this did not happen.

What is the reason for the delay in increasing basic salary and pension under the 8th Pay Commission? The central government has already constituted the 8th Pay Commission. The constituted committee is currently engaged in review work. The committee may take another year and a half to submit its review report. This is considered the main reason for the delay.

Important points related to the 8th Pay Commission

The central government has approved the formation of the 8th Pay Commission. The commission is headed by retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. Along with her, 1990 batch IAS officer Pankaj Jain has been appointed as the Member-Secretary. When the commission was formed, hopes of a quick salary increase were raised, but this did not materialise.

How much can the salary increase?

According to experts, a significant increase in salary can be expected once the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission are implemented. According to some experts, the minimum basic salary could be increased from Rs. 18,000 to Rs. 50,000 per month. This would mean an increase of up to Rs. 32,000. This will significantly increase the burden on the central government’s financial reserves.

Reason for no salary increase from January 1st

In India, there has been a tradition of implementing a new pay commission every ten years. Following this tradition, the 8th Pay Commission was supposed to be implemented from January 1, 2026. But this did not happen. The commission has not yet submitted its recommendations. Until the commission submits its report to the government, it cannot be approved.

This is the reason why the salary increase has not been implemented yet. The term of the 7th Pay Commission ended on December 31, 2025. It was implemented on January 1, 2026. All central government employees are now looking forward to the implementation of the upcoming pay commission.

Employees will receive arrears.

According to central government rules, even if the new salary is implemented later, the arrears will be calculated from January 1, 2026, regardless of when the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission are implemented.