8th Pay Commission update: The draft committee of the National Council (Joint Consultative Machinery), or NC-JCM, has put forth several key demands regarding the 8th Pay Commission, including a minimum salary of Rs 69,000, a fitment factor of 3.83, an annual increment of 6%, the reintroduction of the old pension scheme (OPS), and an increase in the minimum house rent allowance (HRA) slab to 30%. These requests were included in their final memorandum, which was presented to the 8th CPC (Central Pay Commission) on Monday, April 13, 2026.
The Final Memorandum
This document represents a collective list of demands concerning the 8th Central Pay Commission from major associations and unions representing central government employees and pensioners. The National Council (Joint Consultative Machinery) serves as the central body for these unions.
In a letter dated April 14, 2026, addressed to the members and constituents of the Drafting Committee, Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary of the National Council (Joint Consultative Machinery), mentioned, “The final meeting of the Drafting Committee on the 8th CPC took place on April 13, 2026, at the J.P. Choubey Memorial Library (AIRF Office Complex), 4 State Entry Road, New Delhi. The Drafting Committee has completed the Memorandum to be submitted to the 8th CPC, and it has been uploaded to the 8th CPC portal.”
Additional demands included in the final memorandum:
The Draft Committee has also urged the 8th Pay Commission to consolidate the 18 employee levels from the 7th Pay Commission into 7. Furthermore, they have requested an increase in family units from 5 to 7, a minimum of 5 promotions for each employee with 30 years of service, and pension adjustments every five years. The Draft Committee aims for all these demands to take effect from January 1, 2026.
Demand for restoration of old pension
The final memorandum has demanded restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS) for employees appointed on or after January 1, 2004. The pension should be 67% of the last salary drawn. Family pension should be 50%. There should be group insurance of Rs 1 crore for Group C and Rs 1.5 crore for Group B. Parental care leave of 60 days should be given during the entire service period. Apart from this, there has been a demand to increase the maternity leave to 240 days.
