The term of the 7th Pay Commission is slowly coming to an end. At the same time, crores of government employees still don’t know what’s happening with the 8th Pay Commission. In January this year, the Centre announced that a new pay commission would be formed, and it was expected that the Terms of Reference (ToR) would be ready by April.
But even after 6 months, the government has not yet finalised the ToR for the 8th Pay Commission. Because of this delay, every government employee is asking the same question: when will the 8th Pay Commission finally start its work? Based on the recommendations of this panel, the government will revise the salaries and pensions of both working and retired employees.
Concerns Growing Among Government Employees
There is a lot of confusion about the 8th Pay Commission. Many rumours are also spreading. On one side, some media reports are sharing updates on possible salary hikes, fitment factor, and implementation dates. But in reality, the official process of the commission has not started yet.
It has been more than 6 months since the announcement. Still, there is no decision on who will be the chairman, and the Terms of Reference (ToR) have not been issued.
Because of this delay, many pensioners’ groups and employee unions have raised the issue. They have written letters to the government, asking to speed up the formation of the commission.
Will the 8th Pay Commission Start by January 2026?
From January to July 2025, the progress of the commission has been very slow. In April, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) asked for applications for 4 posts at the Additional Secretary level. The deadline was later extended twice, now set to 31 July.
But even now, there is no official update about who will be the chairman or who will be the members of the commission.
Experts say this delay shows that the government is not treating it as a priority. So, it seems difficult for the 2026 deadline to be met.
What is ToR and Why Is It Important?
The first and most important step in starting a Pay Commission is the Terms of Reference (ToR). This document explains what the commission should look into.
But till now, the government has not shared any details about the ToR. Employee unions have raised their concerns about this. Without ToR and appointments, the commission cannot begin its work.
When Will the 8th Pay Commission Report Come?
Now the big question is — when the commission has not even started, when will it give its report and when will the recommendations be implemented?
Timeline of Last Two Pay Commissions
- 6th Pay Commission
- Formed: October 2006
- Report: March 2008
- Approved: August 2008
- Implemented from: 1 January 2006 (retrospective)
- 7th Pay Commission
- Formed: February 2014
- Report: November 2015
- Approved: June 2016
- Implemented from: 1 January 2016 (retrospective)
If the 8th Pay Commission is formed by August or September 2025, it will take at least 18 to 24 months to prepare the report. That means the report may come by early 2027. After that, the government may take another 6 to 8 months to review and implement it.