The central government announced the 8th Pay Commission in January 2025, but some employees are still waiting for the 7th Pay Commission. It may sound a bit strange, but it’s true and was revealed in the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament. The government said that employees of research institutes and regional centers affiliated to the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) are still waiting for the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations.
Response from the government
In response to a question from Rajya Sabha MPs Javed Ali Khan and Neeraj Shekhar, Minister of State for Education Dr. Sukanta Majumdar stated that there are 24 research institutes across the country that receive grants from the ICSSR. These institutes are established under the Societies Registration Act, 1980, as public trusts, or as acts of state legislatures.
Brief about these institutes
These institutes are funded under the Grant-in-Aid Rules of 1971, which are amended from time to time. The Minister stated that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, in its 364th report, recommended that the 7th Pay Commission recommendations be implemented in all institutions and regional centers affiliated with the ICSSR.
The Committee also suggested that such institutions should move toward self-earning and seek project-based funding from the ICSSR to ensure that the expenditure yields meaningful results.
What was the reality?
However, the reality is that the benefits of the 7th Pay Commission have not yet been passed on to employees at these institutions. The Minister acknowledged that a committee has been formed to review the feasibility of implementing the 7th Pay Commission recommendations in ICSSR-affiliated institutions and centers to make concrete decisions in this direction.