The Eighth Pay Commission for government employees and pensioners is currently at a crucial stage. The Commission is scheduled to visit Chandigarh from September 16 to 18, 2026, and will interact with employees, pensioners, organizations, and other stakeholders. Details of this visit are available on the Commission's official website.

Previously, the Commission held discussions with various organizations and stakeholders in Chennai on September 7 and 8, and in Puducherry on September 9. These meetings heard suggestions and demands from employees and pensioners regarding salaries, pensions, and other service benefits.

The demand for a fitment factor has been discussed.
One of the most debated issues regarding the Eighth Pay Commission is the fitment factor. Some employee and pensioner organizations have demanded a higher fitment factor. Some organizations have suggested a fitment factor of approximately 3.83 to 3.84. However, this is not the Commission's final decision, but rather the demands of the organizations.

Salary and pension changes every 5 years?
Currently, the recommendations of the Central Government's Pay Commission are generally implemented with a 10-year gap. The Central Government has also asked the Commission to submit its report on the 8th Pay Commission within 18 months of its establishment.

Meanwhile, some employee and pensioner organizations are demanding that salary and pension revisions be conducted every five years. If this demand is accepted, an employee with 30 years of service could benefit from salary restructuring more frequently than the current 10-year system. However, this is currently a demand from organizations only.

Some employee organizations have stated that the current HRA (House Rent Allowance) in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai is insufficient. Therefore, they are demanding an increase in
HRA. They also demand an increase in the family unit limit from three to five.

The 8th Pay Commission
has held meetings and discussions in several locations, including Delhi, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Srinagar-Jammu, Chennai, Puducherry, and Chandigarh. The Commission plans to visit other cities in the future. According to official information, the next visit is scheduled for Bengaluru on October 7-8, 2026.

The Eighth Pay Commission has not yet released its final recommendations on the fitment factor, new pay scales, or HRA increases. Therefore, the figures currently being discussed must be viewed in light of the demands of various employee and pensioner organizations.

PC: Mint