8th Pay Commission: Highest salary up to ₹4,86,000 among suggestions before drafting committee

The much-awaited meeting of the drafting committee of the National Council-JCM (Staff Side) started today, February 25, in New Delhi. The drafting committee will stay for a week in Delhi to decide on the process and modalities of drafting a memorandum on common service matters of central government employees. They will later submit this memorandum to the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC).

“Meeting of the drafting committee of the National Council-JCM (Staff Side) begins at its office where leaders of the staff side JCM are participating in the meeting to finalise the memorandum to be submitted to 8th Pay Commission,” Shiva Gopal Mishra, Convenor, NC (JCM) Staff Side, said in a post on X.

The drafting committee is likely to discuss the suggestions and proposals by various employee bodies, including the suggestions by the Federation of National Postal Organisations (FNPO), which has suggested increasing the minimum salary by a fitment factor of three from ₹18,000 to ₹54,000 and the highest salary to up to ₹4,32,000-₹4,86,000.

The FNPO says that the ratio of minimum to maximum should not be more than 1:8 or 1:9.

“The Draft Committee of the Eighth Central Pay Commission may consciously examine the existing disparity in the pay structure and take appropriate corrective measures to restore balance by fixing the minimum–maximum pay ratio within a rational and socially acceptable band, preferably not exceeding 1:8 to 1:9,” the FNPO said in its suggestion to the drafting committee.

If this suggestion is implemented, then the highest salaries could increase to up to ₹4,86,000.

The FNPO had submitted its suggestions for the memorandum to the 8th CPC on January 7, 2026.

In the previous commissions, there has been a big difference between the lowest and highest wages. For instance, in the 7th CPC< the ratio of minimum to maximum pay was 1:14. The first and second CPCs had ratios exceeding 1:36.

“The absence of a consistent and transparent norm for fixation of the maximum salary has resulted in widening inequity over successive Pay Commissions, and the 8th CPC Draft Committee has a historic opportunity to restore balance and fairness in the pay structure by adopting a minimum–maximum salary ratio of 1:8, in line with global practice, social acceptability, and the constitutional principles of equality and equity,” the FNPO said.

FNPO further proposed the following to the drafting committee of the staff side:

• Adopt a single and transparent norm for fixation of the maximum salary

• Establish a direct linkage between the need-based minimum wage and the maximum wage

• Apply a uniform multiplication factor across all levels to prevent distortion in the pay structure

• Recognize that 100% Dearness Allowance neutralisation applies equally to all categories of employees.

“FNPO further recommends that the minimum wage should be determined strictly in accordance with the 15th Indian Labour Conference norms and that the maximum wage should be fixed at not more than eight times the minimum wage,” FNPO said.

“The intermediary pay levels should be evolved through a scientific and uniform multiplication factor to ensure gradual, fair, and equitable career progression. Any deviation beyond the minimum–maximum ratio of 1:8 should be explicitly justified with empirical evidence and international comparisons,” it added.

Update from 8th CPC

Meanwhile, the 8th CPC has issued another vacancy circular, inviting applications for the positions of Director/Dy. Secretary, Under Secretary/PSO/Sr. PPS/PPS.

These posts are to be staffed from the date of appointment in the 8th CPC on a deputation basis till the tenure of the Commission.