Expected timeline of 8th Pay Commission: From set-up to implementation, here's what a report says

While the government has not officially declared any timeline for the 8th CPC, a new report suggests it might happen sooner than expected.

The 8th (CPC) may be established in February 2025 and implemented by January 2026, according a report by News24.

The report quoted Shiv Gopal Mishra, secretary of the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), as saying that the government is acting "really fast" this time to form the 8th CPC.

8th Central Pay Commission Timeline

Mishra hinted the following timeline during an interview with News24:

• January 2025: The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has written a letter to NC-JCM regarding the Terms and References of the 8th CPC. The NC-JCM may take 7-10 days to work on the Terms of References.
• February 2025: The government may establish the 8th CPC by February 15, 2025.
• November 2025: 8th CPC may finalise its report.
• December 2025: The report of the 8th CPC will be reviewed by the government for further consideration.
• January 2026: 8th CPC may be implemented.

Currently, the central government employees are getting their salaries and allowances as per the recommendations of the 7th pay commission. The term of the 7th CPC will be over by the end of 2025.

With the 7th Pay Commission's term nearing its end, the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to establish the 8th Pay Commission. While announcing the 8th CPC, the government emphasized that this early announcement will provide ample time for the implementation of the new pay panel.

The last pay commission took more than a year to submit it's report to the government. And, the government took another year to implement the recommendations of the 7th CPC.