The Commission said it has received a “large number” of requests from various unions and associations seeking interaction during the meetings scheduled from April 28 to April 30.
While it aims to engage with as many stakeholders as possible, it acknowledged that a compressed schedule may prevent it from accommodating all requests within this window.
“The Commission is scheduling meetings with the maximum number of unions/associations during these dates. However, due to the tight schedule, all requests may not be accepted,” it noted in an official communication.
Wider consultations planned
The panel has indicated that this is only the beginning of a broader consultation exercise. Additional rounds of meetings will be conducted in Delhi as well as across states and Union Territories in the coming months, with updated schedules to be published on its official platform.
Stakeholders outside the Delhi-NCR region will be given opportunities to present their views during these subsequent sittings in their respective states or nearby locations.
Key decisions on pay structure expected
Constituted in January 2025, the Commission is tasked with reviewing and recommending changes to the pay structure, allowances and pension framework for over 1.1 crore central government employees and pensioners.
The three-member panel is chaired by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai, alongside economist Pulak Ghosh and former IAS officer Pankaj Jain.
Among the most closely watched aspects of its work will be the revision of the fitment factor, which determines the base for salary hikes, as well as potential changes to pension calculations and benefits.
Delay in terms, timeline for rollout
The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Commission were approved on October 28, 2025—later than usual compared to previous pay panels—before being formally issued in November. Since then, speculation has intensified around the extent of salary revisions, arrears and structural changes.
The Commission is expected to submit its final recommendations by May 2027. However, if past precedent is followed, the implementation could be retrospective from January 1, 2026, similar to the rollout of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
Arrears likely if retrospective implementation holds
With a retrospective effective date widely anticipated, arrears for central government employees and pensioners could begin accumulating from early 2026 until the recommendations are implemented.
As consultations gather pace, inputs from unions, ministries, pension bodies and other stakeholders are expected to play a critical role in shaping the final report, which will have significant implications for government expenditure as well as household incomes across millions of families.
