The commission was constituted through a government resolution dated November 3, 2025. It has been given 18 months from the date of its constitution to submit its recommendations.
The commission is headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.
Pulak Ghosh is the part-time member, while Pankaj Jain is the member-secretary.
The government has not specified an effective date for the recommendations. The Finance Ministry also did not provide details on any additional welfare measures for employees and pensioners or any proposed advisory for states, saying the commission’s recommendations are yet to be submitted.
35.77 lakh employees, 33.76 lakh pensioners
The government estimates that around 35.77 lakh Central government civilian employees will be covered by the exercise. The figure is as of March 1, 2026.
The number of pensioners and family pensioners stood at around 33.76 lakh as of December 31, 2025, excluding defence pensioners.
The Terms of Reference of the commission include issues related to pay revision, dearness allowance, other allowances, pension, family pension and service conditions.
The 18-month timeline means the commission is working within a defined period to submit its recommendations. The eventual impact on salaries, allowances and pensions will depend on the recommendations and the government’s decision on them.
In a separate development, the Railway Senior Citizens Welfare Society (RSCWS) has submitted its memorandum to the 8th Central Pay Commission, outlining suggestions on pay structure, allowances, retirement benefits and welfare measures.
In its submission, the pensioners’ body highlighted that changes in the pay structure have a direct impact on pension, as retirement benefits are linked to the last drawn pay or notional pay under the Pay Matrix. It said the revised framework should ensure fairness for both serving employees and pensioners.
