8th Pay Commission Update: Mumbai consultation meeting date announced; key demands of employee unions

According to fresh market updates, The Eighth Central Pay Commission (8th CPC) will hold a two-day stakeholder meeting in Mumbai on October 22 and 23, with representatives from employee organisations, institutions, associations and unions of Central Government employees.

The Pay Commission has requested that interested stakeholders make an appointment before October 10 and include the ‘Unique memo ID’ generated after submitting the memorandum via the official website of the 8th CPC. The venue and detailed schedule of interactions have not yet been announced.

Before this, the Pay Commission will hold stakeholder interaction in Bengaluru on October 7 and 8.

The commission recently concluded its two-day meeting in Chandigarh, which started on September 18. Following its meeting with the 8th CPC in Chandigarh, various stakeholder including the Nurses Welfare Association (NWA) and Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) met the commission and submitted their memorandum.

What are employee unions' demands?

The Eighth Pay Commission has been in operation since the Government of India approved its Terms of Reference (ToR) in October 2025. Since then, the commission has been meeting employee associations, organisations, institutions and Central Government employee unions across states and Union Territories to receive their recommendations, which could benefit around 55 lakh serving Central Government employees and an estimated 69 lakh pensioners.

The staff-side NC-JCM, which serves as a bridge between the government and its employees, submitted its memorandum to the 8th CPC in April, and has suggested that the 8th CPC implement a 3.833 fitment factor, Rs 69,000 minimum pay, 6 percent annual increments, revised allowances, DA merger, among other benefits for more than 1 crore central government employees.

Fitment factor and annual increment hike

The memorandum proposes a 3.833 fitment factor, which it says would raise the minimum pay to Rs 69,000. It additionally proposes a 6 percent annual increment in basic pay.

It proposes merging Pay Marks 2 and 3, 4 and 5, 7 and 8, and 9 and 10, and upgrading existing Level 5 employees to Level 6.

NC-JCM staff side has proposed HRA revision of 40 percent, 35 percent and 30 percent of basic pay depending on city classification. It additionally proposes that HRA and several other allowances be linked to DA so they automatically climb with inflation. DA, DR protection and merger

It proposes merger of dearness allowance (or dearness relief for pensioners) with basic pay once it reaches 25 percent, along with protection against inflation through more frequent adjustment mechanisms.

Five financial career upgrades

Furthermore, the memorandum seeks five financial upgradations during an employee's career at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 years of service to address stagnation and limited promotional opportunities.

Elevated minimum wage based on living costs

The Staff Side argues that the existing wage calculation does not adequately reflect current food, housing, education, healthcare, transport and other living costs. Its proposed minimum wage calculation arrives at Rs 69,000 for five units.

Better pension and retirement benefits

The memorandum seeks an enhancement of the Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG), proposing an gain above the existing ceiling and linking it to revised pay. It additionally seeks to extend the One Rank One Pension (OROP) principles to civilian pensioners.

Elevated family pension and additional pension with age

The memorandum proposes a substantially elevated family pension and an age-based pension structure, including pension rising to 70 percent of last pay drawn at 65, 75 percent at 70, 80 percent at 75, 85 percent at 80, 90 percent at 85 and 100 percent at 90. It additionally seeks additional facilities for pensioners, including LTC, healthcare and tax-related relief.