New Delhi, November 23: The National Council (Staff Side) of the Joint Consultative Machinery (NC JCM) has formally written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking substantial revisions to the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 8th Pay Commission. The letter, also marked to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, calls for restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), revising pensions for current retirees, and reintroducing clauses that earlier pay panels had included.

According to ET, multiple central government employee unions have been urging the Centre to revisit the ToR ever since the 8th CPC was announced. Earlier this week, the Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers also raised similar demands with the finance ministry. NC JCM secretary Shiva Gopal Mishra said the requested changes would protect the “larger interest” of serving and retired employees, including armed forces personnel. 8th Pay Commission Update: Govt Dismisses Rumours on Scrapping HRA, DA and Other Allowances; What Employees Should Know.

Key Amendments Sought

The NC JCM wants six major additions to the ToR. These include restoring the “expectations of stakeholders” clause that was part of the 7th CPC, revising pensions for all existing pensioners, reinstating the OPS for the 26 lakh central employees currently under the NPS, removing the reference to “unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes,” declaring January 1, 2026 as the implementation date, and granting 20% interim relief to both employees and pensioners. 8th Pay Commission: What SSC Employees Can Expect From the 2026 Salary Revision; Know Detailed Timeline, Fitment Factor and Post-Wise Expected In-Hand Pay.

Stakeholder Clause and Pension Concerns

The council has strongly objected to the removal of the phrase “with due regard to the expectations of stakeholders,” arguing that its absence sends a discouraging message. Although the Centre has stated that the 8th CPC will cover pensioners, the ToR does not explicitly include pension revision. The NC JCM wants pension-related safeguards such as restoration of commutation after 11 years, 5% additional pension every five years, and assured revision coverage.

A long-standing demand, OPS restoration for employees who joined on or after January 1, 2004, has been highlighted once again. The NC JCM said the phrase “unfunded cost” unfairly frames pension rights as fiscal liabilities and should be removed. The body also urged the government to offer 20% interim relief to help employees cope with inflation until the Commission submits its recommendations.

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