New Delhi, November 18: The Centre’s notification of the 8th Central Pay Commission (8th CPC) earlier this month has triggered mounting dissatisfaction among central government employees’ unions. The government finalised the Terms of Reference (ToR) nearly 10 months after announcing the panel, headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The Commission will decide the pay structure for over 1 crore employees and pensioners, but unions argue the ToR has glaring gaps and appears “unilateral” and “unjustified.”

A week after the All India Defence Employees’ Federation (AIDEF) raised objections, the Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers (CCGEW), representing eight lakh employees across departments such as Posts, Income Tax, Audit, Survey, ISRO, CPWD and others, has written to PM Narendra Modi demanding immediate amendments to the ToR. 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.

Unions Flag Omission of Pension Revision, Call ToR ‘Incomplete’

In its letter, the CCGEW said several “vital aspects” related to employee welfare and pensioners’ rights have been ignored. The union has demanded explicit inclusion of revision of pension and pensionary benefits across all schemes, Old Pension Scheme (OPS), Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), and National Pension System (NPS). It has also sought deletion of the term “unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes” from the ToR, calling it misleading and prejudicial to pensioners. 8th Pay Commission: How Pension Hike Will Be Calculated for Retired Central Government Employees and What Factors Will Decide the Final Increase.

The Confederation further highlighted that the ToR lacks clarity on the future of 69 lakh pensioners and family pensioners regarding parity in pension, pension revision, restoration of commuted pension, and other benefits. It said the 8th CPC must also review retirement benefits such as restoration of commuted pension after 11 years, additional pension every five years as recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee, and improved healthcare facilities.

The union also demanded that the Commission review and reform the Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme (CGEGIS), which it says is long outdated and inadequate.

Earlier, AIDEF wrote to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting the absence of a “date of effect” in the ToR, something clearly mentioned in the 7th CPC (1 January 2016). The federation warned that the current ToR hints at a possible departure from the long-standing practice of implementing pay commission recommendations every 10 years.

Both major unions have termed the omissions “unfortunate and unjustified,” urging the Centre to revise the ToR to protect the interests of employees and pensioners.

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