New Delhi, August 16: Over 1 crore central government employees and pensioners may have to wait longer than expected for a salary hike under the 8th Pay Commission, as its implementation could be pushed to late 2027 or early 2028. According to a Financial Express report, the delay mirrors the 7th Pay Commission, which took around 2 years and 9 months from its announcement to implementation.

The 8th CPC was announced in January 2025, but progress on the ground has been slow. No Terms of Reference (ToR) or names of the chairperson and members have been notified, raising concerns among employees. Experts believe that if the commission follows the same timeline as the 7th CPC, recommendations are unlikely before 2027, with implementation slipping to 2028. 8th Pay Commission: What Are the Benefits and How Much Will Salaries Increase for Employees and Pensioners?

However, the report also clarified that the 8th CPC may not strictly follow the 7th CPC’s pace. If the government expedites the process, recommendations could still be tabled earlier. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha that the government has received inputs from stakeholders and will notify the commission’s details “in due course.” 8th Pay Commission: Brokerage Firms Predict 13% to 54% Hikes, Know How Much Increase Central Government Employees and Pensioners Can Expect.

The 7th CPC was implemented in 2016 with effect from January 1 of that year, and given the 10-year cycle, the 8th CPC was expected around 2024–25. But delays have raised anxiety among staff and pensioners, especially as inflation continues to erode household budgets.

The upcoming 8th Pay Commission is crucial since it will shape future pay revisions for millions of employees and retirees. Until formal steps are taken, uncertainty over the timeline of salary hikes remains high.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2025 08:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).