8th Pay Commission to start talks from April 28, many unions may miss out

The 8th Pay Commission has begun consultations with unions and staff associations in Delhi. The early discussions have also sparked confusion over unofficial salary figures as employees await formal recommendations.

In Short

• The Commission received more requests than it can handle initially
• Additional consultations will be held in Delhi, states and Union Territories
• Stakeholders outside Delhi-NCR have been asked to await regional schedules

The 8th Central Pay Commission has started the consultation process with employee unions and associations, with meetings scheduled to take place in Delhi from April 28 to April 30. However, due to a large number of requests, not all stakeholders will be able to participate in this first round.

In a notice dated April 24, 2026, the Commission said it has received a “large number of requests” for interaction during the three-day window in Delhi.

It added that meetings will be scheduled with the maximum possible number of unions and associations, but some requests may not be accommodated due to time constraints.

MORE MEETINGS PLANNED ACROSS STATES

The Commission has clarified that this is only the beginning of the consultation process. It plans to hold more meetings in Delhi as well as across various states and Union Territories in the coming months.

Stakeholders outside Delhi-NCR have been advised to wait for future schedules, when the Commission will visit their respective regions or nearby locations for interactions.

Earlier, a team of the Commission was also scheduled to visit Dehradun on April 24 as part of its outreach.

As the consultation process gathers pace, discussions around a Rs 72,000 minimum salary have been circulating widely among central government employees.

However, this figure is not part of any official proposal submitted to the Commission.

The Rs 72,000 number is largely based on estimates and projections tied to different fitment factor scenarios being discussed in various reports.

The formal demand currently on record comes from the National Council–Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), Staff Side.

In its memorandum, the body has proposed a minimum basic pay of Rs 69,000 along with a fitment factor of 3.83.

This remains the only structured submission reported so far as part of the consultation process.

The Pay Commission is currently in the consultation stage, where it gathers feedback from employee groups and other stakeholders.

Final recommendations on salaries, allowances and fitment factors will be made only after these discussions are completed.

For now, employees are advised to rely on official updates rather than circulating figures, as the process is still at an early stage.

- Ends