<p>The Centre gave the 8th Pay Commission 18 months to finish its report. The Finance Ministry added that the Commission’s ‘Terms of Reference’ allow it to create its own working style and not inform the government of its sessions.</p><img>The Central Government set up the 8th Pay Commission on November 3, 2025. Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai is its Chairperson, with Professor Pulak Ghosh as a part-time member and Pankaj Jain as the Member-Secretary.<img>This Commission’s main job is to review the salary, pension, and allowances for Central government employees and pensioners. The Centre has given it 18 months to submit its final report. By August, the Commission will have completed half of its allotted time.<img>The Finance Ministry recently told Parliament that the 8th Pay Commission doesn’t have to report its progress to the Centre. This is because its ‘Terms of Reference’ (ToR) gives it full autonomy to decide its own procedures.<img>The ‘Terms of Reference’ or ToR is a written guide that outlines the 8th Pay Commission’s scope, duties, and goals. The Central Government approved this document on October 28, 2025. This ToR allows the Commission to work independently and submit its final recommendations without giving the government regular progress updates.<img>On July 28, Union Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, gave a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. He explained, ‘The Commission’s ToR has no condition that requires it to regularly inform the government about its progress or discussions.'<img>He added, ‘The government issued a resolution on November 3, 2025, to form the 8th Central Pay Commission, which includes its ToR. The resolution states that the Commission will decide its own procedures.’ This clarification was in response to questions raised by Rajya Sabha MP Javed Ali Khan.<img>The minister also said the 8th Pay Commission is expected to submit its final recommendations within the official timeline. ‘As per the decision of 03.11.2025, the 8th Central Pay Commission will submit its recommendations within 18 months from its formation,’ Chaudhary stated.<img>Parliament had asked for details on several key points: How many meetings the 8th Pay Commission has held so far; which employee unions it has consulted; and whether unions have demanded increasing the family unit size from 3 to 5 (including parents) for calculating the ‘fitment factor’.<img>The 8th Pay Commission has already held several rounds of discussions in different states. It is now inviting stakeholders, including Central government bodies and recognised employee unions, to join its upcoming meetings across India.<img>All participants who want an appointment must apply within the given deadlines. They need to submit their applications in a specific format available on the Commission’s official website. Every application must mention the ‘Unique Memo ID’, which is generated after submitting a memorandum on the portal.
