8th Pay Commission: where it stands in October 2026, and what is still only speculation
The 8th Central Pay Commission, chaired by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, was set up on 3 November 2025 and has 18 months to report. In October 2026 it is meeting people in different states. It has not announced a fitment factor, a pay increase or an effective date, so salary figures circulating online are estimates.
What changed
- In October 2026 the commission is holding consultation visits, in Bengaluru on 7-8 October and in Mumbai on 22-23 October.
Who is on the commission and what it must do
The Union Cabinet approved the commission's terms of reference on 28 October 2025, and the government constituted it by notification dated 3 November 2025.
It is chaired by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, with Prof. Pulak Ghosh as part-time member and Pankaj Jain as member-secretary.
It must report within 18 months of being constituted, and may send interim reports on specific matters along the way. Eighteen months from 3 November 2025 runs to early May 2027.
What it has to weigh
Under its terms of reference the commission must consider the country's economic conditions and the need for fiscal prudence, the money needed for development and welfare spending, and the unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes.
It must also consider the likely financial impact on state governments, which often follow central pay revisions, and pay and working conditions in central public sector undertakings and the private sector.
What is happening now
The commission is visiting states to hear employees, associations and others. Its official website lists visits to Bengaluru on 7 and 8 October 2026 and to Mumbai on 22 and 23 October 2026; requests for a Mumbai meeting had to be made by 10 October.
The website also hosts its questionnaire, memorandum submission and an online data portal.
Fitment factor and arrears: no official numbers yet
The commission has not published a fitment factor or a recommended pay increase. Figures such as a particular fitment factor or salary in viral posts and calculators are guesses.
Going by the 7th Pay Commission's timeline, the new pay would normally take effect from 1 January 2026, but that is an expectation in reports, not a decision. Whether any arrears are paid, and from when, will depend on the government's decision on the final report.
Why it matters
- The commission's recommendations will shape salaries and pensions of central government employees and pensioners, and often influence state pay revisions too.
What remains uncertain
- No fitment factor, pay increase or effective date has been announced.
- The final report is due within 18 months of 3 November 2025; the government then decides what to accept.
Facts and evidence
The Union Cabinet approved the 8th Central Pay Commission's terms of reference on 28 October 2025.
The commission was constituted by notification dated 3 November 2025, chaired by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, with Prof. Pulak Ghosh and member-secretary Pankaj Jain.
The commission must report within 18 months of its constitution and may submit interim reports.
Verified deadline: Within 18 months of 3 November 2025
It must weigh economic conditions and fiscal prudence, development and welfare spending, the unfunded cost of non-contributory pensions, the impact on states, and pay in public undertakings and the private sector.
The commission's website lists visits to Bengaluru on 7-8 October 2026 and Mumbai on 22-23 October 2026.
No fitment factor, pay increase or effective date has been announced; a 1 January 2026 effective date is an expectation based on the 7th commission's timeline.
Sources
Eighth Central Pay Commission: Eighth Central Pay Commission: official website (notices of October 2026 visits)Official record · EN
Eighth Central Pay Commission: official website (notices of October 2026 visits)
Read the original sourceThe Tribune: Cabinet approves terms of reference for 8th Central Pay Commission (28 October 2025)Read at the source · EN
Cabinet approves terms of reference for 8th Central Pay Commission (28 October 2025)
Read the original source