The 8th Pay Commission has been set up to revise pay for 5 million employees and 6.9 million pensioners from January 1, 2026
Headed by Justice Ranjana Desai, with Pulak Ghosh and Pankaj Jain, the panel will report in 18 months, possibly with an interim update
The last pay hike added ₹1 trillion to expenses. The new panel must weigh fair pay against fiscal prudence and development needs
States mirror CPC pay hikes. Sixteen states already spend over 20% of their budgets on salaries, straining their finances
At lower levels, government jobs pay better than private ones. At the top, it’s the reverse. The CPC must reflect real market conditions
Beyond pay, the CPC should link wages to performance. Better evaluation can boost efficiency and governance