The government has outlined key details of the Eighth Central Pay Commission (8th CPC) in Parliament, including its scope, timelines and implementation framework. 
The clarification came in a written reply by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary during the ongoing winter session of the Lok Sabha.
Chaudhary confirmed that the 8th CPC has been formally constituted, with its Terms of Reference notified on November 3, 2025, through a resolution issued by the Ministry of Finance. 
According to the reply tabled in the House, the commission will cover more than 50.14 lakh central government employees and around 69 lakh pensioners.
Addressing queries on the timeline for revised salaries and benefits, the minister said the implementation date &ldquo;shall be decided by the government&rdquo;. 
The commission is required to submit its recommendations within 18 months of its constitution, placing the deadline around mid-2027. 
He added that adequate budgetary provisions would be made once the recommendations are finalised.
Though the government has not announced an official date, pay revisions under previous commissions have generally taken effect from January 1 of the year for which they are due. 
Based on established practice, the changes under the 8th CPC are expected to be calculated from January 1, 2026, with arrears applied once implementation begins. 
Past commissions have seen varying gaps between the due date and rollout, with the 7th CPC implemented within six months.
The minister detailed the broad mandate of the commission as outlined in the notified Terms of Reference. 
Those covered include central government employees across industrial and non-industrial categories, all-India services, defence personnel, employees of Union Territories and other eligible groups.
Early estimates based on current proposals indicate a likely 20&ndash;25% overall increase in salaries. 
The minimum basic pay could see a significant rise, with projections ranging from ₹34,500 to ₹41,000 per month. 
Upon implementation of the new pay structure, the existing Dearness Allowance is typically reset to zero.&nbsp;
The government has clarified that no proposal is currently under consideration to merge DA permanently with basic pay.
The winter session of Parliament, during which the response was delivered, is scheduled to conclude on December 19.

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December 9, 2025 | 21:55 IST