Government Notifies 8th Pay Commission Terms Amid Pensioner Exclusion Concerns
The central government officially announced the Terms of Reference for the 8th Central Pay Commission on November 3, establishing a three-member panel led by Justice Ranjana Desai. However, this notification has immediately drawn criticism from employees and pensioners who identified significant changes from previous pay commissions.
The All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF), representing civilian workers in the Ministry of Defence, has raised serious objections after analyzing the newly released framework. Their primary concern centers on the apparent exclusion of pensioners from the commission's scope.
Pensioners Left Out: AIDEF's Strong Protest
In a strongly worded letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, AIDEF highlighted that 69 lakh central government pensioners and family pensioners have been kept out of the 8th Pay Commission's purview. The union expressed deep disappointment, stating that these individuals had dedicated decades of service to the nation.
"It is most unfortunate that 69 lakh central government pensioners and family pensioners who have given their sweat and blood to the country for more than three decades while in service are kept out of the purview of 8th CPC," the employees' union wrote in their communication to the finance minister.
The federation emphasized that pension revision represents a fundamental right for retirees and should not be subject to discrimination. They noted that many pensioners are in the later stages of their lives, making their exclusion particularly unjustified.
Official Terms of Reference: What's Included and What's Missing
The official notification outlines the categories of employees falling under the 8th Pay Commission's review scope:
- Central Government employees: industrial and non-industrial
- Personnel belonging to the All India Services
- Personnel belonging to the Defence Forces
- Personnel of the Union Territories
- Officers and employees of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department
- Members of regulatory bodies (excluding RBI) established under Acts of Parliament
- Officers and employees of the Supreme Court
- Judicial officers of subordinate courts in Union Territories
The commission is mandated to review emoluments including pay, allowances, and other benefits for these categories. It will also examine Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity for employees under both the National Pension System and non-contributory pension schemes.
However, the document makes no specific mention of pensioners who retired before the new pay commission's implementation, creating uncertainty about their status.
Key Differences from 7th Pay Commission
AIDEF pointed out substantial differences between the 7th and 8th Pay Commission Terms of Reference. The current framework states the commission should "work out an emolument structure conducive to attracting talent to Government service, promoting efficiency, accountability and responsibility in the work culture."
This contrasts with the more comprehensive 7th CPC mandate, which included fostering excellence in public governance and responding to complex challenges of modern administration with due regard to stakeholder expectations.
Most significantly, the 7th Pay Commission was explicitly instructed to examine pension structures and revision norms for employees who retired before its recommendations took effect. The absence of this crucial clause in the 8th CPC Terms of Reference has become the central point of contention.
The defense employees federation has urgently requested the government to amend the framework to include pensioners. They have also raised long-pending issues such as restoring commuted pensions after 11 years and implementing a 5% pension hike every five years after retirement - recommendations previously made by a Parliamentary Standing Committee.
The 8th Pay Commission has been given 18 months to submit its recommendations, during which time the exclusion of pensioners is expected to remain a heated topic of discussion among government employee unions and retiree associations across the country.
