The Government of India issued a gazette notification on November 3 for the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC), which will recommend revisions in salaries and benefits for central government employees. However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), which has accused the government of excluding 69 lakh pensioners and family pensioners from the scope of the new commission.
AITUC General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said the Terms of Reference (ToR) issued by the government reflect its “apathy towards the working class and elderly pensioners.” She alleged that by keeping these pensioners outside the commission’s purview, the Narendra Modi government has betrayed those who have served the nation with dedication. According to her, the government is using parliamentary authority derived from the Finance Bill to decide the fate of current pensioners unilaterally.
Restrictive guidelines and employee morale
Kaur further stated that the ToR is so restrictive that the 8th CPC cannot recommend a pay structure that ensures a decent standard of living for employees. The guidelines reportedly discourage significant salary revisions, despite existing manpower shortages in ministries and departments. Many employees, she noted, are forced to work extra hours without additional benefits, performing the work of two or more people.
Over 10 lakh vacancies unfilled
AITUC highlighted that over 10 lakh posts remain vacant across central departments. In sectors such as railways and defense, the government is increasingly relying on fixed-term contracts and rehiring retirees, rather than filling permanent positions. The union argues that such measures, along with the restrictive ToR, have demoralized central government employees, who already face excessive workloads and uncertainty regarding post-retirement benefits.
No mention of Old Pension Scheme
AITUC expressed disappointment that the Terms of Reference make no mention of restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), which many employee unions have long demanded. Instead, the document focuses on the contributory National Pension System (NPS) and Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), offering no relief to current pensioners. With 69 lakh pensioners excluded, there will be no pension revision from January 1, 2026, which AITUC described as “a grave injustice to senior citizens who served the nation with loyalty.”
AITUC’s key recommendations
The union has urged the inclusion of the following in the ToR:
- Review of the minimum salary required for a decent living, considering a family of at least five members and expenses on food, health, housing, and education.
- Restoration of the non-contributory Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for 26 lakh NPS employees.
- Provision for a 5% pension hike every five years, and restoration of the commuted value of pension after 11 years.
- Implementation of the 8th CPC recommendations from January 1, 2026.
Call for nationwide protest
AITUC has called upon all central government employees and unions to unite against what it calls an “anti-employee and anti-pensioner stance” of the Modi government. The organization has also urged collective action to demand fair treatment, emphasizing that pay and pension revisions occur only once every ten years.
