8th Pay Commission: Employee Body Urges PM Modi To Restore Old Pension Scheme

After the central government released the Terms of Reference for the 8th Pay Commission earlier this month, several major employee organisations have started reaching out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, requesting changes to the framework set for the commission.

Recently, the National Council Staff Side of the Joint Consultative Machinery, which represents central government employees, sent a letter to the Prime Minister. The council has asked for amendments to the 8th CPC Terms of Reference and has also pressed for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme for employees currently covered under the National Pension System.

NC JCM Urges Amendments to 8th Pay Commission ToR

Shiva Gopal Mishra, Secretary of NC JCM, has highlighted certain key aspects of the 8th Pay Commission’s Terms of Reference that, in his view, require review and amendments to benefit serving and retired central government employees, including Armed Forces personnel.

In its letter, the NC-JCM has raised concerns that the phrase “expectations of stakeholders,” which was part of the 7th Pay Commission ToR, is missing from the 8th CPC ToR. The body said its exclusion sends a negative signal to lakhs of central government employees and urged the Prime Minister to reinstate it to ensure employee and pensioner interests are considered.

The council also pointed out that the current ToR does not mention pension revisions for pre-2026 retirees. It has requested that a clause similar to the 7th CPC’s ToR be included, covering pension adjustments for all eligible retirees, and ensuring that their post-retirement security is addressed.

NC JCM suggested several specific measures for the 8th CPC ToR, including reducing commutation from 15 to 11 years, granting an additional five per cent pension every five years after retirement, covering all pensioners, and restoring the Old Pension Scheme for 26 lakh employees under the National Pension System. The council also recommended removing the reference to “unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes,” which it said treats guaranteed pension rights as a financial burden.

The body further emphasised that January 1, 2026, should be explicitly set as the effective date for implementing the 8th CPC recommendations. It also requested a twenty per cent interim increase in basic pay and pensions until the commission submits its final recommendations, citing rising inflation and the need for immediate relief to serving and retired employees.