8th Pay Commission Extends Memorandum Deadline to May 31; Minimum Basic Pay Demand at Rs 69,000

The 8th Pay Commission has extended the deadline for submission of employee memorandums from April 30 to May 31, 2026, marking the first major development in the commission’s consultation process. The extension follows a request from the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), a key representative body of central government employees. The move is significant because the commission’s recommendations could affect salaries, pensions, allowances, and service conditions for lakhs of government employees and pensioners.

The development came after 8th Pay Commission Chairperson Ranjana Prakash Desai met an NC-JCM delegation on April 28. Employee unions used the meeting to present several demands that they believe should shape the next round of pay revisions. However, the commission has clarified that all submissions must be made only through the official online portal, rejecting requests for PDF files, emails, Word documents, or physical copies.

A memorandum is a formal proposal document through which employee bodies submit recommendations on pay revision, pension changes, promotions, allowances, and workplace conditions. These submissions are reviewed by the commission before preparing final recommendations. With the deadline now extended, unions and departments have additional time to prepare detailed proposals for consideration.

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One of the most closely watched demands is the proposed fitment factor of 3.83. The fitment factor is used to multiply existing basic pay to determine revised salary levels. Under the 7th Pay Commission, the factor was 2.57, which fixed the minimum basic pay at ₹18,000. If the 3.83 demand is accepted, employee unions say the minimum basic pay could rise to ₹69,000.

Other demands include a 6 per cent annual increment, two additional increments upon promotion, and one month’s wages as gratuity to improve retirement benefits. NC-JCM has also called for restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), seeking the removal of the National Pension System (NPS) and Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). Pension reform is expected to become one of the most debated aspects of the 8th Pay Commission process.

The union body has further requested separate hearings for sectors such as railways, defence, postal, income tax, and audit departments, citing unique service conditions and operational risks. It has also sought field visits to hazardous and remote workplaces before decisions on allowances are made. With consultations expected to continue through 2026, employees across India will now closely watch how many of these demands find place in the final recommendations.

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