Eighth Pay Commission Appointed with Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai at Helm

8th Central Pay Commission to Hold Meetings in Delhi and Other States

The 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) has received a large number of requests for interactions with the panel from 28 to 30 April 2026 in Delhi, according to a statement released by the commission last Friday. In addition to the scheduled meetings in the national capital, the commission has announced that more meetings will be held in Delhi and other states and union territories "in due course" over the next months.

The 8th CPC was constituted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year and is set to make significant decisions on salary hikes and fitment factor, which will determine the updated compensation for central government employees and pensioners. The commission issued its Terms of Reference (ToR) in November 2025, sparking speculation over the implementation of salary hikes, arrears, amendments, and proposed changes to pension structures.

How the 8th Pay Commission Makes Decisions

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The Pay Commission is a government panel established every 10 years to revise pay, allowances, and pensions of central government employees and retired former servicemen. It is responsible for analyzing the wider implications of these revisions on contributions, retirement benefits, and government spending. The current panel is the eighth such commission constituted by the central government since Independence and is chaired by Former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.

The panel will gather views and inputs from employee unions, labour groups, ministries, pension bodies, and other similar stakeholders, which will then be analyzed to decide allowances, pension formula, and salary structures for the relevant employee and retiree groups.

Chairperson Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai

Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai was born on 30 October 1949 in Mumbai. She completed her Bachelor of Arts from Elphinstone College in 1970 and her LL.B from Government Law College in 1973. Justice Desai joined the legal profession on 30 July 1973 and worked as a junior in the chambers of Late Justice SC Pratap before he became a judge. She also worked with her father, Late SG Samant, an eminent criminal lawyer, and was appointed as a Government Pleader on the Appellate Side of the Bombay High Court in 1979.

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Justice Desai has held various chairperson roles throughout her career, including Chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, Chairperson of the Advance Ruling Authority, Income Tax, and Chairperson of the Delimitation Commission of India. She is currently serving as Chairperson of the Eighth Central Pay Commission.