The 8th Pay Commission will hold a crucial two-day meeting in Chennai on September 7 and 8, engaging with employee and pensioner organizations over key demands including a minimum pension of Rs 57,000. Central government employees are pushing for a higher fitment factor of up to 2.57 and the restoration of the old pension scheme to replace the current NPS-based system.
Pension Hike Demands Take Center Stage
Multiple employee unions are demanding that pension be raised from the current 50 percent of the last drawn salary to 67 percent. Under the 7th Pay Commission, the minimum pension for Level 1 employees stood at just Rs 9,000. Organizations are also pushing for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, arguing that the current NPS and Unified Pension Scheme systems fall short of employee expectations.
Fitment Factor Debate Shapes Salary Calculations
The fitment factor remains the key battleground. If the commission adopts a 2.28 factor, Level 4 employees would get a minimum pension of Rs 27,413, Level 5 would receive Rs 31,390, Level 6 would get Rs 38,055, and Level 7 employees would receive Rs 48,268. Under a higher 2.57 fitment factor, Level 4 pension would rise to Rs 32,768, Level 5 to Rs 37,522, Level 6 to Rs 45,489, and Level 7 would reach Rs 57,697. A separate calculation with a 2.28 factor variant puts Level 4 at Rs 29,070, Level 5 at Rs 33,288, Level 6 at Rs 40,356, and Level 7 at Rs 51,186.
Annual Increment and Reforms on Agenda
Employee federations have also demanded a 7 percent annual increment under the new pay structure. The All India New Pension Scheme Employees Federation is actively pushing for higher basic pay and better posting and transfer policies alongside salary revisions. These demands are expected to be formally presented to the commission during the Chennai session.
Meeting Comes Amid Heightened Expectations
The Chennai meeting comes as the 8th Pay Commission completes 10 months since its formation on November 3, 2025. A separate meeting was previously held in Jaipur on August 31. The commission’s final recommendations are expected to impact over 1 crore central government employees and pensioners across India, with a potential announcement around Diwali this year.
