8th Central Pay Commission appointed with anti-worker, anti-pensioner retrograde terms of reference.
After extreme delay, the VIII Central Pay Commission has been appointed on 28th October 2025, with Justice ( Retd) smt. Ranjana Prakash Desai as Chairperson, Prof. Pulak Ghosh as Part-time Member and Shri Pankaj Jain ( Secretary, Petroleum ) as Member Secretary. The terms of reference also have been notified.
The Central Govt employees and Pensioners under the leadership of Forum of Civil Pensioners Associations can rightly be proud that the government which was delaying the appointment due two years back, and even after nine months of its declaration of its formation, has been compelled to form the same after the massive protest and agitational programmes including Parliament March of FCPA on 10th October 2025.
A perusal of the terms of reference, however, will show that all of them are completely against the interests of the workers, pensioners and their demands. The Commission is directed to consider the economic conditions of the country, need for fiscal prudence, need to ensure adequate resource for development, the cost of unfunded non-contributary pension scheme and the impact on state governments, PSUs and private sector. There cannot be a more anti-worker & anti- pensioner reference. Never seen such terms of reference packed with prohibitive directions.
This was expected since the Central government was stating that there was no need for further CPCs, but was compelled to declare the same due to Delhi elections where large number of CG employees and pensioners are voters. Probably the election in Bihar and the continued massive agitation of employees and pensioners compelled the appointment of the Commission. And now the terms are completely anti-worker.
There is no mention about need based minimum wage as per 15th ILC, no mention about Cost of Living Index, no mention about the 4th biggest Economy in the world which the PM boasts now and then, no mention about the huge incomes & profits of the Corporates, no mention about the hard working conditions due to reduced workers in all govt offices, including lakhs in Railways and defence etc etc.
The mention ' unfounded cost of non- contributory pension schemes ' is a veiled attack on the Old Pension Scheme, which clearly is an indication of imposing the much hated anti- pensioner Validation of Pension Act and denying even the meagre benefits that the CPC may recommend.
The Terms of Reference suggested by the Staff Side, JCM, National Council have been completely ignored. This is nothing but an insult to the workers and against the basic principles of JCM.
Instead of the usual five or six members, the Commission is limited to only three members, which limits the scope of discussion and points to the non- importance given by the Govt.
Immediate strong reaction through protest demonstrations etc are required. The government should be made to understand that pensioners can not be ignored and that they will fight to the last to get their due rights.
Let us stand united and be prepared for struggles for achieving our demands.
V A N Namboodiri Patron NCCPA. 29.10.2025
0 Comments