8th Pay Commission: Employees Launch a Full-Scale Offensive! An All-Out Battle Over OPS and Pensions? The Foremost Demand for Women..

The patience of central government employees and pensioners—who have been eagerly awaiting their salaries and pensions in line with the 8th Pay Commission—is wearing thin. The NC-JCM (Staff Side), the largest representative body for millions of government employees across the country, has submitted a list of its nine-point demands to the Pay Commission.

In a strongly worded letter dated April 1, 2026, Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary of the NC-JCM, conveyed in unequivocal terms to Pankaj Jain, the Member Secretary of the 8th Pay Commission, that:

The questionnaire, comprising 18 questions issued by the Commission, requires modification. Employees believe that several crucial issues have been overlooked in the current format.

Now, the question arises: what specific demands have the employees placed before the government?

1. **Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) – The Top Priority**
The employees' primary and most significant demand is the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The NC-JCM has clarified that employees are dissatisfied with both the NPS and the recently announced UPS (Unified Pension Scheme). The employees assert that they are not in favor of a 'contributory pension' and insist on receiving the traditional, non-contributory pension governed by the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021).

2. **Protection of Pensioners' Rights**
A demand has been placed before the Commission to establish a separate section dedicated to pensioners. This section is proposed to cover issues such as the restoration of commuted pension value, pension enhancements, and ensuring parity in post-retirement benefits.

3. **Special Provisions for Female Employees**
For the first time, a demand has been made to the Pay Commission for a section specifically dedicated to female employees. It has been suggested that this section address sensitive issues such as workplace safety, maternity benefits, menstrual leave, Child Care Leave (CCL), and workplace equity.

4. **Resolution of Department-Specific Issues**
Every department within the Government of India faces its own unique challenges. The NC-JCM points out that the operational mechanisms of each department differ; therefore, the Commission should make separate provisions to hear and address department-specific grievances.

5. **Demand for an Extended Deadline**
The NC-JCM has demanded that the deadline for submitting memoranda regarding issues pertinent to various departments be extended to May 31, 2026. They argue that consulting with organizations and unions spread across the country is a time-consuming process.

6-7. **Extension of the Word Limit**
Employees had previously expressed grievances regarding the word limit, noting that the 500-word cap (3500... The character limit for presenting one's views is currently quite restrictive. However, C. Srikumar, General Secretary of AIDEF, has shared the welcome news that the Commission has increased this limit to 10,000 characters per subject. Additionally, the file size limit for document attachments has been raised from 2 MB to 6 MB.

8-9. Technical Barriers Must Be Eliminated
Employees have demanded that the format of the questionnaire be simplified to ensure that every question can be answered in a systematic manner. Furthermore, they have requested that, in addition to online submissions, memorandums also be accepted via email and hard copy, so that no employee's voice goes unheard due to technical glitches.

"We want the 8th Pay Commission to be inclusive. Employees must be accorded adequate space and time to present their arguments, data, and rationale."

— Shiva Gopal Mishra, Secretary, NC-JCM

What Comes Next?
The NC-JCM is currently collaborating with all employee organizations to draft a joint memorandum. The employees have adopted an assertive stance and appear to be in no mood to compromise on issues ranging from pensions to salary increments.

The ball is now in the 8th Pay Commission's court to determine the degree of priority it accords to incorporating these nine demands.

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