8th Pay Commission: pension bodies seek explicit pension revision in ToR

The Bharat Pensioners’ Samaj and All India Defence Employees’ Federation have urged the central government to amend the 8th Pay Commission’s Terms of Reference to explicitly cover pension revision, family pension inclusion and parity for central government pensioners retiring before 1 January 2026, Livemint reports. The commission, chaired by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, has completed more than half of its 18-month term since its constitution on 3 November 2025.

In letters to the Finance Ministry and Cabinet Secretary, the AIDEF argued the current ToR does not categorically address revision of pensions for past pensioners, parity between past and future pensioners, or revision of family pensions and other retirement benefits, Livemint adds. It has also objected to the ToR reference to the ‘unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes’. The BPS, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, similarly sought deletion of that term and demanded authoritative clarification that pensioners retiring before January 1 will not be excluded.

Demands also include restoration of the old pension scheme and extension of benefits to centrally funded autonomous bodies and Gram Dak Sevaks. The 8th Pay Commission has upcoming meetings in Chennai, Puducherry, Chandigarh and Jaipur. Its final report will be submitted to the central government.