8th CPC: Employees' Bodies Want Revised Terms Of Reference For 69 Lakh Pensioners, Families

The All India Defence Employees' Federation (AIDEF), a trade union for civilian employees working in Ministry of Defence factories and establishments, has written a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, requesting that the government should amend the ToR for the 8th CPC.

Earlier, the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking crucial amendments to the ToR of the 8th CPC, and requesting the explicit inclusion of pension revision and pension parity for nearly 69 lakh pensioners and family pensioners.

In a letter to the Union Finance Minister, a copy of which was marked to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the AIDEF stated that the ToR for the 8th CPC does not include factors such as the expectations of the employees and more than 69 lakh pensioners and family pensioners.

The AIDEF, while invoking the ToR of the 7th CPC again, stated that it was most unfortunate that 69 lakhs Central government pensioners and family pensioners, who dedicated their services to the country for more than three decades while in service, were kept out of the purview of the 8th CPC.

"You will appreciate that the revision of pension is a right of pensioners, and they cannot be discriminated against. The majority of them are in the fag end of their life, and outright ignoring them is totally unjustified," as per the letter.

The AIDEF, which was founded in 1953, has written that the 8th CPC ToR does not mention anything about the stakeholders' expectations (employees' expectations), and has also requested the Ministry to redraft the 8th CPC TOR, at par with the 7th CPC.

Restoration Of Old Pension Scheme 

The Federation has stated that more than 26 lakhs Central Government employees under the National Pension Scheme (NPS) have been demanding the restoration of the Non-Contributory Pension under CCS. 

"However, in the 8th CPC ToR, the same is not included. We appeal to the Hon’ble Finance Minister to include this," the letter reads.

The letter by the AIDEF added that the ToR does not address the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), which was demanded by more than 26 lakh employees. It highlights that the ToR of the 8th CPC is different from the ToR of the 7th CPC, which included most of these demands. 

"It is requested that the government may kindly include the ToR of the 8th CPC, and an amendment may please be issued for including in the ToR the revision of pension in the case of the employees who retired prior to the date of effect of the 8th CPC i.e., 01.01.2026; and also to consider the restoration of the commuted value of pension after 11 years, enhanced pension by 5% once in five years from the date of retirement, as recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee," reads the letter.

The AIDEF has also demanded the date of effect of the recommendation of the 8th CPC. "In the 7th CPC, there was a specific ToR to recommend the date of effect of its recommendation, whereas in the 8th CPC ToR, no such reference is made," the letter added.

The workers' body hoped that its proposals would be considered in its true perspective and the Finance Ministry would issue appropriate amendments in the 8th CPC ToR.

The Confederation, in its letter, also pointed out that the ToR does not specify the date of implementation, arguing that the 8th CPC must be made effective from January 1, 2026, in line with the 10-year cycle followed by previous pay commissions.

Additional Demands 

The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has additionally sought the extension of 8th CPC benefits to employees of autonomous and statutory bodies, and to gramin dak sevaks, described as vital to the postal network. Highlighting delays in the 8th CPC process and rising inflation, it requested 20% interim relief to maintain morale among 1.2 crore employees, pensioners, and family pensioners. 

The Confederation further called for the expansion of the Central Government Health Scheme wellness centres, cashless treatment for pensioners, and broader healthcare reforms.