NC-JCM Gears Up for Key 8th Pay Commission Drafting Session on February 25, 2026

In what is being seen as a crucial step in the long-awaited process of the 8th Central Pay Commission (8th CPC), the National Council (Staff Side) of the Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) has formally called its drafting committee to convene in New Delhi on February 25, 2026 to begin preparations on a unified memorandum of demands for central government employees and pensioners.

This meeting marks one of the first major organised efforts by employee representatives since the government allotted office accommodation for the 8th Pay Commission at Chandralok Building, Janpath earlier this month.

Week-Long Deliberations to Shape Employee Demands

According to an official NC-JCM circular signed by Secretary Shiva Gopal Mishra, members of the drafting committee will gather at the council’s headquarters at 13-C, Ferozshah Road, New Delhi, starting at 10:30 AM on February 25. The group is expected to stay in the national capital for about a week to conduct detailed discussions on service matters affecting central government personnel.

The circular emphasises that since the newly formed 8th Pay Commission office will soon become fully operational, the NC-JCM must be ready to submit a common memorandum outlining key staff demands once requested to do so.

What’s at Stake: Pay, Allowances and Service Conditions

Representatives from major central government employee and pensioner organisations will participate in the drafting session. While the official invitation list has not been publicly disclosed, sources close to the discussions indicate that sectors such as Railways, Defence, Posts, Income Tax and other departments are likely to be involved.

The drafting committee will focus on consolidating views on core issues including:

• Basic Pay Revision — ensuring pay scales keep pace with inflation and cost of living.
• Fitment Factor — the multiplier that directly affects salary increases. There is debate around what this factor should be to meaningfully uplift pay scales.
• Allowances and Minimum Wage — demands to rationalise and enhance allowances such as House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Dearness Allowance (DA).
• Service Conditions and Pension Revisions — especially critical for retired employees and those nearing retirement.

While specifics of these demands will be ironed out at the week-long session, early indications suggest that employee bodies are seeking improvements across the board to reflect contemporary economic realities.

Process and the Road Ahead

Once the NC-JCM finalises its draft memorandum, it will be forwarded formally to the 8th Pay Commission for consideration. In past pay commission cycles, this joint memorandum has served as a cornerstone document, shaping broader discussions and negotiations with the government.

Following submission, the 8th Pay Commission will invite inputs from a wide range of stakeholders — including central ministries, state governments, employee unions and independent experts — before holding consultations and interviews as part of its detailed review process.

Why This Matters to Employees and Pensioners

For millions of central government employees and pensioners nationwide, the February meeting is more than just a procedural formality. It signifies the formal beginning of structured engagement in the 8th Pay Commission process, which is expected to frame the next decade of compensation and service conditions for India’s civil workforce.

Although any actual pay revisions and benefit changes will take time — with analysts suggesting recommendations may take many months to complete — the NC-JCM’s drafting session signals that employee voices are starting to coalesce into a unified front ahead of negotiations.