8th Pay Commission: Implications for fiscal health and social equity

Rooted in Article 309 of the Constitution, the pay commissions are set up at regular intervals to revise salaries and pensions of government employees to ensure its alignment with inflation and economic conditions. 

The idea behind pay commissions is simple: wages should protect purchasing power and reward the public servants. Yet, every revision has their consequences – higher inflation, fiscal stress, private-sector wage pressure, and widening income inequality. Therefore, it becomes important to examine the 8th CPC vis-a-vis India’s fiscal maturity and social balance.

Why are pay commissions established? 

The Central Pay Commission is a committee established by the Government of India under the provisions of Article 309 of the Constitution. Its primary mandate is to review and recommend changes in the salary structure, allowances, and pension schemes of central government employees, including defense personnel, and to ensure that their compensation remains fair and in tune with the changing economic conditions.

The first Pay Commission was established in January 1946, even before independence, to rationalise the pay structure of colonial civil services and to ensure parity between different grades of government employment. Since then, India has constituted seven Pay Commissions, approximately once in every decade. 

The 8th CPC will benefit almost 50 lakh central government employees and nearly 65 lakh pensioners. Unlike the Centre, states aren’t bound by CPC recommendations but also cannot ignore them. Nonetheless, historical data suggest near-universal adoption. All states and UTs implemented the 7th CPC within 2-3 years, often with state-specific fitment factors. Fitment factor is a multiplier used to calculate the revised basic pay. 

Together, states and UTs employ approximately 1.85 crore government employees, which is nearly four times the central government workforce. In total, the 8th CPC will cover almost 2.5 crore employees and pensioners across India, including state and center, making it one of the largest salary adjustments in the world.

Fiscal implications of the 8th CPC

Since salaries to employees account for a major chunk of revenue expenditure, pay commission recommendations have a bearing on the fiscal math of the government. For instance, the Seventh Central Pay Commission had recommended a 23.55 per cent increase in pay, allowances and pension, which had led to an additional annual burden of 1.02 lakh crore for the central government.

Similarly, if salaries and pensions increase by 20-25 per cent as per the 8th CPC, the centre will need an additional 1.4 lakh crore each year. The salary bill of the central government for 2025–26 is estimated to be around 2.95 lakh crore, and pension around 2.74 lakh crore, according to the Union Budget 2025-26.

For state governments, which together employ nearly 1.9 crore people, the total salary and pension bill already stands at 9-10 lakh crore. If 70 per cent of states implement similar revisions, as seen in previous Pay Commission cycles, their combined annual cost will rise by 2.3-2.5 lakh crore.

Together, the centre and states may face an extra burden of 3.7-3.9 lakh crore per year, which equals roughly 1.1-1.2 per cent of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2025-26. It means this expansion in spending could push the centre’s fiscal deficit from 4.4 per cent to around 5 per cent of GDP, and states’ deficits from 3 per cent to nearly 3.7 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). 

Socioeconomic impact 

But how would the government meet the potential burden from the 8th CPC? The governments might raise taxes, borrow more, or cut investment spending on development projects like roads, health, and education. Each of these choices has consequences: higher taxes can burden people, borrowing can increase debt, and cutting capital spending can slow future growth. 

The 8th CPC promise of fairness will lift incomes but also tighten fiscal space. Therefore, the challenge now would be to ensure that this generosity doesn’t affect the future growth, and that the pay rise is matched by a rise in productivity, service, and economic stability.

The 8th CPC – expected to bring a 20-25 per cent salary hike – will help improve the lives of government employees, but it may also widen wage inequality. After the 7th Pay Commission raised the public sector salaries by 23 per cent, private sector wages rose by a mere 8-10 per cent. The 8th CPC is likely to repeat this imbalance, as government pay climbs faster, private firms and small businesses struggle to keep pace.

For around 63 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which employ nearly 111 million workers, this widening pay gap could mean greater financial stress. Many may be forced to automate, outsource, or hire contract labour to survive. This shift will deepen job insecurity and expand the informal segment of India’s workforce.

Already as part of the attempt to limit salary cost, nearly half of government jobs are now non-permanent or contractual, and this share is increasing continuously. Further, regional disparities may also widen. States like Maharashtra and Gujarat, with stronger private sectors, would feel pressure to raise wages to stay competitive, driving up manufacturing costs. In contrast, poorer states may fall far behind.

The intensity of this divide becomes clear with a simple comparison. On one side, Group C and D government employees may soon earn 35,000-45,000 per month. On the other, India’s 43 crore informal workers still earn only 8000-12,000 per month, with little change in income even as living costs keep rising. In this case, what begins as an act of fairness risks turning into a source of inequality, dividing India’s workforce into two worlds: one secure and salaried, the other informal and uncertain.

How to balance justice with fiscal discipline

Moreover, the rise in wages is expected to reshape not only the wage structure but also social aspirations. As the pay gap between public and private jobs would become wider, and also would possibly intensify the youth attraction to government jobs. 

Hence, it won’t be wrong to say that the 8th CPC is more than just another salary revision. This presents an opportunity for India to balance equity considerations with fiscal discipline, while keeping the fiscal deficit within the 3 per cent target outlined in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM) framework.

It is important that the 8th CPC move beyond being a simple pay adjustment exercise. It may serve as a tool for reform – one that links pay to performance, rewards productivity and public service, and includes equity safeguards for contractual and informal workers who remain outside the safety net.

It may also help build a national pay framework that encourages MNCs and MSMEs to adopt fair wage practices, narrowing the gap between the formal and informal sectors. It may be argued that if handled with care, the 8th CPC could strengthen the link between fairness and efficiency, turning wages into an investment in better governance. But if managed without caution, it could revive inflation, fuel fiscal stress, widen inequality, and weaken the foundation of inclusive growth.

Post read questions

Why are pay commissions established? What is the primary mandate of these commissions under Article 309 of the Constitution?

What are the expected fiscal consequences of a 20–25 per cent rise in salaries and pensions under the 8th CPC?

Do you think higher government salaries inherently worsen wage inequality? Why or why not?

How can governments ensure that salary hikes lead to improved productivity rather than only increased expenditure?

(Pushpendra Singh is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Mumbai, and Archana Singh is an Assistant Professor of Gender and Economics at the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai.)

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