8th Pay Commission: Postal Staff Demand Pay Hike At Bengaluru Meeting; Read

The 8th Pay Commission kicked off its Bengaluru meeting today to discuss salary and allowance updates for central government and postal department employees. The Federation of National Postal Organisations has strongly demanded a pay hike

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Bengaluru hosts the meeting today

The 8th Pay Commission started its crucial meeting in Bengaluru today. The official website states that the Bengaluru session will end on October 8. The panel will then travel to Mumbai for its next scheduled meetings on October 22 and 23.

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Panel formed on November 3, 2025

The central government formed the 8th Pay Commission as a temporary body on November 3, 2025. Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai leads this three-member panel. The commission has an 18-month deadline to submit its final report after detailed discussions.

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Panel listens to employee unions

The 8th Pay Commission is currently hearing grievances from eligible employee unions regarding salaries, allowances, and working conditions. Postal department employees also submitted a memorandum earlier this year with several major demands for the panel to review.

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What do postal employees want?

Postal employees want the 8th Pay Commission to revise the salaries and designations of Higher Selection Grade-I (HSG-I) and HSG-I (Non-Functional Grade) officers. These officers currently work in senior supervisory roles across the postal department.

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Chapter 10 highlights the core issue

The Federation of National Postal Organisations (FNPO) detailed this specific demand in Chapter 10 of their memorandum. The federation pointed out that HSG-I officers handle much more work now, but their financial benefits have steadily dropped over the years.

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Why do they need a pay hike?

The memorandum explains that HSG-I officers work as head postmasters, deputy postmasters, and heads of major post offices. These officers manage finances, administration, treasury operations, digital transactions, staff supervision, and strict rule compliance.

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FNPO points out the massive pay gap

FNPO highlighted the massive pay gap between Postal Assistants and HSG-I officers across different pay commissions. The ratio dropped from 1:4.2 during the first commission to 1:3 in the second, 1:2.7 in the third, 1:2.1 in the fourth, 1:1.6 in the fifth, and 1:1.7 in the sixth.

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MACP system weakens the promotion gap

The federation argued that the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) system during the 7th Pay Commission further weakened the promotion gap. This system allows regular employees to easily reach Level 7 through standard career progression.

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What are the new FNPO proposals?

FNPO proposed Level 9 for HSG-I and Level 10 or higher for HSG-I (NFG) to the 8th Pay Commission. The union also demanded Group B Gazetted status, a 10 percent Postmaster Responsibility Allowance on basic pay, and a stronger vertical pay relativity system.

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Digital shift demands better pay

FNPO strongly argued that postal operations have become highly digital, complex, and regulatory in nature. The government must upgrade the salaries and status of these post office heads to match their heavy modern responsibilities.

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What should central employees track?

Central government employees and pensioners should closely track the Bengaluru meeting for new updates. Employee unions will likely raise similar demands regarding MACP, fitment factor, salary revisions, pension reforms, and better working conditions.

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Final report expected by mid-2027

The 8th Pay Commission has an 18-month deadline that will likely end around May or June 2027. Pensioners and employees can expect a clear picture on the fitment factor multiplier and other recommendations by mid-2027, unless the panel asks for an extension.

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Unions demand higher fitment factor

The fitment factor multiplier stood at 1.86 and 2.57 during the 6th and 7th Pay Commissions. Major unions like the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) and Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS) are now demanding a higher multiplier of 3.833 and 4 to tackle inflation.