NC-JCM Memorandum: ₹69,000 Minimum Pay & 3.833 Fitment

The single most important document employees have placed before the 8th Central Pay Commission is the memorandum of the Staff Side of the National Council (Joint Consultative Machinery). The NC-JCM staff side is the apex negotiating forum for Central Government employees and includes the major railway, defence and central-government federations. It submitted its 51-page memorandum on 14 April 2026, ahead of the deadline, through Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra. Here is every major demand, what it would mean for your pay, and how it compares with history.

Key Demands at a Glance

How NC-JCM Reached ₹69,000 Minimum Pay

Pay commissions have traditionally fixed the minimum wage with a need-based formula derived from the Aykroyd method and the 15th Indian Labour Conference norms. The formula prices a basket of food, clothing, housing and other essentials for a standard family. The 7th CPC used a family of 3 consumption units (employee, spouse and two children counted as one unit together).

The staff side has changed two assumptions:

• Five units instead of three. Dependent parents are added to the family, and male and female members are counted equally as one unit each.
• Updated nutrition and modern needs. The calculation uses the ICMR-recommended intake of 3,490 kcal per day on average, plus spending on technology such as mobile phones and internet, which the old basket did not include.

With these inputs at current retail prices, the staff side arrives at ₹69,000 per month. Divide it by the present minimum of ₹18,000 and you get the headline fitment factor of 3.833.

The 3.833 Fitment Factor: What It Means Level-wise

If applied uniformly to the entry pay of each level, the demand would look like this (compared with a moderate 2.28x scenario, both rounded to ₹100):

Try your own basic pay on our 3.83 Fitment Factor Calculator.

Pay Scale Mergers, Increments and Promotions

The memorandum argues that too many closely spaced levels cause stagnation. It proposes merging scales so that employees reach higher pay faster:

• Scales 2 and 3 → new Scale 2
• Scales 4 and 5 → new Scale 3
• Scale 6 → new Scale 4
• Scales 7 and 8 → new Scale 5
• Scales 9 and 10 → new Scale 6

Other structural demands include a 6% annual increment, two additional increments as fixation benefit on promotion and MACP, and five promotions or financial upgrades in a 30-year career, similar to what Group A officers get. A 6% increment compounds quickly: after 10 years it gives about 34% more basic pay than a 3% increment. See the comparison table on our 3.83 calculator.

Allowance Demands

• HRA at 40% (X), 35% (Y) and 30% (Z) of basic pay.
• All other allowances raised three times, with separate consideration for HRA, Children Education Allowance and Risk Allowance.
• Interest-free advances, and restoration of festival and natural-calamity advances.
• Ex-gratia of ₹2 crore for accidental death on duty.
• 100% compassionate appointments, removing the current 5% ceiling.

Pension Demands

• Withdraw NPS and the Unified Pension Scheme; restore the non-contributory Old Pension Scheme.
• One Rank One Pension for civilian employees.
• Restore commuted pension after 11 years instead of 15.
• Additional pension enhancement every 5 years after retirement.

Pensioners' concerns about the Commission's terms of reference are covered in our 8th CPC Pensioners Update.

First Meeting with the Commission (28 April 2026)

The staff side's Standing Committee met the Commission on 28 April 2026 to present the memorandum. According to the minutes circulated among federations, the Commission assured more frequent meetings with staff representatives and separate consultation slots for constituent organisations. These are now under way as regional sittings. See the full visit schedule.

How Realistic Are These Demands?

A memorandum is an opening position. History shows a big gap between staff-side demands and final outcomes:

The Commission's terms of reference also ask it to keep in view the country's economic condition and the need for fiscal prudence. That is why most published estimates of the final fitment factor sit between about 1.83x and 2.46x. Remember that the first 1.58 of any factor only compensates for the 58% DA merged on 1 January 2026, so the real increase at 3.833x would be about 143%, compared with 44% at 2.28x.

Even if the headline figure is not accepted, the memorandum shapes the debate. Structural ideas such as level mergers, higher increments and a five-unit family basis could influence the final report even if the fitment factor is lower.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NC-JCM memorandum for the 8th Pay Commission?

It is the formal demand charter submitted by the Staff Side of the National Council (JCM), the apex body representing Central Government employees. The 51-page document was submitted on 14 April 2026.

What minimum salary has NC-JCM demanded?

₹69,000 per month, against ₹18,000 today. This implies a fitment factor of 3.833.

What HRA has NC-JCM demanded?

40% of basic pay in X-class cities, 35% in Y-class cities and 30% in Z-class cities.

Has the 8th Pay Commission accepted the NC-JCM demands?

No. The Commission is still consulting and has not made any recommendation. Its report is due around May 2027.

Sources

• Business Today — NC-JCM seeks ₹69,000 minimum salary, 6% increment (15 Apr 2026)
• GovtStaff — First meeting of NC-JCM Standing Committee with 8th CPC (28 Apr 2026)
• 8th Central Pay Commission — official website

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