Over 1.2 crore central government employees and pensioners are still in the dark as the much-anticipated 8th Pay Commission remains on the back burner, nearly six months after the Centre’s green signal on January 16, 2025. With no chairperson, no members, and no terms of reference in sight, hopes of rolling out the new pay scales from January 1, 2026, are fast fading. Employee unions have already submitted their key demands, including revision of minimum wage based on a five-member family, merger of select pay levels, restoration of commuted pensions after 12 years instead of 15, five-year pension revisions, and merging 50% of Dearness Allowance (DA) into basic pay to offset inflation. The government has begun staff recruitment for the commission office, but the absence of leadership and ToR has stalled real progress. Experts now believe the new pay structure may only materialise by 2028 unless the process is fast-tracked. The Centre, however, may consider retrospective implementation from January 2026, depending on political and financial factors.