Eighth Central Pay Commission
Justice Rajana Desai has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Eighth Central Pay Commission, Professor Pulak Ghosh has been appointed as the part-time member, and Pankaj Jain will serve as the Member-Secretary.
Here are the dates for the appointment and submission of recommendations for the previous Seventh Central Pay Commission:-
| Central Pay Commission | Date of Appoitment | Date of Submission of Report |
|---|---|---|
| First Pay Commission | May, 1946 | May, 1947 |
| Second Pay Commission | August, 1957 | August, 1958 |
| Third Pay Commission | April, 1970 | March, 1973 |
| Fourth Pay Commission | June, 1983 | Three Reports Submitted in June, 1986; December, 1986 and May, 1987 respectively |
| Fifth Pay Commission | April, 1994 | January, 1997 |
| Sixth Pay Commission | October, 2006 | March, 2008 |
| Seventh Pay Commission | 28 February 2014 | 19 November 2015 |
| Eighth Pay Commission | 03 Nov 2025 (official ToR/constitution) | Report due ~May/Jun 2027; Expected |
Members’ Profile
Justice Ranjana Desai
Professor Pulak Ghosh
Pankaj Jain
Justice Ranjana Desai, Chairperson
Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, a retired Supreme Court judge, is notably the first woman ever to lead a Central Pay Commission in India. Born on October 30, 1949, in Mumbai, Justice Desai is well-known for her legal expertise.
Legal Career Journey
- 1973: Started legal practice, earning just 05 for her first case
- 1979: Appointed as Government Pleader
- 1986: Became Special Public Prosecutor for preventive detention matters
- 1996: Elevated to Bombay High Court as Additional Judge
- 2011-2014: Served as Supreme Court Judge (5th woman appointed to apex court)
- Retired: October 29, 2014
Post-Retirement Leadership Roles
- Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (2014-2019): Served as Chairperson
- J&K Delimitation Commission (2020-2022): Led the commission after Article 370
abrogation - Uttarakhand UCC Committee (2022): Headed expert panel on Uniform Civil Code
- Gujarat UCC Committee (2025): Led drafting committee for Gujarat’s UCC
- Press Council of India (Current): Serving as Chairperson, first woman to hold this
- 8th Pay Commission (Current): Serving as Chairperson
Professor Pulak Ghosh, Part-Time Member
Professor Ghosh is a professor at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. He is known for his work in technology, data science, finance, and policy
Career Positions
- 2003-2005: Assistant Professor, Georgia State University, USA
- 2005-2009: Associate Professor, Emory University, USA
- Director: Clinically Advanced Statistical Solutions, Novartis Pharmaceuticals
- 2009-Present: Tenured Professor, IIM Bangalore
- 2025-Present: Part-Time Member, 8th Pay Commission, Government of India
Government Advisory Roles
- National Statistical Commission: Member (2019-2022)
- Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC-PM): Part-Time Member (2025)
- SEBI: Chairman of AI Trading Committee
- NITI Aayog: Senior Fellow
- Reserve Bank of India: Advisory Board Member
- National Stock Exchange (NSE): IT Committee Member
- UN Global Pulse: Founding Advisory Board Member
Pankaj Jain, Member-Secretary
Pankaj Jain, with extensive experience in public administration, has contributed significantly to the planning and implementation of government policies related to finance and administration. Pankaj Jain started his early career as an IAS officer. Over the years, he has worked in many critical roles, focusing especially on administration and policy planning. Now, he has been made Member-Secretary of the 8th Pay Commission.