The 8th Pay Commission is set to conduct stakeholder consultations on May 13-14, 2026, in Delhi, targeting unions and organizations under the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Defence. These meetings aim to gather input from pensioners and personnel about pay scales, allowances, and service conditions. Interested stakeholders must submit an online application by May 10, 2026, to participate, and only shortlisted individuals will be notified. The Commission, established on November 3, 2025, is currently in the consultation phase and will draft its final report approximately 18 months after its inception. The recent increase in dearness allowance by 2% for central government employees and pensioners will also be discussed, impacting over 50 lakh federal employees and 68 lakh pensioners. This adjustment, which costs ₹6,791 crore (roughly $820 million USD), aims to mitigate inflation effects.