8th Pay Commission proposals: CGHS facility, parent care leave for 1 year; what union territory, central autonomous body employees want from 8th CPC

The All India NPS Employees Federation is pushing for the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) services to be extended to employees in union territories (UT) and central autonomous bodies (CAB). They also want to introduce one year of parental care leave. These will be their main demands related to the 8^th Pay Commission. Manjeet Patel, the federation’s president is scheduled to meet Shiva Gopal Mishra, secretary general of NC (JCM) Staff side, on Thursday (March 12, 2026).

In a conversation with ET Wealth Online, Patel shared the key issues that he plans to discuss with Mishra, emphasizing that he wants these issues to be part of the common memorandum of NC (JCM) that will be sent to 8^th Pay Commission chairperson Ranjana Prakash Desai, soon.

Also read: 8th Pay Commission demands: Commuted pension after 11 years, fitment factor of 3, revised DA calculation; what AITUC wants from 8th CPC

Central government orders should be extended to UT, CAB employees

The federation wants all central government orders related to employees and pensioners to be also sent to the chief secretaries of the union territories and to be applicable to UT and CAB employees along with all other central government employees.

“What happens is that not all central government orders are applicable to UT and CAB employees. Some orders are implemented but much later than they are implemented for non-UT and CAB employees. Like, the 2021 pension order and the 2025 Unified Pension Scheme order have yet not been implemented for CAB employees. It either denies or delays similar benefits for such employees. We want the 8^th Pay Commission to end this anomaly,” said Patel.

Also Read: Rs 54,000 minimum basic pay demand for 8th Pay Commission: Why this employee body wants 3.0 fitment factor for central government employees

CGHS facility to UT and CAB employees

Patel said that UT and CAB employees who have not been selected through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) don’t get CGHS facilities. He said the federation is pushing for the 8^th Commission to extend the same CGHS benefits to UT and CAB employees as those enjoyed by all other central government employees.

“UT and CAB employees who are not selected through UPSC exams get UT or state-specific health scheme facilities in places where they are posted. But most employees are not from the same place, and they shift to their home state once they retire and hence lack a cashless medical facility. If they get CGHS facility, they can access medical treatment all across India,” explains Patel.

Provide more CLs and ELs to teachers in UTs

The federation is expecting the 8^th Pay Commission to provide more leaves to teachers in UTs.

“Currently, they get eight casual leaves (CL) and 10 earned leaves (EL) a year, which is too less for anyone. We are asking the 8^th Pay Commission to increase their CLs to 14 and ELs to 30 in a year,” said Patel.

1-year leave for parental care

On the lines of childcare leave (CCL) of two years granted to women, the federation is demanding that the 8^th Pay Commission should to provide parental care leave or family care leave of one year to male employees.

“The problem is for UT or CAB employees who have aged parents or family members with serious diseases requiring extra care. Such employees should be given one-year leave in extra ordinary situations,” said Patel.

28-day leave to attend family rituals

Patel says male employees get 15 days of paternity leaves, but they don’t get leave for marriage or other rituals which are essential to attend, says Patel.

“Such rituals can be related to child or deceased parents. We want the 8^th Pay Commission to grant 28 days of such leaves to UT and CAB employees,” says Patel.

Increase leave encashment to 400

The federation also wants the 8th Pay Commission to increase leave encashment to 400 leaves from 300. Government employees get leave encashment at the time of retirement. The maximum encashment allowed is for 300 earned leaves (EL), which the federation wants to make 400.

"An employee can get a maximum 10 EL in a year. But the average age of joining a central government job is 25 years and the employee remains in the service for 35 years. So 50 ELs should be increased for that reason. It has been a long-standing demand from our federation to increase the retirement age from 60 years to 65 years. So, another 50 ELs should be increased for that reason."

8th Pay Commission current status

The 8^th Pay Commission has asked employees, pensioners, unions and other stakeholders to submit their responses on 18 questions it had uploaded on its official website.

These questions pertain to pay, pension, allowances and other service conditions of employees. Answers can be submitted only through the online mode.

Many employee unions have submitted their responses, demanding increased payouts, better working conditions and more leaves for employees.

The National Council of the Joint Consultative Machinery (Staff), which is the umbrella body of India’s leading central government employee and pensioner unions is also preparing a common memorandum of demands related to the 8^th Pay Commission.

Once prepared, NC (JCM) will seek a meeting with the 8^th CPC chairperson Ranjana Prakash Desai to submit the memorandum in person.