Guwahati, Feb 24: The Assam Government constitutes the 8th Assam Pay Commission, 2026, appointing Subhash Chandra Das as its chairman and entrusting it with reviewing the pay structure and service conditions of state employees.
The Finance (Pay Research Unit) Department issued a notification on Tuesday formalising the panel. The Secretary of the Finance (PDU) Department took charge as Member Secretary. The Commission included the senior-most Secretaries of the Personnel, ARTPPC and Finance Departments, the Legal Remembrancer-cum-Commissioner and Special Secretary of the Judicial Department, the Special Director of the Finance (Budget) Department or a nominee of the senior-most Secretary of the Finance Department, and Prof. Ratul Mahanta of Gauhati University.
The government mandated the Commission to examine the principles governing emoluments and service conditions of state government employees. It excluded officers of the All India Services, faculty and staff drawing UGC, AICTE or other technical pay scales in higher and professional educational institutions, and Judicial Service officers drawing salaries under the Shetty Commission or SNIPC framework.
The order directed the panel to recommend revisions in pay, allowances and service conditions in a manner that ensured equity, rewarded performance and remained fiscally prudent. It asked the Commission to consider the historical evolution of pay structures, prevailing economic circumstances, the state’s financial capacity, developmental priorities, expansion of public employment and the recommendations of the Central Pay Commission. It also required adherence to the provisions of the Assam Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2005.
The government instructed the Commission to frame sustainability parameters, undertake fiscal modelling and propose phased implementation options with year-wise projections of financial impact and cash flow requirements. It noted that the last revision of pay followed the recommendations of the 7th Assam Pay Commission and came into effect from 1 April 2016, making a fresh review necessary.
The order stressed that any revision in salaries must accompany structural reforms in human resource management, wider adoption of digital technologies, outcome-oriented governance and rationalisation of manpower. It underlined the need to raise productivity per employee through integration of Human Resource Management Information Systems with financial systems, introduction of measurable performance benchmarks and targeted skill development through structured training.
The government also indicated that incentive mechanisms, where introduced, must align with objectively verifiable benchmarks and fiscal responsibility norms. The 8th Assam Pay Commission will function from its headquarters in Guwahati and is expected to submit its report within 12 months of its constitution.
