Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has confirmed that the state’s 8th Pay Commission has started its work. The salaries of state government employees will be revised after the committee submits its recommendations, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI).
Sarma made the announcement while addressing a state government programme in Guwahati on Sunday, October 11. He said the commission was working on the review and that the next step would depend on its report.
Assam Becomes First State to Establish Its 8th Pay Commission
Assam set up its 8th State Pay Commission in January, becoming the first state or Union Territory to establish such a panel after the Central Government constituted its own commission last year, Sarma said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
According to a report by Financial Express, the state commission is expected to submit its recommendations within 18 months. Its work is expected to cover salaries, allowances, pensions and service conditions for state government employees.
The report also suggested that revised pay scales could be introduced in 2027 or 2028, with arrears potentially calculated from January 1, 2026. However, these are expected timelines rather than confirmed implementation dates. A decision on the state’s revised pay structure is not expected before the Central Pay Commission submits its recommendations.
Assam Government Distributes 439 Appointment Letters
During Sunday’s programme, Sarma handed over appointment letters to 439 candidates selected for positions across four state government departments. With these appointments, the total number of recruitments made during his two terms as chief minister reached 1,65,749, PTI reported.
The chief minister also highlighted recruitment at the Assam Co-operative Apex Bank, which had filled 175 posts. He said the bank’s turnaround had also helped generate indirect employment opportunities.
Among the latest appointments, 184 candidates were recruited to the Public Health Engineering Department and 68 to the Water Resources Department, officials said.
ESI Scheme and Government Employment Initiatives
Sarma also discussed the role of the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) scheme in providing healthcare to workers earning less than ₹21,000 per month.
He said a medical college had been established in Guwahati under the scheme, offering 50 MBBS seats. The second batch of students is scheduled to begin classes this year.
In addition, 12 Insurance Medical Officers were appointed to serve the 33 dispensaries and hospitals operating under the ESI scheme.
The chief minister said Assam currently has approximately four lakh government employees, of whom around 1.65 lakh are young people recruited in recent years. He added that nearly 40% of the state’s government workforce is below the age of 40.
According to Sarma, a further two lakh appointments under the present government would bring more young employees into the administration.
He also pointed to the government’s efforts to speed up promotions. The move is expected to allow officers to advance to senior positions, including director and joint director, while creating vacancies at lower levels for new recruitment.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the statements and media reports cited above. The timelines for the Assam 8th Pay Commission’s recommendations and the possible implementation of revised salaries are indicative and have not been confirmed as final dates by the state government. Employees should refer to official government notifications for confirmed decisions on pay revisions, arrears and service conditions.
