8th pay commission: From night allowances to risk insurance, 8 key demands nurses have put forward

Representing central government hospital nurses across India, the Nurses Welfare Association (NWA) met 8th Pay Commission officials in Chandigarh on Friday, September 18. The association outlined several key requests, ranging from higher starting salaries and night duty pay to comprehensive insurance and the return of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

Here is a look at the eight core demands presented by the NWA to the commission.

1. Higher Starting Grade Pay: The NWA requested Level 10 entry-level pay for nursing officers to match the Military Nursing Service. The association noted that this change reflects updated educational standards—shifting from GNM to a B.Sc. in Nursing—and honours Health Ministry recommendations (DO letters from August 1, 2016, and March 16, 2018) acknowledging nurses’ expanding duties.

2. Night Shift Allowance: To compensate for demanding work schedules, the union recommended establishing a specific night duty allowance for all nursing personnel.

3. Hazardous Conditions Pay: Given the challenging nature of nursing, the association urged the government to grant a risk and hardship allowance under the R1H1 matrix—the highest tiers for job risk and environmental hardship.

4. Comprehensive Insurance Policies: Highlighting daily exposure to health hazards, the NWA called for term and health insurance coverages modelled after COVID-19 pandemic relief measures to protect healthcare staff.

5. Urban Reclassification for Chandigarh: In a regional request, the association proposed grouping Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula into a single tricity population zone. Reclassifying Chandigarh as an A1 (Tier 1) city would raise local House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Transport Allowance (TA).

6. Higher Routine Allowances: The panel asked the commission to retain existing nursing, dress, and special allowances while tripling their current payout amounts.

7. Advanced Qualification Pay: To support professional development, the NWA recommended keeping qualification allowances for nurses at a rate equal to two non-absorbable increments.

8. Return to the Old Pension Scheme: Joining broader civil service demands, the NWA advocated replacing the current retirement frameworks with the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

The original OPS ended on December 31, 2003, making way for the National Pension System (NPS) on January 1, 2004. Although the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) launched on April 1, 2025, as an alternative under the NPS framework, union leadership—including the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM)—continues to press for full OPS restoration before massive waves of post-2004 recruits retire after 2035.