The Chandigarh Administration has reached an agreement with the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the retirement age of UT government teachers. In a hearing on May 2nd, the Administration pledged to allow these teachers to continue working until they reach 65 years old.
This decision comes after the administration filed a plea concerning the superannuation age of its teachers. During the hearing before Justices Deepak Sibal and Deepak Manchanda, senior advocate Chetan Mittal, representing the Chandigarh Administration, assured the Court that “contesting respondents in the present and connected petitions” who are currently employed would be permitted to remain in service until they turn 65.
Mittal further clarified that librarians would have a retirement age of 62. Additionally, he informed the bench that other respondents who were previously relieved from service before reaching 65 would be offered the opportunity to rejoin. This offer would be extended within three weeks, allowing them to continue working until they reach the new retirement age.
As a consequence of this agreement, lawyers representing the contesting respondents in the petitions withdrew contempt petitions filed against the administration with the Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal. The High Court case will resume for further hearings in the second week of July.
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Previously, the court was informed that all employees under the Chandigarh Administrator’s control have been governed by the 1992 Rules, as notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, since 1992. However, certain respondents based their claims on regulations framed under the UGC Act, which prescribe a retirement age of 65 with the possibility of extension to 70. It was on this basis that the respondents sought an increase in the retirement age for UT government teachers.
This agreement between the Chandigarh Administration and the High Court offers relief and clarity to UT government teachers. The new retirement age of 65, with the option for some to rejoin service after previous releases, provides them with greater job security and potentially extends their careers.
