Chandigarh admn to offer retired college faculty to join back duties

The retired employees, who are a part of this litigation and have retired but not completed 65 years of age, would be offered to join back till they attain the age of 65

The Chandigarh administration has undertaken before the Punjab and Haryana high court that it would offer retired faculty to join back their duty.

There are 30 odd retired faculty members who are contesting Chandigarh administration’s decision to retire them at 58. (HT file)

Appearing for the administration, senior advocate Chetan Mittal submitted that within three weeks, the retired employees, who are a part of this litigation and have retired but not completed 65 years of age, would be offered to join back till they attain the said age.

Those who are in service would also be allowed to serve till they turn 65, he added. There are 30 odd retired faculty members who are contesting the UT’s decision to retire them at 58.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had ordered enhancement of the retirement age of college faculty in city colleges from 58 to 65 last year. UT has challenged the same arguing that it had adopted the Punjab Civil Service rules in 1992 that prescribe the age of retirement as 58 and in the absence of any amendment in rules,and the said age of superannuation cannot be amended. Even the regulations of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) or University Grants Commission (UGC) provide for different ages. The same is not applicable ipso facto to Chandigarh. The UT has argued, adding that the decision of the Union education ministry on retirement age of 65 only relates to the Centrally Funded Institutes (CFIs), as the government colleges of Chandigarh do not fall within the definition of CFIs.