UT raises upper age limit for govt jobs from 25 to 37

CHANDIGARH: Accepting a long-pending demand of employee unions and residents, especially the youth, the UT Administration has increased the age limit for entry into government service in Chandigarh from 25 years to 37 years on the pattern of the Punjab Government.

Tears of joy: MP Kirron Kher breaks down after announcing the increase in the age limit for entry into government service in Chandigarh. Later, BJP workers and trade union members garlanded her at the UT Guest House on Friday. Tribune Photos: Manoj Mahajan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 4

Accepting a long-pending demand of employee unions and residents, especially the youth, the UT Administration has increased the age limit for entry into government service in Chandigarh from 25 years to 37 years on the pattern of the Punjab Government. The orders were issued by the Administration today.

Now, aspirants can apply for government jobs in the Chandigarh Administration till the age of 37 years.

The announcement was made by MP Kirron Kher at a press conference at the UT Guest House today.

Kirron read out the order issued by the Department of Personnel, UT, which states that it has been decided to enhance the limit for first entry into government service (in direct recruitment) for all technical and non-technical posts in the Chandigarh Administration from 18-25 years to 18-37 years on the Punjab pattern.

In December last year, Kirron had raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and had demanded that the Centre should consider increasing the current age limit (18-25 years) for jobs in the UT Administration. In October, the Centre wrote to the MP mentioning that that this was a local subject and action was required to be taken by the UT Administration.

Thereafter, the MP wrote to UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore requesting him to look into the matter and direct the officers concerned to prepare a proposal for amending the service rules so that the age limit could be notified on the Punjab pattern.

Finally, the UT Administration issued orders in this regard today.

Kirron thanked Badnore and UT Adviser Parimal Rai for taking the decision.

Another task on MP’s mind

MP Kirron Kher said at present, city residents did not have the right to apply for jobs in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana due to non-availability of domicile certificates of these states. “This right should be given to the city residents since Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and Haryana,” she said. “Now, I will fight for Chandigarh residents’ right to apply in Punjab and Haryana,” she said.

Employees, students thank Kirron

Various employee bodies, including the Chandigarh UT Subordinate Services Federation and the Coordination Committee of Government and MC Employees and Workers, and student bodies and other residents of the city gathered at the UT Guest House and thanked Kirron for fulfilling their demand.

What the order says

“It has been decided to enhance the age limit for first entry into government service (in direct recruitment) for all technical and non-technical posts in the Chandigarh Administration from 18-25 years to 18-37 years on the Punjab pattern. In other words, the upper age limit has been enhanced from 25 years to 37 years on the pattern of the Punjab Government. You are, therefore, requested to carry out the necessary amendment to the service/recruitment rules with the approval of the competent authority. There is no need to refer the case/proposal to the Department of Personnel for concurrence in this regard, anymore”.

‘4,000 posts lying vacant’

Employee unions claimed that around 4,000 posts were lying vacant in the UT Administration, the MC and other departments of the Administration for the past many years.