CAT dismisses teachers’ plea to extend retirement age to 65

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune news service
Chandigarh, October 29

The Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has dismissed the petition of the teaching staff of the Government College of Art, Sector 10, and the Chandigarh College of Architecture for allowing them to continue working till 65 years of age on the pattern of the colleges affiliated to the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Respondents CLAIM

The respondents — Chandigarh Administration and Government of India — argued that as per a notification issued in 1992 by the President of India for Chandigarh, the applicants are governed by the Punjab Civil Services Rules under which the age of retirement is 58.

Currently, the retirement age of the teaching staff is 58 years for the petitioners. In an application before CAT, the petitioners said currently, their service was under the purview of the Punjab Civil Services Rules. “According to the rules, they are to be superannuated at the age of 58 years,” read their application. The applicants argued that the Centre through its various notifications and the AICTE through its regulations of 2010 and 2019 had enhanced the age of superannuation of the teaching staff to 65 years and further extendable up to 70 years.

The applicants argued that the notification issued by the government in 1992 was also not applicable to them. Under the notification, the government had extended the Punjab Services Rules to the employees of the UT Administration.

Meanwhile, the respondents — Chandigarh Administration and Government of India — argued that as per the notification issued in 1992 by the President of India for Chandigarh, the applicants are governed by the Punjab Civil Services Rules under which the age of the retirement is 58 years.

After hearing the arguments, the court dismissed the teachers’ petition.

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