Chandigarh: The Chandigarh administration is all set to approach the Supreme Court on the settled issue of the retirement age of govt teachers.In a major reversal of its own stand on the issue, the administration is actively considering challenging the increase in the superannuation age of govt teachers to 65 years.If the administration approaches the apex court against the Punjab and Haryana high court order on the issue, it will reignite the long-standing dispute over the retirement (superannuation) age for teachers and faculty in govt colleges directly administered by the Chandigarh administration (such as Postgraduate Govt Colleges in Sectors 11, 42 and 46, and other UT-run institutions affiliated to Panjab University).In the Dr Joiginder Pal Singh case, a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court allowed the petitioners to continue in service till the age of 65 years (with possible extension up to 70 years as per regulations). It also directed reinstatement of those who were forcibly superannuated and grant of all consequential benefits (including notional pay, increments, seniority and pensionary benefits) within two months.This 2021 Joginder Pal case judgment was a landmark ruling for teachers in technical/arts govt colleges under the Chandigarh administration. It established that AICTE norms (retirement at 65) override the older 1992 Punjab-based rules for such faculty. Subsequent cases involving general govt college teachers (under UGC norms) frequently cited this judgment as precedent for granting parity and extending the retirement age to 65 years.It was heavily relied upon in the 2023 CAT orders and the Sept 2025 Punjab and Haryana high court judgment (which upheld extension to 65 for broader govt college teachers, noting “no differentiating factor” from the Dr Jogender Pal Singh case).On March 29, 2022, the Union ministry of home affairs notified the Union Territory of Chandigarh Employees (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2022 (published in the Chandigarh e-gazette on March 30, 2022). These rules came into force with effect from April 1, 2022, and explicitly made the service conditions (including pay, leave, conduct and retirement) of Chandigarh administration employees identical to those under the Central Civil Services of the Govt of India for Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ posts.“For higher education faculty, this adoption automatically invoked UGC Regulations 2010 and 2018, which prescribe a uniform superannuation age of 65 years for teachers in universities and colleges (to promote retention of experienced faculty and align with central institutions),” said a UT official requesting anonymity.Questions are being raised over the administration latest move as contradicting its own stand. “In the landmark case, UT withdrew the SLP against the Punjab and Haryana high court order on extending the retirement age. As per its own notification, retirement age is fixed at 65 years. But still, in other cases it pursued the matter in CAT, then in high court, and now it is planning to challenge the superannuation age in the apex court. Employees are already serving under the settled law of retirement age of 65 years,” said a govt teacher, requesting anonymity.A UT official said, “The matter is still under consideration. All pros and cons of the issue are being examined, including the issue of arrears.”
