E-Paper
Chandigarh: Centre blinks, panel to look into PU teachers’ retirement age
The panel will be headed by former University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Jagadesh Kumar, with Delhi University vice-chancellor (V-C) Yogesh Singh and PU V-C Renu Vig as its members
In a significant development, the Centre has constituted a three-member committee to look into the demand of Panjab University (PU) teachers on enhancing their retirement age from 60 to 65 years – an issue that has been pending for two decades now.
The panel will be headed by former University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Jagadesh Kumar, with Delhi University vice-chancellor (V-C) Yogesh Singh and PU V-C Renu Vig as its members.
The development assumes significance as the central government’s stand so far has been that other stakeholders in PU affairs, notably Punjab, need to be on board before a decision is made. The Punjab government has been averse to the demand.
In Chandigarh, a peculiar situation exists: While teachers of colleges affiliated with PU are retiring at the age of 65, the university faculty have their retirement age at 60.
Report likely by April
Though the February 25 notification does not spell out a timeframe, the panel may submit its report by April as the Centre has to apprise the Punjab and Haryana high court about the same by April 28. It was placed on records of the high court on Thursday by Additional Solicitor General of India, Satya Pal Jain, in pursuant to a direction issued by high court in August 2025 to clear its stand on the issue.
Resumed hearing of PU professors’ appeals
The notification was shared during the resumed hearing of appeals from PU professors, who have challenged the August 16, 2016 decision of a single bench that had dismissed their petition for enhancement of the retirement age to 65, on the lines of faculty of central universities. The single judge bench was of the view that their retirement age cannot be enhanced on the lines of faculty members of central university or centrally funded varsity teachers until PU is declared as a centrally funded university. The order was challenged before a division bench on August 22, 2016, which stayed a single judge order. Since then, just before attaining the retirement age, teachers approach the court to secure orders to work till the age of 65.
A pre-independence institution, PU was created under the Panjab University Act, 1947. In 1966, under the provision of Section 72 of the Reorganisation Act it was declared as an inter-state body corporate, having the participation of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Later, the power to make and amend the laws relating to PU, was conferred, exclusively, upon the Central Government/Parliament. Haryana and Himachal Pradesh ended their association in the 1970s.
