Chandigarh: Refusing to extend the service tenure of Haryana college extension lecturers beyond 58 years, the Punjab and Haryana high court clarified that the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations on contractual re-employment up to 70 years apply only to regular faculty and not to those engaged as extension lecturers.

“The provision enabling the institution to re-employ regular teachers after superannuation cannot give a right to challenge the maximum age of superannuation prescribed under clause 27 of the policy guidelines, or claim entitlement to remain in service beyond the age stipulated therein. The regulations are for a distinct purpose and have no concern with the policy of employing extension lecturers on contract or their age of superannuation,” the HC held. The HC also observed that even regular assistant professors retire at the same age.

Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya passed these orders while dismissing a petition filed by Rita Tandon, an extension lecturer (assistant professor) in the subject of Hindi working with the Post Graduate College, Ambala Cantonment, Haryana since 2012. She sought continuation of service beyond the age of 58 years, contending that the UGC Regulations 2018 allow for re-employment of assistant professors on contract up to the age of 70 years. She sought directions to set aside clause 27 in the amended policy guidelines pertaining to eligible extension lecturers, dated May 13, 2023, whereby it is prescribed that no eligible extension lecturer shall be retained in service beyond the age of 58 years.It was further contended that the petitioner had been working as an eligible extension lecturer in Hindi. As the department has a policy of re-employing assistant professors on a contract basis beyond the age of superannuation up to 70 years in line with the ‘UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education, 2018′ (UGC Regulations), clause 27 is not sustainable, and the extension lecturers like the petitioner are entitled to continue in service up to the age of 70 years.Strongly opposing the plea, Amit Sahni, additional advocate general Haryana, argued that there is no provision for the extension of service of an extension lecturer beyond 58 years. Even the regularly appointed assistant professors in the department retire at that age.

After hearing all the parties, Justice Dahiya observed that the policy guidelines of May 2023 prescribe the maximum age for eligible extension lecturers to be 58 years, which is the same as provided for regular teachers and assistant professors in the department. “Therefore, there is nothing arbitrary or illegal about it. The UGC Regulations referred to by the petitioner only prescribe that regular assistant professors, assistant professors, and professors may be re-employed on contract appointment beyond the age of superannuation, as applicable to the concerned university or college, up to the age of 70 years,” the HC held, dismissing the plea.