Chandigarh, Feb 26: The Union Ministry of Education has formally entered the decision-making phase regarding Panjab University’s request to extend the service of its teachers to age 65. During a High Court session on Thursday, federal representatives declared that a high-level panel has been constituted to study the institutional and economic repercussions of the proposed policy.
The committee, led by former UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar, will examine the university’s resolution to amend its retirement age from the current 60 years. Government sources asserted that the review would not be conducted in isolation but would instead be tested against statutory provisions and the broader matrix of institutional parity across the region.
“The committee will examine the financial implications of the proposal on the university,” a senior official maintained. The official asserted that the study would include an analysis of long-term fiscal health and how the change might influence the availability of positions for new faculty members.
The panel’s mandate includes a review of how the proposal aligns with the retirement age of 65 already established for government college teachers in Chandigarh. Additionally, the members will analyze the parity between Panjab University and other Punjab government institutions or centrally funded universities.
The High Court was informed that the committee would consider the “inter-state character” of the university as a primary factor in its findings. While the Panjab University Senate had previously resolved to favor the hike, the final decision now rests on the comprehensive report to be generated by this newly formed body.
