Retirement Age of Government Employees

Retirement Age of Government Employees

With the formation of 7th Central Pay Commission, debates regarding salary hike skyrocketed. Everyone had a version to present. It was a telltale scenario of expectations – some logical, some illogical and some were mere ‘follow the crowd’ style of suggestions. Parallel to salary hike debates came another debate that was pretty much ignored – the debate on retirement age. Of course nothing else is sweeter than money and so, the debates and rumors regarding the retirement age didn’t really take the mainstream focus. But somewhere else it did. It sparked quite a bit of debate on WhatsApp as well as Facebook.

Retirement Age of Government Employees With the formation of 7th Central Pay Commission, debates regarding salary hike skyrocketed. Everyone had a version to present. It was a telltale scenario of expectations – some logical, some illogical and some were mere ‘follow the crowd’ style of suggestions. Parallel to salary hike debates came another debate that was pretty much ignored – the debate on retirement age. Of course nothing else is sweeter than money and so, the debates and rumors regarding the retirement age didn’t really take the mainstream focus. But somewhere else it did. It sparked quite a bit of debate on WhatsApp as well as Facebook. So, what was the debate all about? People started saying that the 7th Central Pay Commission has plans on truncating the retirement age of central government employees by 2 years. This meant that if the plans were indeed true, the retirement age would be 58 years instead of current 60 years of age. A factual question! Did you know that 58 years was indeed the retirement age before the 5th Central Pay Commission came to force? The 5th Pay Commission came into action when the center was governed by NDA-led coalition government of which BJP was the most dominant force. Back then it was decided that the retirement age of government employees should be increased to 60 years from the then prevailing 58 years. However, there was a clause. The clause stated that a government employee should stay in service until he or she attains the age of 60 (after the increase in age limit) or should stay in service for no more than 33 years of services, which ever comes earlier. To explain further, suppose a person gets employed with central government when he or she is only 24 years old. Thus, according to the above clause, he has to retire at the age of 57 years because by then he or she will have completed 33 years of service despite the fact that the person did not attain the age of 60 years by then. What’s the alternate scenario? Here let us assume that the aspirant of the central government job is a person who is 28 years of age. Given this fact, the retirement age rule states that the person will have to retire after serving for 32 years because after 32 years, he or she will attain the age of 60. This means that though the person didn’t complete 33 years of service, he still has to retire since he or she will be hitting the retirement age of 60. Now, as the 7th Pay Commission came into action, the center is once again ruled by NDA government with BPJ earning single-handed majority. This time while most of the focus stayed on salary increase and also on One Rank One Pension issue, there was no scarcity of rumors regarding the retirement age. Some fake news started floating on social media that the 7th Pay Commission is planning on reducing the retirement age to 58 years. The same clause stayed here, which stated that a person has to retire when he or she attains the age of 58 years or when he completes 33 years of service with the central government, whichever comes first. All the rumors and arguments about this retirement age were simply blasted away by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension by just one letter. The letter clarified that the current government has no such plans of altering the retirement age limit and the associated 33-year service clause. A screenshot of the letter is given below which clearly mentions that no such plans were made. So, bottom line – retirement age continues to be 60 years and the associated 33-year service clause also stays valid for the time being, or at least until the next CPC comes into action. A Quick Look at Retirement Age of Different Central Government Employees Let us start with Central Government employees. In particular, we will start off with our favorite – Indian Armed Forces: Do remember that depending on the nature of the job, the retirement age can vary. These variations can also be seen in positions held by the employees. This is specifically true for armed forces. The details that you see below for the armed forces excludes the details for medical services professionals in Indian Armed forces. Let us begin: Indian Army Category Position Retirement Condition (whichever is earlier) Retirement Age Clause Officers General 62 years Tenure of 3 years Lt. General 60 years -- Major General 58 years -- Brigadier 56 years -- Colonel 54 years -- Others Sub Major 54 years Service of 34 years or tenure of 4 years Subedar 52 years Service of 30 years Naib Subedar 52 years Service of 28 years Havildar 49 years Service of 26 years Naik 49 years Service of 24 years Sepoy Gp (X) 42 years Service of 19 years Sepoy Gp (Y) 48 years Service of 22 years Indian Navy Category Position Retirement Condition (whichever is earlier) Retirement Age Clause Officers Admiral 62 years Tenure of 3 years Vice Admiral 60 years -- Rear Admiral 58 years -- Commodore/Captain (Education) 57 years -- Commodore/Captain 56 years -- Commander 54 years -- Lt. Commander and officers ranking below 52 years -- Sailors MCPO I & II (MCPO: Master Chief Petty Officer) 57 years -- CPO (Chief Petty Officer) and sailors below that rank 52 years -- Indian Air Force Category Position Retirement Condition (whichever is earlier) Retirement Age Clause Permanent Commissioned Officers Air Chief Marshal 62 years Tenure of 3 years Air Marshal 60 years -- Air Vice Marshal 58 years -- Air Commodore Flying Branch - 56 years -- Other Branches – 57 years -- Group Captain (Select) Flying Branch – 54 years -- Other Branches – 57 years -- Group Captain and Wing Commander (Time Scale) Flying Branch – 52 years -- Meteorological Branches and Education Branches – 57 years -- Other Ground Duty Branches – 54 years -- Branch Commissioned Officers All Officers 57 years -- Airmen Non-officers 57 years -- Now that we are done Indian Armed Forces, let us take a look at other central government jobs like Railways, BSNL, Income Tax, High Court, Supreme Court etc. Job* Retirement Age Supreme Court Judges 65 years High Court Judges 62 years (under consideration to be increased to 65 years) Railway Employees 60 years. Special clauses are applicable, details of which can be found here. BSNL Employees 60 years. RBI Governor 65 years. RBI Deputy Governor 62 years. IAS, IPS and IFS officers 60 years (some extensions may be allowed). ICAR or Indian Council of Agriculture Research scientists 62 years. ICMR or Indian Council of Medical Research scientists 62 years. Scientists at other central government research institutions 60 years. * Please note that the standard retirement age in all job categories in the above table is 60 years. Anything above 60 is a special case or an age determined for high ranking officials. Also, there are many for central government jobs that have different age limits for retirement when it comes to high ranking officers. It is literally not possible to sum up every one of them in this single article. A Quick Look at Retirement Age of Different State Government Employees After central government, it is time to take a quick look at the retirement age limit for employees of state government in different state-owned organizations. State Job Retirement Age West Bengal Medical Teachers 65 years Doctors 62 years Other professions 60 years Andhra Pradesh All professions* 60 years Tripura All professions* 60 years Karnataka All professions* 60 years Assam All professions* 60 years Bihar All professions* 60 years Meghalaya All professions* 60 years Madhya Pradesh All professions* 60 years Chattisgarh All professions* 60 years Nagaland All professions* 60 years Gujarat All professions* 60 years Uttarakhand All professions* 60 years Uttar Pradesh All professions* 60 years Sikkim All professions* 60 years Telangana All professions* 58 years Tamil Nadu All professions* 58 years Goa All professions* 58 years Arunachal Pradesh All professions* 58 years Maharashtra All professions* 58 years Kashmir All professions* 58 years Mizoram All professions* 58 years Manipur All professions* 58 years Punjab All professions* 58 years Himachal Pradesh All professions* 58 years Haryana All professions* 58 years Odisha All professions* 58 years Jharkhand All professions* 56 years Kerala All professions* 56 years *All professions include jobs like teachers, professors, doctors, nurses, PWD employees etc. within a particular state government jurisdiction. Of course there are clauses and special conditions applicable under certain circumstances but pointing them out in this article for every individual state in not possible. All states at a glance in a map:

So, what was the debate all about? People started saying that the 7th Central Pay Commission has plans on truncating the retirement age of central government employees by 2 years. This meant that if the plans were indeed true, the retirement age would be 58 years instead of current 60 years of age. A factual question! Did you know that 58 years was indeed the retirement age before the 5th Central Pay Commission came to force?

The 5th Pay Commission came into action when the center was governed by NDA-led coalition government of which BJP was the most dominant force. Back then it was decided that the retirement age of government employees should be increased to 60 years from the then prevailing 58 years. However, there was a clause. The clause stated that a government employee should stay in service until he or she attains the age of 60 (after the increase in age limit) or should stay in service for no more than 33 years of services, which ever comes earlier.

To explain further, suppose a person gets employed with central government when he or she is only 24 years old. Thus, according to the above clause, he has to retire at the age of 57 years because by then he or she will have completed 33 years of service despite the fact that the person did not attain the age of 60 years by then.

What’s the alternate scenario? Here let us assume that the aspirant of the central government job is a person who is 28 years of age. Given this fact, the retirement age rule states that the person will have to retire after serving for 32 years because after 32 years, he or she will attain the age of 60. This means that though the person didn’t complete 33 years of service, he still has to retire since he or she will be hitting the retirement age of 60.

Now, as the 7th Pay Commission came into action, the center is once again ruled by NDA government with BPJ earning single-handed majority. This time while most of the focus stayed on salary increase and also on One Rank One Pension issue, there was no scarcity of rumors regarding the retirement age.

Some fake news started floating on social media that the 7th Pay Commission is planning on reducing the retirement age to 58 years. The same clause stayed here, which stated that a person has to retire when he or she attains the age of 58 years or when he completes 33 years of service with the central government, whichever comes first.

All the rumors and arguments about this retirement age were simply blasted away by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension by just one letter. The letter clarified that the current government has no such plans of altering the retirement age limit and the associated 33-year service clause. A screenshot of the letter is given below which clearly mentions that no such plans were made. So, bottom line – retirement age continues to be 60 years and the associated 33-year service clause also stays valid for the time being, or at least until the next CPC comes into action.

A Quick Look at Retirement Age of Different Central Government Employees

Let us start with Central Government employees. In particular, we will start off with our favorite – Indian Armed Forces:

Do remember that depending on the nature of the job, the retirement age can vary. These variations can also be seen in positions held by the employees. This is specifically true for armed forces. The details that you see below for the armed forces excludes the details for medical services professionals in Indian Armed forces. Let us begin:

  • Indian Army

Category Position Retirement Condition (whichever is earlier)
Retirement Age Clause
Officers General 62 years Tenure of 3 years
Lt. General 60 years —
Major General 58 years —
Brigadier 56 years —
Colonel 54 years —
Others Sub Major 54 years Service of 34 years or tenure of 4 years
Subedar 52 years Service of 30 years
Naib Subedar 52 years Service of 28 years
Havildar 49 years Service of 26 years
Naik 49 years Service of 24 years
Sepoy Gp (X) 42 years Service of 19 years
Sepoy Gp (Y) 48 years Service of 22 years

  • Indian Navy

Category Position Retirement Condition (whichever is earlier)
Retirement Age Clause
Officers Admiral 62 years Tenure of 3 years
Vice Admiral 60 years —
Rear Admiral 58 years —
Commodore/Captain (Education) 57 years —
Commodore/Captain 56 years —
Commander 54 years —
Lt. Commander and officers ranking below 52 years —
Sailors MCPO I & II (MCPO: Master Chief Petty Officer) 57 years —
CPO (Chief Petty Officer) and sailors below that rank 52 years —

  • Indian Air Force

Category Position Retirement Condition (whichever is earlier)
Retirement Age Clause
Permanent Commissioned Officers Air Chief Marshal 62 years Tenure of 3 years
Air Marshal 60 years —
Air Vice Marshal 58 years —
Air Commodore Flying Branch – 56 years —
Other Branches – 57 years —
Group Captain (Select) Flying Branch – 54 years —
Other Branches – 57 years —
Group Captain and Wing Commander (Time Scale) Flying Branch – 52 years —
Meteorological Branches and Education Branches – 57 years —
Other Ground Duty Branches – 54 years —
Branch Commissioned Officers All Officers 57 years —
Airmen Non-officers 57 years —

Now that we are done Indian Armed Forces, let us take a look at other central government jobs like Railways, BSNL, Income Tax, High Court, Supreme Court etc.

Job* Retirement Age
Supreme Court Judges 65 years
High Court Judges 62 years (under consideration to be increased to 65 years)
Railway Employees 60 years. Special clauses are applicable, details of which can be found here.
BSNL Employees 60 years.
RBI Governor 65 years.
RBI Deputy Governor 62 years.
IAS, IPS and IFS officers 60 years (some extensions may be allowed).
ICAR or Indian Council of Agriculture Research scientists 62 years.
ICMR or Indian Council of Medical Research scientists 62 years.
Scientists at other central government research institutions 60 years.

* Please note that the standard retirement age in all job categories in the above table is 60 years. Anything above 60 is a special case or an age determined for high ranking officials.

Also, there are many for central government jobs that have different age limits for retirement when it comes to high ranking officers. It is literally not possible to sum up every one of them in this single article.

  • A Quick Look at Retirement Age of Different State Government Employees

After central government, it is time to take a quick look at the retirement age limit for employees of state government in different state-owned organizations.

State Job Retirement Age
West Bengal Medical Teachers 65 years
Doctors 62 years
Other professions 60 years
Andhra Pradesh All professions* 60 years
Tripura All professions* 60 years
Karnataka All professions* 60 years
Assam All professions* 60 years
Bihar All professions* 60 years
Meghalaya All professions* 60 years
Madhya Pradesh All professions* 60 years
Chattisgarh All professions* 60 years
Nagaland All professions* 60 years
Gujarat All professions* 60 years
Uttarakhand All professions* 60 years
Uttar Pradesh All professions* 60 years
Sikkim All professions* 60 years
Telangana All professions* 58 years
Tamil Nadu All professions* 58 years
Goa All professions* 58 years
Arunachal Pradesh All professions* 58 years
Maharashtra All professions* 58 years
Kashmir All professions* 58 years
Mizoram All professions* 58 years
Manipur All professions* 58 years
Punjab All professions* 58 years
Himachal Pradesh All professions* 58 years
Haryana All professions* 58 years
Odisha All professions* 58 years
Jharkhand All professions* 56 years
Kerala All professions* 56 years

*All professions include jobs like teachers, professors, doctors, nurses, PWD employees etc. within a particular state government jurisdiction. Of course there are clauses and special conditions applicable under certain circumstances but pointing them out in this article for every individual state in not possible.

7 thoughts on “Retirement Age of Government Employees”

  1. Eagerly awaiting the Report of the Retirement Age Committee set up last year by the Hon’ble CM of Maharashtra

    Reply

  2. Eagerly awaiting the Report of the Retirement Age Committee set up last year by the Hon’ble CM of Maharashtra.
    Considering development of technology and advancement of knowledge along with increased life span, an increase in the Retirement Age seems obviously essential to keep pace with global trends in developing as well as highly developed countries

    Reply

  5. It may please be noticed that only two states in India, ie, Jharkhand & Kerala have the lowest retirement age and may be the lowest in the WORLD; while the life expectancy is high compared to other states of India. What is the logic behind it? Would you please explain or clarify the reason behind it? Retirement age may be fixed as 60 years or attaining 33 years of service in the govt. department whichever occurs earlier, so that minimum period required for full pension may be assured even for employees entered in service at his 30 years age. If this is implemented, after taking a PG, one may get 5 to 6 years to attend competitive examinations; get rank-listed and obtaining job. Concerned officials/govt may think about in this way to give equality of justice in getting full pension to all employees.

    Reply

  6. looking at the unemployment of new generation, retirement age for all the government employees should be brought down to 55 years so that new comers get the chance.

    Reply

  7. Welcome move by the union Government of the retirement age 33 years of service or attaining age of 60 years balancing employee who are joined early age and. Late age of 40+ who are ineligible to get pension. Also it has financial implications of cut in revenue expenditure and create large scale of new employment to the younger generation. This is to be followed by all State Government in order to streamline excess revenue expenditure and to manage state excheqer under control.
    Kongan

    Reply

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