Odisha Govt Revises Guidelines for Re-Engagement of Retired Employees

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has issued revised guidelines for the re-engagement of retired employees on a temporary basis, replacing the earlier resolution from 2014. The updated guidelines, issued by the General Administration & Public Grievance Department, aim to streamline the re-engagement process and prioritize the filling of vacant posts through direct recruitment and promotions.

Under the new policy, a selection committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will oversee the re-engagement of retired personnel. Selections will be made through open advertisements to ensure transparency. The guidelines also set an upper age limit of 65 years for such temporary assignments, subject to approval by the Chief Minister. Moreover, only those officers with an “outstanding” Confidential Character Report/Performance Appraisal Report (CCR/PAR) for the five years prior to retirement will be eligible for re-engagement.

The previous 2014 resolution was introduced as a stopgap measure to address manpower shortages caused by delayed recruitment processes. Retired government employees with specialized expertise were re-engaged on a contractual basis to manage the increased workload. However, it was observed that departments began routinely engaging retirees for daily administrative tasks without sufficient justification, deviating from the original intent of the policy.

With improvements in recruitment processes and financial management, the government has now repealed the 2014 guidelines. The revised policy directs departments to focus on filling vacancies through direct recruitment or promotions, with re-engagement being considered only in exceptional cases where a retired employee’s expertise is crucial.