Can the 7th Pay Commission recommend the lowering of retirement age for Central Government employees?

“The unconfirmed information says that the 7th Pay Commission is planning to bring about a dramatic change in the retirement age of Central Government employees”.

Yet another news story about the retirement age of Central Government employees surfaced yesterday. The reputed English news website of India Today featured a special article yesterday about the 7th Central Pay Commission. In the article, the 7th Pay Commission is likely to reduce the retirement age to 55 or on the completion of 33 years, whichever comes first.

This has raised the question in the minds of many if the Pay Commission has the authority to recommend the reducing of retirement age.

The Pay Commission has all the authority to present its explanations and recommendations about changes in the retirement age of Central Government employees. But, the Centre has the discretionary powers to either accept or reject the recommendations.

The fifth Pay Commission recommended that the retirement age be increased. Based on the recommendation, the government increased the retirement age from 58 to 60, in May 1998(Click to view the Dopt Order). The Third Pay Commission also recommended the date of retirement of Central Government employees. The commission recommended that the retirement effect from the afternoon of the last day of the month in which the employee concerned attains the age of superannuation instead of the afternoon of the actual date of his superannuation. But,  there’s no confirmed news about the recommendation of reduction in retirement age.

Earlier this year rumors were in circulation that 60 years of age or 33 years of service, then it changed as 58 or 33 years service and now it becomes as 55/33 years. Though many are ready to even accept the changes in retirement age, what is unpalatable for them is the idea of linking the years of service with their age. If a talented employee joins the Central Government services at a very young age, then he is likely to lose up to seven years of service tenure.

All the government employees, especially those above the age of 40, are vehemently opposing the idea.

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