Chandigarh admn finalises deputation policy, caps tenure at 7 years

The UT administration has finalised its deputation policy, capping the tenure of employees deputed in Chandigarh at a maximum of seven years.

The policy has been sent to the Union government for final approval.

As per the draft of the UT deputation policy, employees from other states will get an appointment in Chandigarh on deputation initially for three years and then for a maximum of seven years.

The new deputation policy has been framed in line with the central service rules, implemented in Chandigarh with effect from April 1, 2022, which have a provision of a maximum seven-year deputation period for employees to the Union Territory.

Once approved, the policy will primarily affect Group A, B and C employees from neighbouring Punjab and Haryana, a large number of whoare working in Chandigarh, especially in the education, health and engineering departments.

The education department utilises their services at government schools and colleges, while those on deputation to the health department are engaged at hospitals and dispensaries.

However, in the absence of a formal deputation policy, some of them have been stationed in Chandigarh for more than two decades.

Chandigarh home secretary Nitin Yadav said UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit had approved the draft of the deputation policy in a recent meeting and it had been sent to the Union government for clearance.

20% teacher posts filled on deputation

In the case of teachers deputed at Chandigarh’s government schools, 80% are appointed from the UT cadre, while the remaining 20% positions are filled from Punjab and Haryana on deputation basis.

Out of the 4,462 sanctioned posts of teachers and principals for Chandigarh’s government schools, 894 are reserved for deputation quota from Punjab and Haryana.

But currently, only 640 of the 894 deputation posts are filled, leaving 254 vacant.

A teacher on deputation from Punjab, on the condition of anonymity, said, “The policy will not only affect teachers, but lecturers at colleges and doctors. If the deputation period is fixed, teachers, lecturers and doctors from both states will hesitate from moving to Chandigarh.”

On the other hand, Savinder Singh, chairman of Joint Action Committee of UT Teachers, said as central service rules had been implemented in Chandigarh, there was no need for deputation quota.

Punjab opposes policy

The policy, however, has not gone down with the AAP-led Punjab government.

“We will oppose this policy as apart from being a Union Territory, Chandigarh is also the capital of both Punjab and Haryana. So, no deputation period should be prescribed for employees from Punjab and Haryana for Chandigarh schools,” said Malvinder Singh Kang, chief spokesperson of AAP, Punjab.

He further said, “If a ceiling of seven years is imposed, employees from both states may not be keen on deputation to Chandigarh due to the instability factor. In that scenario, the deputation posts from Haryana and Punjab will remain vacant, allowing more UT cadre employees to take them.”