Haryana Enacts Law to Provide Security of Service for Technical Education Guest Faculty

The State of Haryana has enacted a new legislation, The Haryana Technical Education Guest Faculty (Security of Service) Act, 2024, which received the assent of the Governor of Haryana on January 7, 2025, and was subsequently published for general information on January 16, 2025. This Act, designated as Haryana Act No. 2 of 2025, aims to provide security of service to guest faculty and guest instructors within technical education institutions across the state. The legislation will come into force on a date to be appointed by the Government through a notification in the Official Gazette. It extends to the entire State of Haryana and specifically applies to guest faculty engaged as Lecturers, Instructors, or Assistant Professors in Government Polytechnics, Government Society Polytechnics, and State Institutes of Engineering and Technology under the Directorate of Technical Education, Haryana.

The Act defines "guest faculty" as individuals engaged in these institutions on or before August 15, 2024, who meet specific eligibility criteria. These criteria include engagement based on prescribed qualifications from relevant service rules (Haryana Technical Education Department (Group-B) Service Rules, 2001 or 2019, or Haryana State Technical Education Department, Technical Field Staff (Group-C) Service Rules, 1998) or minimum qualifications mentioned in advertisements where no service rules existed. Additionally, eligible guest faculty must have been in service on the appointed date (August 15, 2024) at specified remuneration levels (Rs. 53,100 for Lecturer, Rs. 35,400 for Instructor, and Rs. 55,500 for Assistant Professor per month) and have completed at least five years of engagement with the specified workload. For calculation purposes, working at least 240 days in a calendar year is deemed a full year of engagement, excluding those who attained the age of fifty-eight years or were terminated/resigned before the appointed date. A central provision of the Act ensures that “The guest faculty shall continue to work as such in the institution till he attains the age of superannuation.” Superannuation is defined as fifty-eight years of age. The legislation also outlines remuneration, including government guidelines, non-compounding Dearness Allowance (DA) enhancements twice a year, and potential annual increments. Furthermore, guest faculty are entitled to additional benefits specified in a Schedule, which includes healthcare benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) CHIRAYU Extension Scheme, Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG) at rates specified in the Code on Social Security, 2020, and Maternity Benefit as per the same Code, along with ex-gratia compassionate financial assistance as notified by the Government. The Government retains the power to amend this Schedule and make rules to carry out the Act's purposes, with all such notifications and rules to be laid before the State Legislature. The Act also provides protection for actions taken in good faith by government officials and clarifies that its provisions are in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other existing law.

The legislative intent behind The Haryana Technical Education Guest Faculty (Security of Service) Act, 2024, is to address the long-standing issue of job insecurity faced by guest faculty members in technical education institutions. Prior to this enactment, guest faculty often operated without defined tenure or comprehensive benefits, leading to a precarious employment situation. The Act aims to fill these statutory gaps by providing a clear framework for their continued engagement, remuneration, and welfare. By ensuring tenure until superannuation and extending benefits such as healthcare, gratuity, and maternity leave, the legislation introduces new rights and obligations, significantly improving the working conditions for this segment of the workforce. The policy rationale is rooted in recognizing the contributions of guest faculty and providing them with stability, which is expected to enhance the quality and continuity of technical education. The Act empowers the Government to establish rules for discipline, penalties, and appeals, ensuring a structured administrative process. It also includes a mechanism for the Government to remove any difficulties in implementing the Act for a period of two years from its commencement, underscoring a commitment to its effective operationalization.

Keywords: Haryana, Technical Education, Guest Faculty, Security of Service, Act, 2024, Superannuation, Remuneration, Benefits, Tenure Geo Tags: India, Haryana District: Not Applicable