Haryana Enacts Law to Secure Service for Extension and Guest Lecturers

The State of Haryana has enacted a new law, The Haryana Extension Lecturers and Guest Lecturers (Security of Service) Act, 2024, designated as Haryana Act No. 1 of 2025, aimed at providing enhanced job security and benefits to a specific cohort of educators within its government colleges. The legislation received the assent of the Governor of Haryana on December 24, 2024, and was subsequently published for general information in the Haryana Government Gazette on January 16, 2025. The Act's primary objective is to provide security of service to extension lecturers and guest lecturers, along with addressing matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. While the Act extends to the entire State of Haryana, its commencement will occur on a date yet to be appointed by the Government through an official notification.

The Act defines "eligible extension lecturer" as a person working in a Government college who had qualified the National Eligibility Test (NET) or possessed a Ph.D. as per University Grants Commission Regulations on or before June 30, 2023. Similarly, an "eligible guest lecturer" is defined as a person working in a Government college who met the same NET or Ph.D. qualifications and was not regularized under the Regularization Policy dated June 16, 2014. The legislation established an "appointed date" of August 15, 2024, as a crucial reference point for eligibility. A central provision of the Act stipulates that eligible lecturers who had completed at least five years of service as of this appointed date would continue in their roles until they reached the age of superannuation, defined as fifty-eight years. The legislation provided: “Every eligible extension lecturer and every eligible guest lecturer who has completed atleast five years of service as on the appointed date shall continue to work as such till he attains the age of superannuation.” For the purpose of calculating service, working for at least 240 days in a calendar year was deemed equivalent to a full year, though this provision excluded employees who had already attained 58 years of age or had been terminated, removed, or resigned by the appointed date.

Under the new framework, eligible extension and guest lecturers became entitled to a monthly remuneration of Rs. 57,700, along with a non-compounding enhancement based on the percentage of Dearness Allowance (DA) announced by the Government, effective from the first day of January and July each year. Beyond remuneration, the Act also mandated additional benefits as specified in its Schedule. These benefits included healthcare coverage as notified under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) CHIRAYU Extension Scheme or as revised by the Government, Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity at rates equivalent to those specified in the Code on Social Security, 2020, and Maternity Benefit as per the provisions of the same Code. Furthermore, eligible lecturers would receive the benefit of ex-gratia compassionate financial assistance or compassionate appointment in accordance with policies notified by the Government. The Act also empowered the Government to amend the Schedule of benefits by notification, with such amendments required to be laid before the State Legislature. Matters concerning discipline, penalties, appeals, and other aspects not explicitly covered by the Act would be governed by rules prescribed by the Government, which also retained the power to make rules to carry out the Act's purposes and to remove any difficulties arising in its implementation, with all such orders and rules to be laid before the State Legislature. Actions taken in good faith under the Act or its rules were granted legal protection.

The legislative intent behind The Haryana Extension Lecturers and Guest Lecturers (Security of Service) Act, 2024, was to address the long-standing issue of precarious employment conditions faced by these educators in government colleges. Prior to this enactment, many extension and guest lecturers operated without the stability of permanent employment, lacking clear service terms, standardized remuneration, and comprehensive social security benefits. The Act specifically targeted those guest lecturers who were not regularized under a previous policy from 2014, indicating a policy rationale to extend security to a segment of the workforce that had remained in an ad-hoc status despite years of service. By establishing a clear path to continue service until superannuation, defining remuneration, and mandating a suite of benefits, the Act aimed to fill significant statutory gaps in their employment framework. This move sought to provide a more equitable and stable working environment, recognizing their contributions to the state's higher education system and ensuring a degree of financial and social security that was previously absent. The introduction of these new rights and obligations for both the lecturers and the Government marked a significant shift towards formalizing their employment conditions.

Keywords: Haryana, Extension Lecturers, Guest Lecturers, Security of Service, Government Colleges, Haryana Act 2025, Remuneration, Benefits, Higher Education, Job Security

Geo Tags: Country: India State: Haryana District: Not Applicable