HC: Extend OPS to KU Staff Hired to Posts Advertised Before NPS Rollout

The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed Haryana government and Kurukshetra University (KU) to extend Old Pension Scheme (OPS) benefits to faculty members, who were recruited against the posts advertised prior to implementation of new pension scheme (NPS).

- Surender Sharma

CHANDIGARH:

The high court bench of justice Tribhuvan Dahiya also imposed a cost of ₹5 lakh on the government and the varsity for acting "arbitrarily" and "unreasonably" in the case of faculty members of KU.

The petitioners, recruited as lecturers, were demanding restoration of OPS and quashing of July 2023 communication of the state government, whereby varsities were directed not to act on a May 2023 communication regarding inclusion of those employees under OPS, who were recruited against posts advertised prior to NPS notification.

These employees were recruited between May and November 2006 pursuant to advertisements in 2005 and 2006, when KU Employees Pension Scheme 1997 (OPS) was in effect.