Retirement Age Increase: A recent wave of speculation has swept through the corridors of West Bengal’s state government offices, with a viral rumor suggesting a significant increase in the retirement age for government employees from 60 to 65 years. This news, widely circulated on social media and messaging platforms, has created both excitement and confusion among thousands of employees, prompting many to seek official confirmation.
The Viral Rumor: What’s Being Said?
The rumor mill has been in overdrive, claiming that the West Bengal government, from its administrative headquarters at Nabanna, is on the verge of issuing a notification to raise the superannuation age. This has been a long-standing demand from various employee unions, who argue that an extension would provide financial stability and allow the state to retain experienced personnel for a longer period. The circulation of this unverified news led to a flurry of discussions, with employees eagerly awaiting an official announcement.
Nabanna’s Official Stance: A Clear Clarification
In response to the growing confusion, sources from the state’s Finance Department at Nabanna have provided a crucial update, effectively debunking the rumors. It has been unequivocally stated that no proposal to increase the retirement age for general state government employees to 65 is currently under consideration. The department has confirmed that no official notification or order (G.O.) has been issued in this regard.
Officials have clarified that the current retirement age for the vast majority of state government employees remains firmly at 60 years. The viral messages are baseless and should not be considered official information. Employees are advised to rely only on official circulars published by the government for any such policy changes.
Understanding the Context: Why the Confusion?
The confusion likely stems from previous government decisions that selectively increased the retirement age for specific professional groups. To address critical shortages of experienced personnel in certain sectors, the state government had earlier extended the service tenure for doctors, college principals, and university professors.
Here’s a breakdown of the current retirement age for different employee categories:
| Employee Category | Current Retirement Age |
|---|---|
| General State Government Employees | 60 Years |
| State-aided College Principals | 65 Years |
| State University Professors | 65 Years |
| Government Doctors | 65 Years |
This disparity may have fueled hopes and speculation that a similar extension would be granted to all government staff. However, as of now, this remains a demand from employee unions and not a policy decision. While the state government grapples with other significant employee issues, such as the ongoing Dearness Allowance (DA) case, the official word on the retirement age is clear: there is no change.
