Voluntary Retirement Scheme for Central Government Employees and Officers
VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT
Government servants may retire from service voluntarily with pensionary benefits before attaining the age of superannuation under the following provisions of Fundamental Rules and CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972.
| FR 56 (k) | FR 56(m) | Pension Rule 48 (1) (a) | Pension Rule 48 (A) | |
| Eligibility | Group ‘A & B’ officers:
i. Entered service before 35 years of age ii. Attained 50 years of age Other cases: Attained 55 years of age |
Group ‘C’ Officer not governed by any pension rules | All Government servants covered by CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 | All Government servants covered by CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 |
| Minimum service | None | 30 years | 30 years | 20 years |
| Notice period | 3 months | 3 months | 3 months | 3 months |
| Acceptance | Automatic, if nonacceptance not conveyed before expiry of notice period | Not required | Automatic, if nonacceptance not conveyed before expiry of notice period | Acceptance required but acceptance presumed if nonacceptance not conveyed before expiry of notice period |
| Grounds for non acceptance | Suspension | None | Suspension | Any ground |
2. It may be seen that a notice of voluntary retirement under FR 56(k) or Rule 48 (1)(a) of Pension Rules does not require acceptance. It is only in the case of a government servant under suspension that the appropriate authority may withhold permission to retire under these rules. This is unlike the notice under Rule 48(A) of Pension rules which requires acceptance by the appointing authority. In case of notice under FR 56 (m) even the right to refuse if the government servant is under suspension, is not available to the Government.
(The Rules mentioned above are available in the relevant Rules Book viz., FR&SR Compilation and CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972).
In addition to the above, permanent employees declared surplus in any Ministry / Department may opt for Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme. Detailed guidelines for this purpose have been issued by DoPT vide O.M.No. 25013/6/2001-Estt (A) dated 28th February, 2002.
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[O.M.No.25013/6/2001 -Estt (A) dated 28.2.2002]
AIS Officers: Voluntary retirement of AIS officers are regulated by Rule 16(2) of AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958.
Who can apply for Voluntary Retirement in Central Government Services?
A Central Government employee could apply for voluntary retirement after completion of 30 years of service. He may be allowed to retire from his service under Rule No. 48 of CCS (Pension) Rules 1972.
A Central Government employee could apply for Voluntary retirement after completion of 20 years of service. He may be allowed to retire from his service under Rule No. 48-A of CCS (Pension) Rules 1972.
A Central Government officer could apply for Voluntary retirement on attaining of 50 years (for Group A and B), 55 years (for other employees). He may be allowed to retire from his service under Rule No. FR 56 (k).
Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme for Surplus Central Government Employees
Expenditure Reforms Commission (ERC) suggested a liberal voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for the employees declared surplus.
The Department of Personnel and Training issued an order [No. 25013/3/2003-Estt(A) – 28.02.2002] on the above subject. [Click to view the Dopt order in pdf]
Voluntary Retirement for Persons suffering with disability
DoPT issued an important order on 19th May 2015 regarding the above subject. [Click to view the Dopt order]
Voluntary retirement under FR 56(k) and amendment of Rules
The DoPT issued an order [No. 25013/3/2010-Estt(A) – 27.02.2014] on the above subject. [Click to view the Dopt order in pdf]
VRS accepted while on Extra Ordinary Leave
Extra ordinary leave is not termed as leave standing to his credit and therefore, it cannot run concurrently with the period of notice given by him for seeking voluntary retirement.
The Department of Personnel and Training issued an order [No. 25013/3/2003-Estt(A) – 17.06.2003] on the above subject. [Click to view the Dopt order in pdf]
Completed 20 years service qualifying for pension
Department of Personnel and Training issued an order above the subject on 28th July 1979. [Click to view the Dopt order in pdf]
ARC recommended to VRS after 15 years of service
The Administrative Reforms Commission recommended, 59(1), A civil servant may be allowed to retire voluntarily if he has completed 15 years of service and given proportionate pension and gratuity.
The above recommendation of he ARC on was considered by Government and it has been decided that Government servant may be allowed to retire voluntarily after 20 years of qualifying service and proportionate pension and gratuity with a weightage of up to 5 years towards qualifying service where applicable.
The scheme is purely voluntary the initiative sting with the Government servant himself. The Government does not have the reciprocal right to retire Government servant on its own, under the scheme.
Department of Personnel and Training issued an order above the subject on 26.8. 1977. [Click to view the Dopt order in pdf]
7th CPC Voluntary Retirement Scheme
Recommendation on Voluntary retirement in 6th Pay Commission
Presently, all employees on completion of 30 years qualifying service can take voluntary retirement by giving 3 months notice. Group A & B Officers who had entered service before the age of 35 years have the right to retire after attaining the age of 50 years by giving a similar notice.
Group A & B Officers who had entered the service after 35 years of age and all Group C & D employees can also take voluntary retirement at their option. Retirement becomes effective on the expiry of notice period.
No formal approval is necessary unless the official is under suspension. Employee can also retire voluntarily by giving 3 months’ notice on completion of 20 years qualifying service. However, in this case, acceptance by the Appointing Authority is necessary.
Pension on voluntary retirement is payable only if 20 years of qualifying service or more has been put in. In case of superannuation, pension is payable on completion of 10 years qualifying service or more.
However full pension, whether on superannuation or voluntary retirement, is presently payable only on completion of qualifying service of 33 years. Weightage of upto 5 years for purposes of reckoning qualifying service for pension/gratuity is allowed in case of voluntary retirement provided the total qualifying service including the weightage does not exceed 33 years and the period does not go beyond the date of normal superannuation.
Pension on voluntary retirement is payable only if 20 years of qualifying service or more has been put in. In case of superannuation, pension is payable on completion of 10 years qualifying service or more.
However full pension, whether on superannuation or voluntary retirement, is presently payable only on completion of qualifying service of 33 years.
Weightage of upto 5 years for purposes of reckoning qualifying service for pension/gratuity is allowed in case of voluntary retirement provided the total qualifying service including the weightage does not exceed 33 years and the period does not go beyond the date of normal superannuation.
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