Govt mulling hiking retirement age to 65 for scientists of autonomous bodies

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) is currently formulating a proposal aimed at raising the retirement age for scientists to 65, sources reveal. This potential policy change has a broader objective: to curb the departure of highly experienced senior scientists to universities and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), where the retirement age already stands at 65.

The move is in line with the central government proposal for enhancement of retirement age of scientists to 65 years in the Autonomous Bodies of Science Departments / Ministries.

Presently, scientists in most government sectors retire at the age of 60 as other central government employees, with exceptions for those affiliated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), who retire at 62.

An official memorandum issued by MoST on October 6 this year discloses that a "proposal for enhancement of retirement age of scientists in autonomous bodies of science departments/Ministries is under way." This memorandum, distributed to 14 autonomous bodies funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), requests institute leaders to provide details such as the total sanctioned scientist strength in their autonomous bodies, the number of scientists scheduled for retirement over the next five years (November 2023–March 2028), and the potential financial implications of an extended retirement age. 

When asked for comments, Abhay Karandikar, who assumed the role of Secretary in the Ministry on October 3, claimed to be "unaware" of the proposal and refrained from making a statement. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the DST fall under the purview of MoST.

Insiders within MoST have informed  that the origin of this proposal can be traced back to the DBT, where concerns have emerged over the years that numerous senior scientists on the brink of retirement were leaving their research posts to pursue careers in academia.

The primary objective behind this proposal is to establish parity in retirement ages. The concern is that scientists affiliated with the Ministry may be at a disadvantage when compared to their counterparts at universities and IITs. However, it's important to note that this proposal is still in its early stages and subject to ongoing discussions, according to a senior scientist familiar with the matter. Reportedly, the DBT has already forwarded the details of eligible scientists for evaluation. It is likely that scientists working in autonomous institutions of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will also be affected by this proposal.

It's worth noting that this isn't the first time the government has considered raising the retirement age for scientists. In 2015, a draft Cabinet note, spearheaded by MoST, aimed to harmonize the service conditions of research scientists across different government sectors.

Historically, government ministries have provided scientists nearing retirement with "extensions" to extend their tenures by up to two to five years. However, the Modi government has shifted away from this approach, opting for short-term contracts to retain valuable senior employees. Despite the 2015 proposal being discussed at the highest levels of government, it appears to have been shelved.