The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to consider raising the retirement age of university faculty members from 60 to 65 years, criticizing the state higher education department for failing to recruit faculty at regular intervals.
Court Order Details
Justice P T Asha issued the order on Friday while allowing a petition from the Tamil Nadu Federation of Universities Faculty Associations. The court gave the state government eight weeks to pass an order on the matter.
The petitioners highlighted that over the coming years, a large number of faculty members are expected to retire upon reaching the superannuation age of 60. Due to decades of irregular recruitment by the higher education department, most universities in Tamil Nadu face a severe shortage of faculty, falling below the minimum numbers mandated by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Impact on Academic Standards
“This shortage, if unaddressed, will adversely affect the quality of teaching, research, and academic standards in Tamil Nadu,” the federation stated in its representation to the higher education department on November 28, 2025. The federation sought an increase in the superannuation age from 60 to 65, noting that several other state governments have already implemented such a change.
When the representation was not considered, the federation approached the high court. The court observed: “Considering the limited relief sought by the petitioner and taking note of the fact that the petitioner’s representation has not been considered to date, the petition is allowed.”
The court directed the department to evaluate the representation on its merits and pass an order in accordance with the law within eight weeks.
