In a significant administrative reform, the Haryana government has abolished the mandatory requirement for its serving employees to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before applying for posts in other departments within the state. This move is aimed at cutting red tape and expediting internal job mobility for the state's workforce.
Key Changes in the Application Process
Under the new rules issued by the state's Human Resources Department, government employees can now forward their applications directly to the recruiting agency. They are no longer required to secure prior clearance from their parent department. However, employees must inform their head of office and appointing authority before the last date of application submission. This relaxation is a major shift from the previous procedure, which was often delayed by extensive paperwork.
The simplification applies specifically to employees who have not executed any service bond with their current department. For staff bound by service agreements—commonly doctors, professors, and engineers—the old NOC requirement remains. They must obtain a conditional NOC when seeking a new appointment within the Haryana government, and any existing bond will carry forward for its remaining duration in the new position.
Exceptions and Important Clarifications
The government has outlined specific scenarios where the NOC is still mandatory. A state employee wishing to apply for a subsequent appointment through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) or any recruiting agency under the Central government or another state must obtain an NOC from their appointing authority.
In a crucial clarification, the government has stated that past service benefits related to pay fixation, pension, and leave will remain valid even if an application was submitted without a prior NOC, provided these benefits are allowed under the Haryana Civil Services Rules. This change effectively removes the earlier stipulation that such applications be routed "through proper channel."
The appointing authority has been tasked with a new responsibility: if an employee's record contains adverse remarks about integrity or if disciplinary proceedings are pending, the authority must inform the concerned recruiting agency.
Revised Rules on Resignation and Elections
The comprehensive instructions also cover the process of resignation. A regular employee (permanent or temporary) intending to resign must submit one month's notice or deposit a month's salary in lieu. The employee cannot relinquish charge until the resignation is formally accepted. However, the appointing authority must allow the withdrawal of a resignation notice if requested before the due date, even if it was previously accepted.
The rules are strict for employees entering politics. A government employee wishing to contest elections—for panchayat, municipal corporation, legislative assembly, or Parliament—must resign from service. They will not be re-appointed to their original service regardless of the election outcome and will not be entitled to past service benefits upon any fresh appointment.
Recruiting agencies have been directed to seek a self-declaration from any government employee who applies directly for a subsequent appointment. This declaration must confirm that the employee is not facing any disciplinary or judicial proceedings or a vigilance inquiry.
Additional provisions state that a permanent government employee does not need to resign upon securing a subsequent appointment within the Haryana government. Furthermore, an employee from another state or the central government, who joins the Haryana government while retaining a lien on their previous post for a limited period, may submit a technical resignation without the one-month notice to facilitate rejoining their old position.
