In a significant policy shift regarding the service rules for differently-abled employees, the Haryana Government has notified that ‘divyaang’ (differently-abled) and visually impaired employees will now retire at the age of 58 years, instead of the previously applicable 60 years. The new directive, issued under the Haryana Civil Services (General) Amendment Rules, 2026, effectively rolls back the extended service benefit that was available to certain categories of disabled staff.
The notification, issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Arun Kumar Gupta on Tuesday, standardises the retirement age across the board, removing the distinction that allowed those with 70% or more disability to serve until 60. Under the new rules, all differently-abled employees, including those with 70% disability or above and blind employees, will retire at 58. The government also clarified that “one-eyed employees” will not be treated as blind or differently-abled for the purpose of this rule and will also retire at 58.
However, the notification maintains an exemption for Group D employees and Judicial Officers, who will continue to retire at 60 years, regardless of their disability status.
Furthermore, the amendment has omitted a key provision that allowed employees who became disabled during their service to seek an extension. Previously, such employees could be examined by a medical board at PGIMS Rohtak, and upon recommendation, be granted an extension beyond 58 years. This relief has now been scrapped. The move comes shortly after the Punjab and Haryana High Court had termed the previous policy—which restricted the 60-year retirement age only to those with 70% disability—as “discriminatory,” suggesting that the benefit should apply to all with benchmark disabilities. Instead of widening the benefit, the state has opted to reduce the age limit for all.