Himachal Ends Contract Jobs: A New Era of Fair and Transparent Government Hiring Begins

In a landmark move aimed at ensuring job security and fairness, the Himachal Pradesh government has officially scrapped the long-standing system of contractual recruitment. This decision marks a significant shift in how government jobs will be offered and managed across all departments.

Under the new policy, the term ‘Job Trainee’ will now replace ‘contractual appointment’ in recruitment rules, following the enactment of the State Government Employees Recruitment and Service Conditions Act, 2024. This change is designed to bring more dignity, clarity, and long-term stability to public sector employment.

To implement this transformation, the Personnel Department has issued clear instructions to all administrative heads—from Divisional Commissioners to Deputy Commissioners—mandating updates to the Recruitment and Promotion (R&P) Rules before any new hiring can begin.

What’s Changing in the Recruitment Rules?

The overhaul includes key updates to several critical sections of the R&P format:

• Pay Scale (Column 4): Departments must now clearly mention the pay matrix level in full, ensuring transparency in salary structures.
• Probation Policy (Column 9): A uniform two-year probation period will apply to direct recruits, with a possible one-year extension in special cases. Promotions across group levels will also require probation, but term-based appointments and re-employments are exempt.
• Method of Recruitment (Column 10): This section must now detail the exact method of hiring—whether through direct recruitment, promotion, regularisation, secondment, or transfer—and specify the percentage of posts filled by each method.
• Contractual Appointment (Column 15A): This column has been completely removed, reinforcing the government’s commitment to ending contract-based employment.

All draft recruitment notifications must now be vetted by the Law Department before being issued, adding an extra layer of legal scrutiny and consistency.

Why This Matters

This policy shift is expected to bring greater transparency, consistency, and job security to thousands of aspiring government employees in Himachal Pradesh. By eliminating contract-based hiring, the government is taking a strong stand in favor of fair employment practices and long-term career growth.