Cabinet Secretary Assures Extension of Deemed Deputation Till Retirement for OF Employees

In a major relief for employees of the erstwhile Ordnance Factories, the Cabinet Secretary has assured that the period of “Deemed Deputation” will likely be extended until retirement. The assurance was given during the 49th meeting of the National Council (JCM).

The issue was strongly raised by employee unions, particularly Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS) and AIDEF, which have been demanding long-term protection of service conditions after the corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board in October 2021.

According to the assurance, employees of the seven Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) formed after corporatisation will continue to retain their status as Central Government / Defence Civilian employees till retirement. The proposal will now be sent to the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) for approval, after which formal orders are expected to be issued.

Employee unions welcomed the development and described it as a historic victory achieved through continuous struggle, negotiations, and legal efforts. BPMS stated that it had consistently demanded the adoption of a model similar to “Prasar Bharati,” ensuring complete protection of employees’ pay, pension, allowances, and job security even after corporatisation.

The demand gained further momentum after the Madras High Court was informed by the government that employees would continue as Central Government staff and that permanent absorption into DPSUs would remain voluntary.

The proposed extension of deemed deputation till retirement is being seen as a significant step toward safeguarding the interests and service conditions of thousands of defence civilian employees across the country.