The Telangana High Court has struck down Government Order (GO) 16 issued by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, which aimed to regularize thousands of contract employees, primarily in the education and health sectors. The court’s ruling declared the regularization unconstitutional, creating uncertainty for those who were recently granted permanent positions.
GO 16, implemented by the BRS government, sought to provide permanent status to a significant number of contract workers in vital sectors. This included 2,909 Junior Lecturers, 184 Vocational Junior Lecturers, 390 Polytechnic lecturers, 270 Degree lecturers, 837 Medical Assistants, 179 lab technicians, 158 pharmacists, and others in the education and health departments. The policy was seen as a major step toward improving job security for these workers.
However, the High Court’s decision has reversed this move, leaving the regularized employees anxious about their future. The court ruled that the regularization of contract employees through GO 16 violated constitutional provisions, which led to the annulment of the government order. It also suggested that employees who were regularized might have to revert to their previous contract status, which would mean losing the benefits and job security that came with permanent employment.
The petitioners who challenged the government order have expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling, claiming it provides much-needed clarity on the issue. On the other hand, the employees who were regularized under the order are now facing uncertainty, as many fear being reverted to their previous contract positions, which would come with reduced benefits, job insecurity, and less stability.
The Telangana government is expected to issue further clarifications once it receives an official copy of the court’s order. Officials have assured that the next steps will be communicated after the full implementation of the judgment. For now, the ruling has left many workers in a state of limbo, unsure of whether they will retain their permanent status or be demoted back to their original contract roles.
