In a move that could finally bring long-awaited relief and job security to thousands of contractual and ad-hoc employees across Odisha, the state government has constituted a powerful high-level committee to examine the policy framework and legal position governing their regularisation.
The General Administration & Public Grievance Department issued the official order on July 6, 2026 (No. 21377/Gen, GAD-SC-GCS-0100-2026), directing the formation of the committee to address one of the most persistent workforce issues in the state.
Committee Composition
The five-member high-level committee is headed by:
Chairperson: Principal Secretary to Government, Finance Department
Members:
- Principal Secretary to Government, GA & PG Department
- Principal Secretary to Government, Water Resources Department
- Principal Secretary to Government, Law Department
- Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department
Mandate of the Committee
The committee will conduct a comprehensive review of all cases where persons were engaged on ad-hoc or contractual basis — both against sanctioned and non-sanctioned posts — without following the prescribed recruitment procedures. Its key responsibilities include:
- Scrutinising appointments made before the Odisha Group-‘B’ Posts (Contractual Appointment) Rules, 2013 and the Odisha Group-‘C’ and Group-‘D’ Posts (Contractual Appointment) Rules, 2013.
- Verifying whether departments had properly implemented government recruitment rules at the time of contractual appointments.
- Assessing department-wise and category-wise details of such engagements.
- Identifying irregularities and issues arising from these past appointments.
- Recommending necessary measures and determining how many contractual employees are eligible for regularisation under existing government rules.
This initiative comes against the backdrop of years of demands and protests by contractual employees seeking permanent status and the associated benefits. The committee’s findings are expected to bring clarity and potentially open a structured pathway for regularisation.
