No permission needed for retired govt employees to take up commercial jobs, work abroad

Retired public officials will not have to seek permission from the government to take up commercial jobs or work abroad.

The public administration ministry on Wednesday issued a circular highlighting a provision of the Public Service Act on the post-retirement employment of government employees.

"Even after retirement or leave preparatory to retirement (LPR), some employees are still submitting applications seeking permission for taking up commercial jobs, conducting businesses or going abroad."

"Those applications are just a waste of time and labour as they are free from the control of the government or appointing authorities from the date of their superannuation," the ministry said.

However, under Section 52 of the Public Service Act 2018, the government or the appointing authorities hold the power to ask retiring bureaucrats to seek approval of the authorities to pursue a different job or businesses only in some special cases.