What is the Retirement Age for Teachers and Professors in India?

Retirement Age of Teachers and Professors

In the following table, the retirement age of teachers and professors, along with the type of institution, has been mentioned:

Teacher (Based on the Institution)

Retirement Age

Private school teachers

60 years

Government school teachers

60 years

Private college professors

60 years

Government college professors

60 years

From the above table, it is clear that the average teacher retirement age in India is 60 years. However, it can vary depending on the policies of the institution and the state it is situated in. Besides this, your retirement age as a teacher can differ due to your relationships with students and your teaching ability.

Benefits of Private School Teachers or College Professors on Retirement

The benefits you will get after retirement as a private school teacher or college professor are as follows:

  • Provident Fund (PF): Provident Fund is a retirement savings scheme mandatory for most salaried employees in India, including teachers from the private sector. The employer (Principal or Board members) and employee (teacher) contribute to your Provident Fund account. This amount accumulates until your retirement, and then you can withdraw it.
  • Gratuity: As a private institute teacher or professor, you can receive a gratuity on retirement, a lump sum payment from the employer to the employee. However, this amount cannot exceed ₹20 Lakhs. The gratuity usually depends on the last drawn salary and number of years spent working for the institution.

Years of Service

Rate of Gratuity Payment

below 1 year

2 times of basic pay

1 year or more (but below 5 years)

6 times of basic pay

5 years or more (but below 11 years)

12 times of basic pay

11 years or more (but below 20 years)

20 times of basic pay

20 years or more

Half of the payments are received after every 6 months of service (should not exceed 33 times of total payments)

  • Health Insurance: Some private institutes provide health insurance coverage to their teachers during employment and even after retirement. However, it depends on the policies of the institution you are working for. Usually, in such cases, a portion of your monthly income accumulates in health insurance.
  • Leave Encashment: If you are a private institute teacher or professor, you can also encash any unused leave days during the previous financial year. This benefit is available both during the employment period and upon retirement. Moreover, it acts as an additional source of income.

Benefits of Government School Teachers or College Professors on Retirement

The benefits you will get after retirement as a government school teacher or college professor are as follows:

  • Pension: As a Government teacher or professor, you can also receive a guaranteed monthly pension of a minimum ₹9000. You or your family can claim this on your retirement. This rule has been in force since 1st January 2016. Moreover, it can extend up to 50% of the highest pay, almost ₹1.25 Lakhs per month.
  • Commutation of Pension: The benefit of commutation of pension after retirement is also given to you as a teacher or professor of a Government institute. Here, you can withdraw a portion of the total available pension after retirement. This way, you can avail lump sum payouts during financial emergencies.
  • Gratuity: Gratuity is also provided to you as a Government teacher or professor. Here, you are similarly allowed to receive this benefit after retirement or death up to a maximum of ₹20 Lakhs. The rate of gratuity calculation is equal to 1/4th of your last drawn basic salary for each completed service of six months. This rule came into force on 1st January 2016.

Years of Service

Rate of Gratuity Payment

Less than 1 year

2 times of basic pay

1 year or more (but less than 5 years)

6 times of basic pay

5 years or more (but less than 11 years)

12 times of basic pay

11 years or more (but less than 20 years)

20 times of basic pay

20 years or more

Half of the salary is received after every completed 6 months of service (should not exceed 33 times of total payable salary)

 

  • Service Gratuity: If you are not serving at least five years as a teacher in any Government institute, you are not entitled to a gratuity. However, in such cases, you can receive a service gratuity for completing six months of each qualifying service. This equals half a month's basic pay (last drawn) and a dearness allowance. 
  • General Provident Fund and Incentives: As per the General Provident Fund Rules, 1960, all temporary and permanent government employees and pensioners can subscribe to this fund. Here, a lump sum payment of the accumulated savings is given to the subscribers on retirement that require no submission of legal application. However, you can only avail this if employed within 1st January 2004.
  • Dearness Relief: As a Government teacher or professor, you can receive dearness relief or dearness allowance as a percentage of your basic salary. The reason to provide this benefit is to reduce the impact of inflation. You can claim this allowance on pension or family pension, keeping in mind all the conditions applicable are attained before receiving it.
  • Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme: As issued by the Department of Expenditure, a portion of the monthly income of all Government employees, including teachers, is credited to this savings fund while in service. The amount gets accumulated, and interest is also added to this amount. Other than this, this scheme provides insurance coverage to the family in cases of the death of the subscribed teacher or professor.

As a teacher, you must know your retirement age and plan accordingly to ensure enough funds to support your post-retirement expenses. Besides the teachers' retirement age, you should also consider factors like lifestyle goals, expenses, future financial needs, medical emergencies, etc. Overall, you need a comprehensive retirement plan as a teacher to ensure a comfortable and stress-free retirement.

 

FAQs About Retirement Age in India for Teachers

Can teachers retire earlier than the standard retirement age in India?

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Yes, as a teacher, you can retire earlier on choice than the standard retirement age in India. However, this can vary as per the policies and regulations mentioned in your institution and also on the approval of the principal or other board members.

Can teachers continue working after retirement age in India?

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Yes, teachers can continue working after the standard retirement age in India. In certain cases, this happens by choice based on the institution's policies and the principal's permission. However, in other instances, you as a teacher might be offered work after retirement due to a good code of conduct and relationship with students.

What should teachers consider when planning for retirement?

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While planning for retirement as a teacher, you should consider factors like expenses, lifestyle goals, medical emergencies, etc., after retirement. It is also important to consider any retirement benefits your employer will provide to start retirement planning and saving accordingly.