The Himachal Pradesh government has formally ended its practice of direct contractual hiring for Group A, B and C positions, replacing it with a new “job trainee” framework aimed at fostering a merit-based and professional workforce. The Department of Personnel issued official guidelines today (Notification No. PER(AP)-C-B(15)-3/2024), detailing the scheme and its terms.

What the notification says
Under the new scheme, candidates for Group A, B and C roles across all government departments, boards, corporations and grant-in-aid institutions will now be hired through open competitive exams and placed in a two-year job training period. During this period, trainees will receive a consolidated stipend and role-specific training. Upon successful completion and passing a qualifying or efficiency bar test, trainees will become eligible for regular appointment.

The notification specifically states that these job trainees will not be classified as government employees, will not receive benefits such as pensions or leave entitlements, and will only serve under this new agreement-based structure. Trainees will, however, be eligible for certain allowances, including travel and daily allowances during official tours, as well as coverage under HIMCARE and Ayushman Bharat health schemes.

All trainees must sign an affidavit prior to appointment, acknowledging the terms of the agreement. Recruitment advertising and appointment orders must clearly state the set consolidated stipend and the trainee status.

Exempted positions
Certain posts have been excluded from this framework. These include Group A positions filled through the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS) exam, civil judge posts, medical college teaching roles (assistant professors, associate professors, professors), Ayush department professors, assistant conservators of forests (ACF), Naib tehsildars, HPF and AS section officers, assistant state taxes and excise officers, and male and female police constables.

Policy goals
According to the notification, the scheme seeks to establish a structured, performance-driven framework that encourages accountability and professionalism among new entrants. The government intends to build a well-prepared workforce through transparent recruitment and role-based training, thereby improving the overall quality of governance.

Authorities are required to follow state reservation policy and obtain prior approvals from relevant administrative or finance departments before launching recruitment under this scheme. Agencies must also adhere to fixed eligibility and selection criteria for each post.

Leave and allowances
Job trainees will receive modest leave privileges, including one day of casual leave per month, ten days of medical leave annually, five days of special leave, and up to 180 days of maternity leave (with provisions for pregnancy-related leave such as for miscarriages). Unauthorised absence may lead to termination, and female trainees found to be pregnant during recruitment for hazardous duty will have their appointment deferred and re-evaluated post-delivery.

Conversion of current contractual staff
All existing contractual staff whose engagement falls within Group A, B or C are to be automatically re-designated as job trainees under the new scheme. Ongoing recruitments under the former contractual system—and even those where offer letters have already been issued—will be moved to the new scheme from February 20 onward.

The scheme underscores a significant policy shift, signaling Himachal’s move towards a more standardized and transparent workforce model. Its success will be closely tied to effective implementation, clear communication of roles and responsibilities, and timely regularisation of trainees who meet the qualifying criteria.