Single seniority list to be prepared for government job appointments on compassionate grounds in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to revise the method being adopted for the appointment of candidates into government service on compassionate grounds. Entries in a single State-wide seniority list will be considered for such appointments, though earlier applications received for such appointments were considered by the Head of the Department or the District Collector concerned.

All pending applications will be included in the State-wide seniority list. A Government Order (G.O.) for the Human Resources Management Department, issued by Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam earlier this month, stated that appointments should be made subject to availability of vacancies within three years from the date of death of the government servant or the date of death as declared by the court (in specific cases) or the date of retirement on medical invalidation, as the case may be.

Until a portal for maintaining a State-wide seniority list becomes operational, all processes relating to the grant of appointment on compassionate grounds would be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the rules as they were in force before August 4, 2025. The State government has made necessary amendments to relevant provisions of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Appointment on Compassionate Grounds) Rules, 2023 in this regard.

According to the rules, there are certain conditions for appointment on compassionate grounds such as the family must be in indigent circumstances, that no member of the family are to be in regular employment in government or any private enterprise.

The appointing authority is to regularise the services of the person appointed under the rules within a year from the date of his/her joining service, subject to eligibility. Appointment under the rules is not to be extended to more than one member of a family.

Earlier, only if no vacancy was available within three months, would the application be forwarded to the Collector of the respective district, who would maintain a register indicating the number of applications received and are pending under these rules in the order of seniority.

The rules of reservation provided in Section 27 of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants (Conditions of Service) Act, 2016 will not apply to appointments made on compassionate grounds.

The total number of persons appointed on compassionate grounds in a department, at any point of time, shall not exceed 5% of the total sanctioned strength, whether permanent or temporary, in all categories of posts included in Group C in that department. However, there will be no such ceiling in the case of Group D posts.