Sikkim government restores original pay levels for regularized employees

The Government of Sikkim has announced the restoration of original pay levels for those who were temporarily employed and later regularized into government service. This change will benefit employees in newly created roles introduced as part of the state’s mass regularization initiative.

The decision, which had been initially proposed in February 2020, aims to reinstate the original pay levels for these employees upon the completion of five years of regular service. The restoration pertains to employees who were brought into newly established posts, such as Village Grievance Redressal Assistants (VGRA), Village Police Guards, Marketing Assistants, and Child Care Assistants. These positions, which did not exist within the government framework prior to regularization, had made it difficult to ascertain suitable pay scales for the employees after they were absorbed into the permanent workforce.

A notification issued by the Department of Personnel on November 12, 2024, outlined the revised pay structure, ensuring clarity and fairness in the adjustment process. According to the notification:

- Employees who were regularized at Level 1 of the Pay Matrix will now be upgraded to Level 4.
- Those who were regularized at Level 2 will be moved to Level 6.
- Employees regularized at Level 3 will have their pay restored to Level 7.
This move is seen as a step towards standardizing pay structures for employees in non-traditional government roles, ensuring that they are compensated fairly in line with their service and contributions. The government said that these adjustments were necessary to resolve the discrepancies in pay, as many of the newly created positions lacked a defined pay scale at the time of regularization.

The government’s mass regularization process, which aimed to bring temporary workers into the permanent government fold, has now resulted in these employees being treated on par with others in terms of salary and benefits. This adjustment is expected to boost morale and provide a sense of equity to employees who have served in these essential roles for several years.

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