Gurpreet Singh :- The Chandigarh Administration has announced revised DC rates for 2026-27, increasing wage revisions from 6 per cent to 10 per cent for employees working under regular and outsourced arrangements. The move is expected to benefit nearly 20,000 workers engaged across various departments under the administration.
The revised rates have been made effective from April 1, 2026, and will remain in force until March 31, 2027. Officials said monthly-rated employees will continue to receive full wages for government holidays, while workers who have completed five years of continuous service will be entitled to an additional 2 per cent increment over and above the applicable DC rate.
Under the revised structure, the lowest monthly wage has been fixed at ₹18,058 for a Watch Room Duty Operator, while the highest remuneration of ₹86,703 per month has been prescribed for a Psychologist. Duty hours have been standardised at eight hours per day.
The administration has revised rates across more than 560 categories of employment. Employees who completed five years of uninterrupted service by March 31, 2026, will qualify for the additional 2 per cent benefit. Authorities clarified that service continuity will remain protected even if a worker’s contractor or agency changes during the period. The additional benefit will be calculated on the basis of wages drawn during the 2025-26 financial year.
However, certain categories have not been included in the latest wage revision. These include Assistant Lecturers, Bearers, Cloakroom Attendants, Consultants, Desk Helpers, Guest Trainers and Tax Collectors. According to the administration, the rates for these categories have been retained due to the absence of corresponding grade pay provisions under the Seventh Pay Commission and a lack of recommendations from the concerned departments. A review may be undertaken once the required details are received.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Government has also moved towards ending the outsourcing system in Group C and Group D services. The state has approved the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel Bill, 2026, and the Punjab Contractual Personnel Bill, 2026, a decision expected to benefit nearly 65,000 employees.
Under the proposed framework, casual and outsourced workers employed across 51 government departments will be brought under direct government contracts. Salaries will be credited directly into employees’ bank accounts instead of being routed through third-party contractors, a move aimed at eliminating commission-based deductions and exploitation.
The policy further provides that employees working in high-risk categories such as sewer maintenance, firefighting and sanitation services will become eligible for direct government contracts after three years of service, while workers in other categories will qualify after five years. Employees completing ten years under the contract system will be considered for regularisation. They will also be entitled to maternity benefits and ten days of casual leave annually.
