Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to revise the rules for the compassionate employment scheme, which provides jobs to the dependents of government employees who pass away while in service.
The updated rules have been approved in principle by the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here.
Under the revised rules, dependents of government employees who die while in service will be eligible for jobs, regardless of the circumstances of death, a CMO release said here.
However, dependents will not be eligible if the deceased employee was receiving an invalid pension–a benefit granted to employees with severe mental or physical disabilities–at the time of death, it said.
Dependents of employees who had extended their service or were reappointed but later passed away will also not qualify for jobs under this scheme, the release said.
Dependents of teachers, including principals of government colleges, will be eligible.
Employees of aided institutions will not be covered under this benefit. Additionally, if an employee voluntarily retires and later dies, their dependents will not be considered for employment.
The new rules stipulate that at the time of the employee’s death, dependents must be at least 13 years old.
Eligible dependents, in order of priority, include the widow or widower, son, daughter, adopted son, and adopted daughter.
If the deceased employee was unmarried, the father, mother, unmarried sister, or unmarried brother will be considered.
If the dependents agree, the appointment can be made accordingly. Otherwise, it will follow the set priority order.
If the deceased employee’s married son or daughter was financially dependent on them, they must submit a certificate from the Tehsildar along with the application.
Dependents other than the widow or widower must also provide a consent letter from the widow or widower. In case of disputes, the nominee chosen by the widow or widower will be given priority for the job, the release said.
If a divorced government employee dies while in service, their children will have first preference for employment, it said.
If there are no children, the parents, unmarried sister, or unmarried brother can apply, provided they submit proof that they were financially dependent on the deceased.
Those who are already employed in permanent jobs in central or state government departments, public sector companies, or banks (including cooperative banks) will not be eligible for employment under this scheme.
In cases where a government employee legally separates from their first spouse and remarries, the children from the first marriage will also be eligible for jobs under this scheme, the release said.
The General Administration (Services-D) Department will prepare and update a seniority list of eligible dependents.
Job vacancies will be allocated based on this list, which will be updated as applications are received from various departments, the release added.
