The Goa Government has notified the Goa (Contractual Employees Regularization in Service) Rules, 2026, paving the way for one-time regularisation of eligible contractual employees who have completed at least 10 years of continuous service.
The rules, notified by the Department of Personnel, cover eligible employees serving against Group A, Group B, Group C and erstwhile Group D posts. The move follows Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant’s assurance that long-serving contractual employees would be given an opportunity for regularisation.
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What the New Rules Mean
Under the new framework, contractual employees who have completed at least 10 years of continuous service on the relevant post as of the commencement of the rules can be considered for regularisation.
However, 10 years of service alone does not guarantee regularisation. Employees must satisfy conditions prescribed under the rules, including possessing the required educational qualifications and meeting the applicable eligibility requirements at the time of their initial appointment.
The rules also require that the employee’s original appointment should have been made through the due selection process for direct recruitment. Service obtained through a court or tribunal order will not qualify for the exercise.
Employees must also have satisfactory character and antecedent verification and should not be facing criminal or departmental proceedings.
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CM Sawant’s Assurance Translates Into Policy
The notification gives effect to the government’s commitment to address the long-pending concerns of contractual employees who have spent a decade or more serving in government establishments.
Importantly, the notification states that no regularisation or appointment order will be issued without the approval of the Chief Minister. Regularisation will take effect from the date the competent authority passes the order and will also be subject to satisfactory completion of the prescribed probation period.
A Major Step for Long-Serving Employees
For contractual workers who have spent years serving the State without permanent status, the notification represents a significant shift in employment policy. It creates a defined one-time mechanism for eligible employees to move towards regular government service while simultaneously signalling a move away from routine dependence on contractual recruitment.
The government will now have to undertake the verification and scrutiny process before eligible employees receive regularisation orders.
The 2026 rules therefore mark a significant governance decision: recognise long-term contractual service, provide a pathway to stability for eligible employees, and strengthen regular recruitment as the preferred route for future government appointments.
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