22/05/2026
⚖️ SUPREME COURT ON CONTRACT JOBS
📌 Lokendra Kumar Tiwari v. Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad & Others
📌 Supreme Court of India
📌 Judgment dated: 13.05.2026
The Supreme Court has now clearly observed that:
👉 If regular vacancies exist,
👉 and recruitment is conducted like a regular selection process,
then appointing candidates only on contractual basis without valid reasons may be unconstitutional.
The Court observed that such arbitrary treatment may violate:
⚖️ Article 14 — Equality before Law
⚖️ Article 16 — Equal Opportunity in Public Employment.
For years, many institutions have:
📌 conducted exams/interviews for permanent posts,
but
📌 given only temporary or contract appointments.
The Court has now reminded that:
⚖️ public employment cannot become a system of insecurity, uncertainty and exploitation.
Contract employment may be necessary in genuine temporary situations.
But using “contract jobs” against permanent vacancies merely to avoid regular service benefits strikes at:
⚖️ equality,
⚖️ dignity of labour, and
⚖️ constitutional fairness.
📌 Why this judgment is significant?
Because today, many Government institutions, Universities and public authorities increasingly:
❗ conduct regular recruitment,
❗ collect application fees,
❗ hold competitive selection processes,
but ultimately provide only insecure contractual appointments.
This judgment sends a strong constitutional message that:
⚖️ permanent public vacancies cannot routinely be converted into unstable employment systems merely to deny regular service protections and benefits.
A powerful reminder that employment is not merely about giving work —
it is also about giving stability, dignity and equal treatment.