A retired professor of Hyderabad’s Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) has been waiting for his pensionary benefits for nearly 12 years, prompting the Telangana Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) to intervene and direct the institute to settle his dues.
According to The Hindu, which reported the Commission’s order, the case relates to Dr Mantha Srinivas, a former Professor of Anaesthesiology at NIMS. He took voluntary retirement on 13 November 2014, but his pensionary benefits remained unresolved for years. The TGHRC passed its order on 5 October 2026.
What happened to the retired professor’s pension?
Srinivas had approached the Telangana Human Rights Commission over the prolonged delay in receiving his retirement benefits. According to the Commission’s proceedings, the Telangana government had issued an order in October 2023 directing NIMS to release his pensionary benefits.
Despite this, the benefits had not been released. The matter had also gone through subsequent committees and proceedings, adding to the delay.
The Commission took note of the fact that the pension benefits had remained pending for several years and criticised the handling of the matter by the institution.
For a retiree, such a delay can have a direct financial impact because pension and other retirement benefits are intended to provide financial support after regular employment income stops.
What did the Telangana Human Rights Commission direct?
The TGHRC directed the NIMS director to personally look into the matter and ensure that the pensionary benefits payable to Srinivas are determined and released within three weeks, according to the Commission’s order.
NIMS has also been asked to submit a compliance report to the Commission. The matter is scheduled to be considered again on 2 November 2026.
The Commission has warned that if its direction is not complied with, the NIMS director may have to appear before it and explain the reasons for the delay.
What does this mean for delayed pensions?
The three-week deadline is a direction in this particular case and should not be treated as a general rule for all pension claims.
The case does, however, highlight the importance of timely processing of retirement benefits. The Commission also observed, according to the proceedings, that pension is an earned benefit linked to an employee’s service and is meant to provide financial security and dignity after retirement.
For retirees facing delays, maintaining a complete record of the retirement application, pension papers, acknowledgements, departmental correspondence and government orders can be important when following up on a pending claim.
The NIMS case also shows that a retirement-benefit dispute can continue for years even after an order has been issued for release of the benefits. For an individual retiree, therefore, obtaining written confirmation of the status of a pension claim and preserving all supporting documents can be crucial if the payment remains pending.