Chhatrapati Sambhajiangar: The Government sought two months more time from the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court to take a decision on the issue of making applicable graduate pay scale to the teachers appointed for the upper primary ( 6th to 8th) classes in the State as it is a policy matter and the decision is with the finance department.
So, the HC bench comprising Justice Mangesh Patil and Justice Shailesh Bramhe placed the next hearing on the petition related to this case on October 3, 2024.
Pandharinath Dinkar Kore filed a petition challenging the Government circular discriminating in the pay scale of teachers against the policy of 'Equal Work Equal Pay' through adv Vitthalrao Salgare.
As per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, the State Government issued a circular on October 13, 2016, making a provision for the appointment of at least one trained graduate qualified teacher in the subject of Science, Language and Social Sciences at the upper primary level.
However, there is the provision of giving the benefit of the pay scale only to 1/3rd of the total strength of teachers of classes 6th to 8th on the basis of seniority.
The petitioner contended that this circular is conflicting with Articles 14, 16 and 39 (d) of the Constitution. More than 53,000 graduate-trained teachers are working at private-aided schools across the State. The Government has filed a reply in the court stating that it is financially beyond the reach of the Government to give the pay scale to all the graduate teachers.
A committee under the chairmanship of the Commissioner of Education, Pune, was constituted to study and make recommendations regarding the implementation of graduate pay scales for the graduate teachers for upper primary schools in the state.
The government pleader informed the court that on receiving the report of the committee, a necessary decision would be taken at the Government level after examining the recommendations. Therefore, the Government has sought time again.