Fix payscales in timely manner: HC
FATE OF OVER 4,000 TEACHERS STILL IN A FIX
In a major respite to more than 4,000 teachers across Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court recently ordered the government to digitise the system of dealing with applications seeking fixation of pay-scales for teachers working in schools and colleges. The HC said the government unnecessarily drags its feet in deciding such applications, thus further overburdening the state exchequer.
A bench of Justices Satyaranjan Dharmadhikari and Riyaz Chagla passed an order earlier this month on a bunch of petitions by a few teachers seeking fixation of pay-scales. Most of the teachers are scheduled to retire and yet the government has not decided their applications.
“We have found that the Joint Director and the Directorate of Higher Education is flooded with requests from the managements and teachers across the state to fix their payscales in accordance with applicable regulations and policies. Whenever such requests are received, we find that they are kept pending till virtually the fag end of the career of a teacher,” Justice Dharmadhikari noted.
“In other words, for years together, the payfixation does not take place and the teacher is either about to demit office on attaining the age of superannuation or otherwise. Merely because such pay-fixation is not done in a timely and expeditious manner, the authorities face litigation,” the judges further noted.
The judges said once such pay-scales are fixed, the concerned teacher is then entitled for a renewed amount, which would be different from their prevailing salaries.
“Thus, the approvals are retrospective and the differential amounts have to be paid, which may run in crores of rupees. This is a continuous strain on public funds,” Justice Dharmadhikari observed.
“We deem it fit to remind the state authorities, this is imminently avoidable. It can be avoided if pay-fixation is done in a timely manner. Thus, the burden on the state exchequer can be reduced too,” the bench said.
The bench accordingly advised the government to come up with a scheme regarding all pending applications.
“The action plan would envisage inviting online proposals and their finalisation in a time frame. We hope and trust that, by the next date, the court would be apprised of a definite action plan in this behalf,” the court said.