Awnish Kumar Tripathi and Ors v. Union of India and Ors

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAo AToCHANDIGARHo 218o o o o o o o CWP-4701-2016o o o o o o o DateoofoDecision:o19.09.2023o AwnishoKumaroTripathioandoOthersooooooooooo o oooooooooo,Petitionerso Versuso UnionoofoIndiaoandoOthersoo oooooo o ooooooooooooooo ooooooo,Respondentso CORAM:oooHON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoJAGMOHANoBANSALo o Present:-oo Mr.oAnuragoGoyal,oAdvocateoforotheopetitionersoo o o Mr.oAseemoAggarwal,oAdvocateoo fororespondentoNo.1-UnionoofoIndiao o o Mr.oA.S.oVirk,oAdvocateofororespondentoNos.2oando3o ***o JAGMOHANoBANSAL,oJ.o(Oral)o

1.k oo Theopetitioners,othroughoinstantopetitionounderoArticleso226/227o ofotheoConstitutionoofoIndia,oareoseekingodirectionotoorespondentsotoore-fixotheiro initialo payo aso wello aso extendo benefito ofo 7o non-compoundedo advanceo increments.oo

2.k oo Duringotheopendencyoofotheopetition,otheorespondentoNos.2oando3o filedoaffidavitodatedo30.08.2023owhereinoitowasosubmittedothatoaocommitteeo waso constitutedo byo respondento Nos.2o ando 3o ando ono theo basiso ofo recommendationoofotheocommittee,otheoinitialopayoofo₹25,600/-ooinclusiveoofo AGPo₹7,000oinsteadoofo₹22,600/-oasoearlier,ohasobeenofixed.oo

3.k oo Onotheobasisoofoaforesaidoaffidavit,otheopetitionersosubmittedothato petitionerso wouldo makeo representationo too theo appropriateo authorityo witho respectotoofixationoofoinitialopayobecauseoasoperotheiroopinionoinitialopayoshouldo beo₹25,750/-owhereasorespondentohasore-determinedo₹25,600/-.o

4.k oo Ino viewo ofo statemento ofo botho sides,o theo issueo witho respecto too fixationoofoinitialopayocameotoobeosettled.oNowotheoprayeroofotheopetitionersoiso confinedotoograntoofo7onon-compoundedoadvanceoincrements.o

5.k oo oRespondento No.2o waso earliero knowno aso Regionalo Engineeringo College,oKurukshetra.oItowasoupgradedoasoNationaloInstituteoofoTechnology,o Kurukshetrao(DeemedoUniversity)oandolateroonoitowasodeclaredoasoInstituteoofo NationaloImportanceounderoNIToAct,o2007.oTheopetitionersoareoworkingowitho respondent-instituteoasoAssistantoProfessors.oo

6.k oo TheopetitionersoareoholdingodegreeoofoPh.D.oandotheyoappliedoforo theopostoofoAssistantoProfessor.oTheopetitionersocameotoobeoselectedoinotermsoofo ModeloRecruitmentoRules,o2011o(hereinafteroreferredotooaso'2011oRules').oTheo petitionerso wereo havingo degreeo ofo Ph.D.,o thus,o theyo wereo entitledo too AGPo ₹7,000.oTheopetitionersowereograntedopayobandoofo₹15,600/-owithoAGPo₹7,000.o Theo petitionerso wereo noto grantedo benefito ofo 7o non-compoundedo advanceo increments.o

7.k o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero intero aliao submitso thato petitionersoareoentitledotoo7onon-compoundedoadvanceoincrements.oTheocaseoofo theopetitionersoisosquarelyocoveredobyoinstructionsodatedo18.08.2009oissuedobyo Ministryo ofo Humano Resourceo Development.o Theo clarificationo datedo

09.03.2010o issuedo byo Ministryo ofo Humano Resourceo Developmento dido noto debaropetitionersofromotheirorightotoo7onon-compoundedoadvanceoincrements.o

8.k oo Ino supporto ofo theiro claim,o theo petitionerso relyo upono communicationo datedo 17.06.2015o wherebyo Ministryo ofo Humano Resourceo Developmento haso clarifiedo thato minimumo payo ino Payo Band-3o foro Assistanto Professoro ono contracto witho AGPo ₹o 7000o shallo beo ₹15,600/-o pluso 7o non-compoundedoadvanceoincrements.oTheopetitionerofurtheroreliesouponoparagrapho 1o (b)o ofo circularo datedo 27.10.2017o whereino questiono ofo payo ofo Assistanto Professorsohasobeenoconsidered.oThereoisoaotableoannexedowithosaidocircular.o

9.k oo Aso pero afore-statedo paragrapho reado witho table,o ano Assistanto ProfessoroGrade-IIoisoentitledotoopayoofo₹84,800/-,oifoheoisogettingogradeopayo ₹7000.oTheopetitionersowereoappointedoatogradeopayoofo₹o7000,othus,otheiropayo shouldobeo₹84,800/-.oTheorespondentowithorespectotooitsoinstituteoatoMeghalayao issuedoanoadvertisementodatedo25.02.2019oandoasoperotheosaidoadvertisement,o initialopayoofoAssistantoProfessoroGrade-II,oPayoLevelo11oi.e.oAGPo₹7000oiso ₹84,800/-.oSimilarly,oN.I.T,oDurgapuroinoitsoadvertisementodatedo21.06.2019o hasodeclaredothatoAssistantoProfessoroGrade-II,oPayoLevelo11oshallobeoentitledo toopayo₹o84,800/-.oTheoclaimoofotheorespondentothatopayore-fixedobyoBoardoofo Governorso includeso ₹3,000/-o iso factuallyo incorrecto becauseo aso pero threcommendationoofo6 oPayoCommission,otheorevisedopayoiso1.86otimesoofotheo earliero payo i.e.o payo aso ono 01.01.2006,o thus,o thereo iso noo questiono ofo considerationoofoadvanceoincrementsowhileore-fixationoofopay.o

10.k oo PerocontraolearnedocounselofororespondentoNos.2oando3osubmitso thatopriorotooimplementationoofo2011oRules,oAGPoofo₹6,000owasoextendedoato entryo levelo w.e.f.o 01.01.2006.o Theo intento ando purporto ofo granto ofo 7o non-compoundedo advanceo incrementso waso too recognizeo edgeo ofo qualificationo becauseopriorotoo2011,oM.Tech.owasominimumoqualificationoforoappointmento aso Lecturer.o Theo candidateso havingo highero qualificationo i.e.o Ph.D.o wereo recognizedobyowayoofograntoofo7onon-compoundedoincrements.oTheopersonso havingo qualificationo ofo M.Tech.o aso wello aso Ph.D.o wereo entitledo too AGPo ₹6,000/-.oWithotheointroductionoofo2011oRules,otheoappointmentoofoAssistanto Professorowasoclassifiedointoothreeocategoriesoi.e.oi)oM.Tech;oii)oPh.D.owithouto experienceoandoiii)oPh.D.owithothreeoyearsoexperience.oTheocandidatesohavingo qualificationoofoM.Tech.owereoentitledotooAGPo₹6000/-owhereasocandidateso havingo qualificationo ofo Ph.D.o withouto experienceo wereo entitledo too AGPo ₹7,000/-oandocandidatesohavingoPh.D.owithoexperienceoofothreeoyearsowereo entitledotooAGPo₹o8000/-.oTheoMinistryoofoHumanoResourceoDevelopmento video circularo datedo 18.08.2009o recognizedo concepto ofo 7o non-compoundedo advanceo increments.o Theo saido circularo waso modifiedo video circularo datedo

09.03.2010.o Ino theo circularo datedo 09.03.2010,o ito waso clarifiedo thato 7o non-compoundedo advanceo incrementso wouldo beo availableo too twoo categorieso ofo appointeesoi.e.o(a)odirectorecruitolecturersoinotheopre-revisedoscaleoofoRs.8000-th13500oappointedobetweeno01.01.2006oando17 oAugusto2009oando(b)oDirecto recruitoAssistantoProfessorsoinotheorevisedopayoofoPB-3owithoAGPoofoRs.6000o thfromo 18 o Augusto 2009o onwards.o Theo petitionerso doo noto fallo ino eithero ofo aforesaido categories,o thus,o theyo areo noto entitledo too 7o non-compoundedo increments.o Theo respondento ino itso meetingo ofo Boardo ofo Governorso haso consideredotheoissueoandotooredressotheogrievanceoofotheopetitioners,obasicopayo haso beeno re-fixedo whicho includeso additionalo sumo ofo ₹3,000/-o ando theo saido fixationoisoonotheobasisoofofitmentotable.o

11.k oo Iohaveoheardotheoargumentsoofolearnedocounselsoforotheopartiesoando perusedotheorecordowithotheiroableoassistance.o

12.k oo Theopetitionersowereoconcededlyoappointedoposto2011oRules.oTheo MinistryoofoHumanoResourceoDevelopmentovideoinstructionsodatedo18.08.2009o hasoprovidedothato7onon-compoundedoadvanceoincrementoshallobeoadmissibleo atotheoentryolevelooforecruitmentoasoAssistantoProfessorsotoopersonsopossessingo theodegreeoofoPh.D.oTheorelevantoextractsoofoinstructionsodatedo18.08.2009o readoas:oo "2.o ForootheroCentrallyoFundedoTechnicaloInstitutions.o Theo payo structureo ando designationso foro allo othero CentrallyoFundedoTechnicaloInstitutionsowillogenerallyobeo theosameoasoperotheoschemeooforevisionoofopayoofoteachers,o etc.oinoUniversities,oetc.oasonotifiedobyotheoMinistryoofoHRDo stvideoletteroNo.1-32/2006-U.II/U.I.(i)odatedo31 oDecember,o 2008oandoclarificationoissuedothereonofromotimeotootime.o However,oinotheocaseoofoNationaloInstitutesoofoTechnologyo

(NITs),oIndianoSchooloofoMinesoUniversityo(ISMU),oIndiano InstitutesoofoInformationoTechnologyo(IITs)oandoSchoolsoofo Planningo&oArchitectureo(SPAs),otheofollowingoacceleratedo promotionalobenefitsowillobeogivenowhileomaintainingotheo UGCoPayoStructureoandodesignations;o

(a)k oSeveno non-compoundedo advanceo incrementso shallo beooadmissibleoatotheoentryolevelooforecruitmentoaso AssistantoProfessorotoopersonsopossessingotheodegreeo ofoPh.D.oawardedoinotheorelevantodiscipline."oo

13.k oo MinistryoofoHumanoResourceoDevelopmentoissuedoclarificationo datedo09.03.2010owherebyoitowasoclarifiedothatodirectorecruitolectureroinopre-revisedo scaleso appointedo betweeno 01.01.2006o ando 17.08.2009o ando directo recruitoAssistantoProfessorsoinotheorevisedopayoofoPB-3owithoAGPo₹6000ofromo

18.08.2009o o onwardso shallo beo entitledo too 7o non-compoundedo advanceo increments.oTheorelevantoextractsoofotheoinstructionsodatedo09.08.2010oreadoas:o oo o o "1.o NonocompoundedoAdvanceoincrementsoo a)k oAso advanceo incrementso areo treatedo aso integralo too pay,ograntoofononocompoundedoadvanceoincrementoato theo rateso mentionedo ino Paragrapho 7o ofo thiso stMinistry'soorderoNo.1-32/2006oUII/UI(1)odatedo31 o thDecember,o2008oandoNo.23-1/2008oTS.IIodatedo18 o Augusto2009owouldoapplyoonlyotoo(a)odirectorecruito lecturersoinotheopre-revisedoscaleoofoRs.8000-13500o thappointedobetweeno1.1.2006oando17 oAugusto2009o ando (b)o Directo recruito Assistanto Professorso ino theo threvisedopayoofoPB-3owithoAGPoofoRs.6000ofromo18 o Augusto2009oonwards.oTherefore,otheodecisionoonotheo nono compoundedo advanceo incrementso aso communicatedovideothisoMinistry'soletteroreferredotoo st thaboveodatedo31 oAugusto2008oando18 oAugusto2009o willo noto beo applicableo too thoseo facultyo whoo wereo stappointedo uptoo 31 o Decembero 2005.o Thoseo appointedo prioro too 1.1.2006o willo beo governedo byo instructionsotheoinoforce."o

14.k o Theoprimeocontentionoofotheorespondent-instituteoisofoundedoupono afore-citedoclarificationodatedo09.03.2010.oTheorespondentoisoofotheoopiniono thatonon-compoundedoadvanceoincrementsowereoadmissibleoposto09.03.2010o onlyo too thoseo recruitso whoo wereo directlyo appointedo aso lecturero ino theo pre-revisedoscaleoofo₹8000-13500obetweeno01.01.2006oando17.08.2009oandodirecto recruitoAssistantoProfessoroinotheorevisedopayobandoofo3owithoAGPoofo₹6000o fromo 18.08.2009o onwards.o Theo petitionerso wereo appointedo Assistanto Professorsoposto09.03.2010oandotheyowereonotoappointedowithoAGPo₹6000,o thus,otheyowereoexcludedofromotheoearlierocircularodatedo18.08.2009.oo

15.k oo Theocontentionoofotheopetitionersoisothatopriorotoo09.03.2010othereo waso noo Assistanto Professoro whoo waso appointedo witho AGPo ₹7000o ando petitionersocameotoobeoappointedowithoAGPo₹7000oaftero2011oRules.oAsoatotheo timeoofoissuanceoofoinstructionodatedo09.03.2010,othereowasonooappointmentoofo AssistantoprofessorsowithoAGPo₹7000,othus,othereowasonooquestionoforotheo GovernmentotooconsideroAssistantoProfessorowithoAGPo₹7000.oo

16.k oo ThisoCourtospecificallyoaskedorespondentotooclarifyowhetheroanyo AssistantoProfessorowithoAGPo₹7000owasoappointedoonoorobeforeo09.03.2010.o Learnedocounseloforotheorespondentoexpressedohisoinabilityotoopointooutoanyo appointmentoofoAssistantoProfessorowithoAGPo₹7000oonoorobeforeo09.03.2010.oo

17.k o Inoviewoofodoubtocreatedobyoinstructionsodatedo09.03.2010,oitoiso imperativeotoolookoatosubsequentoletters/circularsoissuedobyotheorespondent.o Theorespondentohasoissuedocommunicationodatedo17.06.2015owherebyoitohaso beenoclarifiedothatominimumopayoinoPayoBand-3oforoAssistantoProfessoroono contractowithoAGPo₹7000oshallobeo₹15600opluso7onon-compoundedoannualo increments.oTheorelevantoextractsoofosaidocommunicationoreadoas:-o Anomaliesoo Recommendationso Theo detailedo Recruitmento Itoisoclarifiedothatotheominimumo Ruleso specifyo minimumo payo ino Payo Bando (PB)-3o foro startingopayoofoRs.15,600/-o+o AssistantoProfessoroonocontracto 07o non-compoundedo initialo withoAGPoofoRs.7000/-oshallobeo incrementsofororecruitmentoofo Rs.15,600/-o pluso 07o non-Assistanto Professoro ono compoundedoincrements.oo contractowithoAGPoRs.6000/-.o Buto ito iso silento ono theo sameo subjecto foro facultyo recruitedo tooAGPoofoRs.7000/-.o o oo o Theo respondento haso furthero issuedo circularo datedo 27.10.2017o whereino questiono ofo payo ofo Assistanto Professoro haso beeno considered.o Theo relevantoextractoofosaidocircularoreadoaso:-o "(b)o Theo nomenclatureo ofo Assistanto Professorso (Contractual)oisochangedointooAssistantoProfessoroGrade-IIo (PresentlyoinoAGPo6,000oandoAGPo7,000)oandoAssistanto Professoro Grade-Io (Presentlyo ino AGPo 8,000o ando AGPo 9,000).o Thereo shallo beo noo changeo ino theo termso ando conditionso ofo appointment,o oro natureo ofo appointmento aso doneo earliero aso pero MHRDo lettero no.23-01/2008-TS-IIo datedo18.08.2009oreadowitho16.09.2009.oInstitutesoshouldo puto ino placeo ao processo foro discontinuationo ofo non-performers.o Theo initialo payo foro Assistanto Prof.o Grade-IIo (levelo10)obeomappedotoocellono.8oofotheoAnnexureo–Ioi.e.o Rs.70,900oinsteadoofotheo7onon-compoundedoincrements."oo

18.k oo N.I.T.oMeghalayaohasoissuedoadvertisementodatedo25.02.2019oando N.I.T.o Durgapuro haso issuedo advertisemento datedo 21.06.2019o whereino respondentohasodeclaredopayoofoAssistantoProfessor,oGrade-IIoPayo(Levelo11)o ₹84,800/-.o Theo saido amounto iso compositeo amounto ando ito comeso ifo 7o non-compoundedoadvanceoincrementsoareoincludedoinobasicopayoplusoAGP.o

19.k o oo LearnedocounseloforotheorespondentosubmittedothatoN.I.T.o DurgapuroandoN.I.T.oMeghalayaohaveofixedopayoofotheoAssistantoProfessorso consideringoapplicableorulesoandoregulations.oo

20.k oo Fromo theo perusalo ofo clarificationo datedo 18.08.2009o reado witho clarificationodatedo09.03.2010,oitocomesooutothatoAssistantoProfessorsohavingo degreeoofoPh.D.oareoentitledotoo7onon-compoundedoadvanceoincrements.oThereo iso substanceo ino theo contentiono ofo petitioners.o Theo respondento haso createdo confusiono ono theo basiso ofo AGPo ofo ₹7000o paido too theo petitioners.o Theo respondentohasotriedotoomakeodifferenceobetweenoAssistantoProfessorsogettingo AGPo ₹6000o ando AGPo ₹7000.o Theo respondento iso claimingo thato Assistanto Professoro gettingo AGPo ₹6000o areo entitledo too 7o non-compoundedo advanceo incrementsowhereasoAssistantoProfessorogettingoAGPo₹7000oareonotoentitledotoo theo saido benefit.o Lettero datedo 17.06.2015o issuedo byo Ministryo ofo Humano Resourceo Developmento haso madeo theo thingso clear.o Ito clearlyo provideso thato AssistantoProfessorowithoAGPo₹7000oshallobeoentitledotoopayo₹15,600/-opluso7o non-compoundedoadvanceoincrements.oTheoletterodatedo27.10.2017oissuedobyo MinistryoofoHumanoResourceoDevelopmentofurtheroclarifiesotheoposition.oAso pero paragrapho 1o (b)o ofo theo saido letter,o ito iso quiteo clearo thato Ministryo haso acceptedothatoAssistantoProfessorowouldobeoentitledotoolumposumo₹84,800/-oino termsoofotableoenclosedowithotheoletteroinsteadoofo7onon-compoundedoadvanceo increments.oTheoletteroindicatesothat,oGovernment,oatothisostage,ohasodecidedotoo includeo 7o non-compoundedo advanceo incrementso intoo compositeo amounto aso pointedooutoinotheoannexureoenclosedowithotheosaidoletter.oTheorespondentoiso unableo too controverto theo facto thato Annexure-Io enclosedo witho lettero datedo

27.10.2017oprescribingopayo₹84800otooAssistantoProfessoroGrade-IIoincludeso7o non-compoundedo advanceo increments.o Theo respondento witho respecto too itso instituteso ato Meghalayao ando Durgapuro haso prescribedo payo whicho iso ino consonanceo witho communicationo datedo 27.10.2017o ofo Ministryo ofo Humano ResourceoDevelopment.oo

21.k oo Allotheoabove-notedolettersocollectivelyoindicateothatothereowaso alwayso intentiono ofo theo Governmento too extendo 7o non-compoundedo annualo incrementsotooAssistantoProfessoroappointedoinoPB-3owithoAGPo₹7000.o th22.k oo Theorespondentohasocontendedothatoafteroimplementationoofo6 o thPayoCommissionoando7 oPayoCommission,otheopayoofotheopetitionersohasobeeno thre-fixed.o Aso pero fitmento tableo whicho iso basedo upono 6 o Centralo Payo Commission,oinotheopayoofotheopetitioners,oaosumoofo₹3000/-ohasobeenoincludedo inotheobasicopay.oo oo o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero whileo controvertingo theo aforesaidocontentionoofotheorespondentsosubmitsothatocontentionooforespondento thato ao sumo ofo ₹3000/-o haso beeno includedo ino basico payo ino fitmento tableo iso factuallyoincorrectobecauseofitmentotableowasopreparedoconsideringobasicopayo

1.86o timeso ofo pre-revisedo pay.o Theo minimumo revisedo payo waso notifiedo ₹15600/-othus,owheresoever,oapplyingomultiplieroofo1.86otimesotoopre-revisedo pay,opayocomesotoolessothano₹15600/-,otheopayoisofixedo₹o15,600/-.oEveryoentryo ofo fitmento tableo iso basedo upono thiso formula,o thus,o thereo iso noo questiono ofo inclusionooofoo₹3,000/-ooinootheooobasicoopayooasooperoofitmentootable.oCourtofindso substanceoinotheocontentionoofotheopetitioners,ohowever,oitolosesosignificanceoino theowakeoofoaboveofindings,oonotheoissueoinvolved.o

23.k o Ino viewo ofo aforesaido factso ando findings,o thiso Courto iso ofo theo consideredo opiniono thato petitionerso areo entitledo too benefito ofo 7o non-compoundedoadvanceoincrements.oTheopetitionodeservesotoobeoallowedoando accordinglyoallowed.o o oo(JAGMOHANoBANSAL)o ooo o o o o o o o o oooooJUDGEoo

19.09.2023o MohitoKumaro Whetherospeaking/reasonedo Yes/Noo Whetheroreportableo Yes/Noo o