NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has instructed the city government to establish a high-powered committee responsible for overseeing the implementation of recommendations and guidelines from the sixth and seventh Central Pay Commission (CPC).
This pertains specifically to salaries and arrears for staff in private unaided schools and recognized private unaided minority schools in the region.
In recognizing education as a potent tool for empowering future generations, the high court emphasized the need for regulatory authorities to ensure a consistent standard of education for all students across the country. The court mandated the formation of a committee at both the Central and Zonal levels. Furthermore, it directed the Directorate of Education (DoE) to issue a notification within two weeks, facilitating the creation of a zonal committee. This committee would provide a platform for various stakeholders, including teaching and non-teaching staff from affected schools, to present their grievances regarding the non-implementation of the Pay Commission.
The court emphasized the committee’s role in devising a mechanism to ensure that school staff receive their entitled dues, even in cases where schools lack the necessary funds. Expressing concern over the situation where school staff are compelled to approach the court for their rightful salaries, the court urged the committee to address this issue promptly.
The judgment, spanning 136 pages, resulted from a series of petitions by staff members from private unaided schools and recognized private unaided minority schools. These petitions sought the benefits outlined in the sixth and seventh CPC, including arrears and retirement benefits.
The court acknowledged previous judgments related to Pay Commission recommendations but noted that implementation had been hindered by financial constraints faced by the schools. It criticized the non-implementation, attributing it to the schools’ inability to raise fees and the limitations of the DoE in enforcing compliance.
The judgment rejected the notion of de-recognizing schools as a solution, citing its adverse impact on students and staff employment. Instead, it affirmed the validity of the petitioners’ grievances, emphasizing that the non-compliance of the DoE’s notification for implementing the 7th CPC violated their constitutional rights.
Addressing the question of whether unaided minority schools are obligated to implement the Pay Commission’s recommendations, the court asserted that staff in such schools are entitled to salaries and emoluments equivalent to those in schools owned by competent authorities.
Highlighting the importance of education as a powerful instrument for national progress, the court underscored the regulatory authority’s responsibility to ensure quality education. It concluded that autonomy in school administration does not exempt unaided minority schools from regulatory obligations, emphasizing the need for these schools to provide adequate compensation to their staff. The court emphasized that fair compensation serves as a motivator for teachers, essential for imparting quality education to the country’s future generations.
(With agency inputs)