02 June 1988
Supreme Court
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JAIPAL Vs STATE OF HARYANA

Bench: SINGH,K.N. (J)
Case number: Crl.A. No.-000158-000158 / 1998
Diary number: 15197 / 1997
Advocates: R. C. GUBRELE Vs


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PETITIONER: JAIPAL & OTHERS

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS

DATE OF JUDGMENT02/06/1988

BENCH: SINGH, K.N. (J) BENCH: SINGH, K.N. (J) KANIA, M.H.

CITATION:  1988 AIR 1504            1988 SCR  Supl. (1) 411  1988 SCC  (3) 354        JT 1988 (2)   528  1988 SCALE  (1)1198  CITATOR INFO :  RF         1989 SC  19  (27)  F          1989 SC1256  (4)  C          1989 SC1308  (8,10)  F          1990 SC 883  (7)  RF         1991 SC1173  (6)

ACT:      Constitution of India: Articles 14 and 39(d)-’Equal pay for Equal  Work’-Constitutional  obligation  of  the  State- Difference it  mode of  selection for  posts  not  material- Similar  functions  and  duties  under  the  same  employer- Relevancy of.

HEADNOTE:      In the  State of  Haryana  two  identical  schemes  are simultaneously in  operation with  the object  of  imparting literacy (functional and awareness) to adult illiterates and to provide  literacy to  children keeping  away from school. The first scheme, known as the Adult and Nonformal Education Scheme, is  financed by  the Central  Government  under  its Rural  Functional   Literacy   Programme/Project,   but   is administered by  the State  Government. Under this scheme, a number of Adult Education Centres have been opened to impart literacy  to   adult  illiterates.   The  petitioners   were appointed as  Instructors  at  these  centres  on  different dates. They  are being  paid a  fixed salary  of Rs.200  per month. The  petitioners are  given a deliberate break of one day in their service after the lapse of every six months and have thus  been treated  temporary in  service.  The  second scheme, known as the State Social Education Scheme, has been framed by  the State  of Haryana.  Under this  scheme Social Education Centres have been opened in the State and teachers known as Squad Teachers appointed at these centres to impart literacy among  the illiterates.  The State  regularised the services of  the Squad Teachers working on ad-hoc basis with effect from  1.1.1980  and  sanctioned  them  pay  scale  of Rs.420-700, the  scale applicable to primary school teachers in the State.      The Petitioners’  grievance is  that although  they are performing the  same  nature  of  functions  and  duties  as performed by  the Squad  Teachers, they  are denied the same

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scale of  pay. The  petitioners pray  for the  issuance of a writ, order  or direction  to the  respondents (i)  to treat them in  continuous service  irrespective of  the deliberate breaks in  their service,  (ii) to  grant them  regular  pay scales of  the Primary  School Teachers  plus  consequential benefits from  the date  of their  initial appointment,  and (iii) to  treat the  Department of  Adult Education and Non- formal Education as a permanent department and to regularise the 412 services of the petitioners in that Department.      The claim  of the  petitioners is based on the doctrine of ’equal  work equal pay’. The petitioners contend that (i) the two  schemes are  similar and  the nature  of duties and functions performed  by instructors  are  similar  to  those performed by squad teachers, (ii) the instructors as well as the Squad  Teachers are both appointed by the District Adult Education officer  and function under the supervision of the Directorate of  Education, (iii)  the instructors  are  full time employees  and take  regular classes of students in the age group  of 5-15  years for  two and  a half  hours and of adult illiterates  in the  age-group of  15-35 years for one and a  half hours.  In addition,  they have  to motivate the children and the adults to join the Adult Education Centres. They are further required to submit regular survey reports.      The respondents,  on the  other  hand,  urge  that  the functions and  duties  of  the  instructors  and  the  squad teachers are quite different. The main points of distinction relied upon  are that (i) the instructors are appointed part time while  squad teachers are in full time employment, (ii) the squad  teachers are  transferable while  instructors are not, (iii)  the squad teachers are required to teach 7 hours daily while  instructors are  required  to  teach  for  four hours, (iv)  the social  education scheme  is permanent  and squad teachers  are working  under a  permanent scheme while the instructors  are working  under a  temporary scheme, and (v) the  qualifications  and  the  mode  of  recruitment  of instructors  are   different;  while   the  instructors  are appointed locally,  the squad  teachers are  selected by the Subordinate Service  Selection Board  after  competing  with candidates from  any part  of the  country. It is emphasized that  if   a  regular   selection  was  held,  many  of  the Instructors may not have been appointed.      Earlier, this  court had  in Bhagwan  Das v.  State  of Haryana,  [1987]   4  SCC   634  upheld  the  claim  of  the Supervisors appointed  to supervise  the  centres  at  which instructors have been working under the Adult and Non-formal Education Scheme  for the  grant of the same scale of pay as has been sanctioned to the Head Squad Teachers of the Social Education Scheme.      In partly allowing the writ petitions, this Court, ^      HELD: (1)  There is  no difference  in  the  nature  of duties of  the instructors  and squad  teachers and  both of them carry  out similar  work under  the same  employer. The functions and duties of both classes of 413 persons are  primarily directed  to  advance  the  cause  of education to  bring social awareness among the people in the rural areas  and  to  create  interest  in  various  social, economic and  educational  activities.  Bringing  adults  to centres for educating them is a difficult task and to impart education to dropout children is not an easy job. One of the main duties of the instructors is to motivate the adults and dropout children  to participate  in the  activities and  to

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motivate them  for taking  education. The  instructors teach four hours  a day and thereafter they have to do survey work and motivation  work. In  addition to  that, the instructors are required  to  carry  out  additional  duties  which  are assigned to them by the Department. Further, the instructors are required  to organise  sports like  kho-kho, kabadi  and athletics, and  to participate in the local functions and to motivate affluent  villagers to give donations for the adult education scheme. [420C-E; 421D-E]      (2) Having  regard to their duties and functions, it is difficult  to   uphold  the   respondents’  plea   that  the instructors are  part-time employees  as they  work only for four hours. [421E]      (3) If  the two class of persons do same work under the same employer,  with similar  responsibility, under  similar working conditions,  the doctrine  of ’equal work equal pay’ would apply  and it  would not  be  open  to  the  State  to discriminate one  class with  the other  in  paying  salary. [421F-G]      (4) The  State is  under a constitutional obligation to ensure that  equal pay is paid for equal work. Article 39(d) contained in  Part IV  of the Constitution ordains the State to direct  its policy  towards securing ’equal pay for equal work’ for  both men and women. Though Article 39 is included in the  Chapter of Directive Principles of State Policy, but it is  fundamental in  nature. The purpose of the article is to fix  certain social  and economic  goals for avoiding any discrimination amongst  the people  doing  similar  work  in matters relating to pay. [421G; 422B-C]      (5) The  doctrine of ’equal work equal pay’ would apply on the  premise of  similar work,  but it does not mean that there should be complete identity in all respects. [421F]      (6) A  temporary or casual employee performing the same duties and  functions is entitled to the same pay as paid to a permanent employee. [422D]      (7) The plea that instructors are not transferable does not affect 414 the doctrine  of equal  pay for  equal work. The instructors are appointed  A  locally  because  they  are  in  a  better position to  motivate the  adults and  dropout children  for participating in  the  scheme,  while  an  outsider  may  be handicapped in motivating the local residents. [423C-D]      (8) Minimum  qualification for  the Instructors as well as the  Squad Teachers is Matric, though many among both are graduates and  some of them are trained teachers. Though the Instructors belong  to the  locality where  they  have  been posted, but  they are  appointed only  after selection.  The difference  in   mode  of  selection  will  not  affect  the application of  the doctrine  of ‘equal  work equal  pay’ if both the  class of  persons perform  similar  functions  and duties under the same employer. [423D-E]      (9) The  instructors are entitled to the same pay scale as sanctioned  to squad  teachers. The  pay of  each of  the petitioners shall  be fixed  having regard  to the length of service with effect from the date of his initial appointment by ignoring  the break  in service  on account of six months fresh appointments.  The petitioners  will  be  entitled  to increments  in   the  pay   scale  in  accordance  with  law notwithstanding the  break in  service that might have taken place. These  directions shall  be implemented  with  effect from September 1, 1985. [424A-C]      10.  The  petitioners’  claim  for  regularising  their services in the departments cannot be accepted as admittedly the project  of Adult and Non-formal Education is temporary.

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[424C-D]      Bhagwan Dass  v. State  of Haryana,  [1987] 4  SCC 634; Ranjit Singh  v. Union  of India,  [1982] 3  SCR 298; Dhiren Chamoli v.  State of  U.P., [1986]  1 SCC  637 and  Surinder Singh v.  Engineer-in-Chief CPWD,  & Ors.,  [1986] 1 SCC 639 referred to.

JUDGMENT:      CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Writ Petition (Civil) Nos. 455, 597,  635, 636,  777/1986, 1518,  1686/1987, 77, 78 and 395 of 1988.      (Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India).      Govinda  Mukhoty   and  Mrs.   Rekha  Pandey   for  the Petitioners.      Madhusudan Rao, Mahabir Singh, M. Satya Narayan Rao and C.V.S. Rao for the Respondents.      The Judgment of the Court was delivered by 415      SINGH,  J.  The  petitioners  in  all  these  ten  writ petitions filed  under Article  32 of  the  Constitution  of India have  raised grievance  of discrimination  against the State of  Haryana in  not following  the doctrine  of "equal work equal pay".      The petitioners  are working  as instructors  under the Adult and  Non-formal Education  Scheme under  the Education Department  of   Haryana.  The   object  of  the  Non-formal Education and  Adult Education  Scheme is to impart literacy (functional and  awareness) to  the adult illiterates in age group of 15-35 years and to provide literacy to the children in the  age group  of 5-15  years who are drop-outs from the primary and  middle school  level or  who never  joined  any regular school.  A number  of Adult  Education Centres  have been opened  in the  State of  Haryana, which are maintained under the Rural Functional Literacy Programme/Project (RELP) of the  Central Government,  administered by  the  State  of Haryana although  expenditure in  respect of  the project is borne  by  the  Central  Government.  The  petitioners  were appointed  instructors   to   impart   literacy   to   adult illiterates  at   these  Centres  on  different  dates.  The students who  are taught by the petitioners are permitted to appear at  the Vth standard (primary examinations) conducted by the  Education Department  of the  State. On  passing the examination the  students are issued a certificate of having passed primary examination. On the basis of that certificate students are  eligible for  admission to  6th class  in  the regular schools  maintained by  the  State  Government.  The petitioners were appointed instructors by the District Adult Education officers  of each district between 1978 to 1985 on the basis  of  selection  held  by  a  Selection  Committee. Initially the  petitioners were  paid a  fixed salary of Rs. 150 per  month but since April 1983 it has been increased to Rs.200 per month. Minimum qualifications for being appointed an  instructor  is  matric,  many  of  the  instructors  are graduates while some of them also hold junior basic training certificates. The  petitioners are  given a deliberate break of one day after the lapse of every six months and have thus been treated  temporary in  service notwithstanding the fact that they have been continuously working ever since the date of their  appointment. There  is  another  scheme  known  as Social  Education   scheme  in  the  State  of  Haryana  for imparting education  to illiterates  in  the  villages,  the scheme is  known as  State Adult  Education Programme  also. Under that  scheme a number of social education centres have

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been opened.  The teachers  employed under  that scheme were known as  squad teachers  who run  the centres.  In 1981 the head squad  teachers and  squad teachers were regularised as head teachers  and teachers,  and granted the benefit of pay scale applicable to regular 416 head-masters and  teachers of  primary schools maintained by the State  A Government.  The petitioners’ grievance is that although they  are performing  the same  nature of functions and duties  as performed  by the squad teachers but they are denied the  same scale  of pay instead they are being paid a fixed salary  of Rs.200 per month. The relief claimed by the petitioners in  all these  petitions  is  identical  in  the following terms           (a) Issue  a writ in the nature of mandamus or any           appropriate writ,  order  or  direction  that  the           petitioners continue  to be  in the service of the           respondents  from   the  date   of  their  initial           appointment  irrespective   of   their   being   a           deliberate break  in  their  services  during  the           vacation period.                (b)  Issue  an  appropriate  writ,  order  or           direction  to   the   respondents   to   put   the           petitioners on  regular  pay  scales  to  that  of           primary   school   teachers   in   the   Education           Department of  Haryana  plus  other  consequential           benefits  from   the   date   of   their   initial           appointment and  further direct the respondents to           pay the  petitioners the  difference in arrears of           salary accrued  to them  from the  date  of  their           initial appointment.                (c)  Issue  by  appropriate  writ,  order  or           direction that  the Department  of Adult Education           and Non-formal Education is a permanent department           of the  State and  the petitioners are regularised           teachers  in   the  Department  appointed  against           sanctioned posts of instructors.      There is  no dispute  that the  State  of  Haryana  has framed its  own scheme  for  imparting  education  to  Adult illiterates in  the villages,  this scheme  is known  as the State Social  Education Scheme.  Under this scheme the State of Haryana  has opened  social education  centres in various Districts. These  centres have  been functioning  under  the Department  of  Education  where  teachers  known  as  squad teachers  have   been  imparting  literacy,  functional  and awareness among the illiterates. The State of Haryana by its order dated  20.1.1981 regularised the services of the squad teachers working  on ad-hoc  basis with effect from 1.1.1980 and sanctioned  them pay  scale  of  Rs.420-700,  the  scale applicable to  primary  school  teachers  in  the  State  of Haryana. The petitioners claim that the job and functions of the instructors  are similar  to squad  teachers for running the social educa- 417 tion centres,  therefore they  are also entitled to the same pay scale  as granted to squad teachers. At this stage it is necessary  to   note  that   supervisors  are  appointed  to supervise the various centres at which instructors have been working under  the Adult  Education and  Nonformal Education Scheme. A  number of  supervisors filed  a writ  petition in this Court  under Article  32 of  the Constitution  claiming same scale  of pay  as granted to head squad teachers of the Social Education  Scheme. Their  claim was  upheld  by  this Court in  Bhagwan Dass v. State of Haryana, [1987] 4 SCC 634 and direction  was issued  sanctioning the same scale of pay

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to them as has been sanctioned to the head squad teachers of the Social  Education Scheme. The petitioners’ claim that as the supervisors  who supervise  their work have been granted pay scale  applicable to head squad teachers the petitioners are also  entitled to  the pay  scale  applicable  to  squad teachers of the Social Education Scheme .      The  main   controversy  raised   on  behalf   of   the respondents is  that the  instructors do not perform similar duties as performed by the squad teachers. It was urged that the nature of duties of instructors are quite different than those performed  by the squad teachers. The petitioners have stated that  the instructors  are full  time employees  they take regular  classes of  students in the age group of S- 15 years for two and a half hours and they further take classes for adult  illiterates in  the age  group of 15-35 years for one and  a half hours. This is not disputed. The petitioners further contended  that in  addition to  four hours teaching work they  have to  motivate the  children and the adults to join the  centres  for  getting  free  education.  They  are required to  submit survey  reports to  the department every six months giving details as to how many children in the age group of  5-15 years  are not  going to  the schools and how many adult  persons are  illiterate in  their villages.  The petitioners  further   assert  that   adult  education   and nonformal education  programme which  is implemented  by the instructors is  similar to  social education  programme. The instructors as  well as  squad teachers  of social education scheme are appointed by the District Adult Education officer and both  these class  of persons function under the control and supervision of the Joint Director, Adult Education under the Directorate  of Education  of the  State of Haryana. The duties of  instructors as  contained in  Chapter II  of  the Informal  Education   Instructors  Guide  published  by  the Haryana Government, Directorate of Education, are specified, a copy of the same has been annexed to the affidavit of Prem Chand one  of the petitioners. The duties of the instructors as prescribed therein are as under: 418           "DUTIES OF THE INSTRUCTOR           (A) AS ORGANISER OF THE CENTRE           1. To contact the villagers and their children who           can be given education at the centre;           2. To  survey the  villages to  know who  are  the           children who  can be  brought to  the  centre  for           teaching;           3. To tell the villages about the aims and objects           of education programme; and           (4) To form local co-ordinating bodies.           (B) AS A TEACHER           1. To  complete the syllabus in time and to create           interest in the children by his teaching;           2. The  instructor must be aware of multiple class           and group teaching systems;           3. He  should give examples of village life and to           link it with education; and           4.  To   make  cultural   activities  a   part  of           education.           (C) AS ADMISTRATOR OF THE CENTRE           1. To  contact such  students who are irregular or           late  comers   to  the  centre  and  to  encourage           them/their  parents   to   send   their   children           regularly to the centre;           2. To keep records of the following:              (i) personal  details  of  children  and  their                 progress charts;

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          (ii) Their timely evaluation;           (iii) The  details of  admission of  children from                 Informal  Education Centre (3rd, 4th and 5th                 class) to formal school; 419            (iv)  Copy of  the monthly progress and copies of                 reports sent to the Supervising and Planning                 offices and copies of other reports." The aforesaid  publication issued  by the Government further states that  Haryana is the first State which has integrated the two  schemes, namely,  Informal Education  Programme and Adult Education Programme.      In the  counter-affidavit  of  J.K.  Tandon,  Assistant Director, Adult Education, it is stated that the instructors who are  seeking equality  with the squad teachers of Social Education Scheme  are quite  different. The social education squad teachers  are mobile  in nature and they move from one village to  another, after completing their job in a village whereas in  the case  of instructors  they are employed from the same village and are from the nearby villages, the squad teachers are  full  time  employees  and  teaching  work  is carried out  by them for full day. However, in his affidavit Shri Tandon could not dispute the duties as mentioned in the Informal  Education  Instructors  Guide  (extracted  above). Another counter-affidavit  has been  filed by Sabira Khosla, Deputy Director,  Adult Education,  in that  affidavit it is stated that  the squad teachers are full time employees they work for  6-7 hours  and besides  working at  night during 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. they do social work also. Another additional affidavit has  been filed  on behalf  of the  respondents by S.R. Kaushal, Assistant Director of School Education. In his affidavit he has stated that social education squad teachers perform various  duties under the Social Education Programme which is divided into various divisions as under:      1. Education division.      2. Debate and discussion division.      3. Sports division.      4. Cultural activity division.      5. Social service division. It is  stated that  the  squad  teachers  undertake  various functions to  supplement the  programme under  the aforesaid divisions. He  has pointed out the difference in the working of the instructors and the squad teachers. The main point of distinction relied upon by him is 420 that the  instructors are  appointed part-time  while  squad teachers and  JBT teachers  are  in  full  time  employment. Social  education  squad  teachers  are  transferable  while instructors are  not transferable. A social squad teacher is required to  teach 7  hours daily  while  an  instructor  is required to  teach for  four  hours.  The  social  education scheme is  permanent and  squad teachers are working under a permanent scheme  while the  instructors are working under a temporary scheme.      We have given our anxious consideration to the material placed before  us. On a careful analysis of the same we find that  the  nature  of  duties  and  functions  performed  by instructors  are   similar  to   those  performed  by  squad teachers. The  functions  and  duties  of  both  classes  of persons are  primarily directed  to  advance  the  cause  of education to  bring social awareness among the people in the rural  areas  and  to  create  interest  in  various  social economic and  educational  activities.  Bringing  adults  to centre for  educating them is a difficult task and to impart education to  drop-outs children  is not an easy job. One of

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the main duties of the instructors is to motivate the adults and drop  out children  to participate in the activities and to motivate them for taking education. The instructors teach four hours  a day and thereafter they have to do survey work and motivation  work in addition to that the instructors are required to  carry out  additional duties which are assigned to them by the Department. This is evident from the circular letter dated  4.3.1987 issued  by the  Joint Director, Adult Education (Annexure  B) to  the affidavit  of Rajinder Singh petitioner. The letter was circulated to all the instructors of adult and informal education, it reads as under:           "Dear                To  bring   adults  in   centres  is  a  very           difficult task.  This is  possible only  when  our           centres are  attractive and  adults feel  happy to           come to  the centres  and forget all their worries           after coming  to the  Centre.  Instructors  should           behave with  the adults  in such  a way  that they           think him  their  friend  and  guide.  The  adults           should  be  told  that  by  hearing,  reading  the           writing, they can know about the Government Scheme           made  for   their  benefit   and  progress.  Every           Instructor is  supposed to  know  about  all  such           schemes so that they can guide their students. The           Adults  should   get   the   guidance   from   the           instructors as  to how  they can  get  loans  from           various banks  and cooperative  Societies. In  the           com- 421           ing  year  we  must  equip  the  instructors  with           training   so    that   they    can   fulfil   the           responsibility given to them.                In a  meeting held  at Karnal  you were  told           about the facilities being given to widows and old           persons. You have to properly propagate the same.                I  will   be  very   grateful  to   you   for           circulating this letter to all the instructors and           supervisors.                Office Dist.  Adult Education officer Karnal.           Page No. A-d-4/3480-659, Karnal dated 13.3.1981.                One copy  of the  letter to  be circulated to           all  instructors  and  supervisors  of  Adult  and           Informal Education for necessary action.                Dist   Adult    Education   officer    Karnal           13.2.1987." The aforesaid  duties which  are required to be performed by the instructors  are in addition to their four hour teaching duty. Further  the  instructors  are  required  to  organise sports  like   kho-kho,  kabadi   and  athletics,   and   to participate in  the local functions and to motivate affluent villagers to  give donations for the adult education scheme. This is  evident  from  a  circular  letter  issued  by  the District  Adult  Education  officer,  Ambala  on  12.11.1986 (Annexure to the affidavit of Rajender Singh). Having regard to these  facts and  circumstances we  are of  the view that there is  no difference  in the  nature  of  duties  of  the instructors and  squad teachers  and both  of them carry out similar work  under the same employer. The doctrine of equal work equal  pay would  apply on the premise of similar work, but it  does not mean that there should be complete identity in all  respects. If  the two  class of persons do same work under the  same employer, with similar responsibility. under similar working conditions the doctrine of ’equal work equal pay’ would  apply and  it would  not be open to the State to discriminate one  class with the other in paying salary. The

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State is  under a  Constitutional obligation  to ensure that equal pay is paid for equal work.      The respondents’  contention that  the adult  education scheme is  temporary, as the posts are sanctioned on year to year basis  and as  such the instructors are not entitled to claim equality  with the  squad teachers as the scheme under which they  work of a permanent nature is misconceived. This contention was rejected by this Court in the case 422 of Bhagwan  Dass  (supra)  while  considering  the  case  of supervisors. A  There is no doubt that instructors and squad teachers are  employees of  the same  employer doing work of similar  nature   in  the   same  department  therefore  the appointment on  a temporary  basis or  on regular basis does not affect the doctrine of equal pay for equal work. Article 39(d) contained  in Part  IV of the Constitution ordains the State to  direct its  policy towards  securing equal pay for equal work  for both  men and  women. Though  Article 39  is included in  the Chapter  of Directive  Principles of  State Policy, but  it is fundamental in nature. The purpose of the Article is  to fix  certain social  and economic  goals  for avoiding any discrimination amongst the people doing similar work in  matters relating  to pay. The doctrine of equal pay for equal  work has been implemented by this Court in Ranjit Singh v.  Union of  India &  Ors., [1982]  3 SCR 298; Dhiren Chamoli and  ors. v.  State of  U.P.,[1986] 1  SCC  637  and Surinder Singh  & Anr.  v. Engineer-in-Chief,  CPWD &  Ors., [1986] 1  SCC 639.  In view  of these  authorities it is too late in  the day  to disregard the doctrine of equal pay for equal work  on the  ground of the employment being temporary and the  other being  permanent in  nature. A  temporary  or casual employee  performing the same duties and functions is entitled to the same pay as paid to a permanent employee.      The  respondents’   contention   that   the   mode   of recruitment of  petitioners is  different from  the mode  of recruitment of  squad teachers  inasmuch as  the petitioners are appointed  locally while squad teachers were selected by the subordinate Service Selection Board after competing with candidates from  any part  of the country. Emphasis was laid during argument that if a regular selection was held many of the petitioners  may not  have been  appointed they  got the employment  because   outsiders  did  not  compete.  In  our opinion,  this  submission  has  no  merit.  Admittedly  the petitioners  were  appointed  on  the  recommendation  of  a Selection  Committee   appointed  by   the  Adult  Education Department. It  is true  that the  petitioners belong to the locality  where   they  have  been  posted,  but  they  were appointed only after selection, true that they have not been appointed after  selection made  by the  Subordinate Service Selection Board but that is hardly relevant for the purposes of application  of doctrine  of "equal  pay for equal work". The difference  in mode  of selection  will not  affect  the application of the doctrine of "equal pay for equal work" if both the  class of  persons perform  similar  functions  and duties under  the same  employer. Similar plea raised by the State of  Haryana in opposing the case of supervisors in the case of  Bhagwan Dass  (supra) was  rejected, where  it  was observed that if the State deliberately chose 423 to limit the selection of candidates from a cluster of a few villages it  will not  absolve the  State for  treating such candidates in a discriminatory manner to the disadvantage of the selectees once they are appointed provided the work done by the  candidates so  selected is  similar in  nature.  The recruitment  was   confined  to   the  locality  as  it  was

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considered advantageous to make recruitment from the cluster of villages  for the  purposes  of  implementing  the  Adult Education Scheme because the instructors appointed from that area would  know the people of that area more intimately and would be  in a  better position  to persuade  them  to  take advantage of  the Adult Education Scheme in order to make it a success.      The  respondents’   plea  that   instructors  are   not transferable does  not affect  the doctrine of equal pay for equal  work.   The  instructors  are  appointed  locally  to implement the  Adult and Non-formal Education Scheme because they are  in a  better position  to motivate  the adults and drop-outs children  for  participating  in  the  scheme.  An outsider  may   be  handicapped   in  motivating  the  local residents for  participating in  the scheme.  As regards the difference in qualification is concerned it is true that the squad teachers possess JBT certificates and many of them are graduates but  minimum qualification  for squad  teachers is also matric. Similarly minimum qualification for instructors is matric but many of the petitioners are graduates and some of them  are trained  teachers possessing  JBT certificates. Great emphasis  was laid  on behalf  of the respondent State that  instructors   are  part-time   employees  while  squad teachers are  full time  employees. Similar  arguments  were raised on  behalf of  the State  in the case of Bhagwan Dass (supra)  in  resisting  the  claim  of  supervisor  but  the submission was  rejected by  this Court  on the  ground that having  regard   to  the  duties  and  functions  which  the supervisors are  required to  perform it  was  difficult  to uphold the  plea that  he was  a part-time  employee. In the instant cases  also we  have already  noticed the details of the duties  and functions  assigned to  an instructor  which normally say  that the  petitioners are required to teach at the centre  for four  hours and in addition to that they are required to  motivate adults  and drop-outs  children of the locality and  to prepare survey reports, in addition to that they are  further  required  to  implement  various  schemes initiated by  the Government,  they are  further required to organise sports,  athletics programme  and to persuade local affluent people  for making  donations. They are required to educate the  local residents  with  regard  to  the  various welfare schemes  initiated by the Government for the welfare of the  residents of the rural areas. Having regard to their duties  and   functions  it   is  difficult  to  uphold  the respondent’s plea that the instructors are 424 part time employees as they work only for four hours.      In view  of the  above discussion,  we  hold  that  the instructors are entitled to the same pay scale as sanctioned to  squad   teachers.  We,   accordingly,  direct  that  the petitioners’ salary  shall be fixed in the same pay scale as that of  squad teachers.  The pay of each of the petitioners shall be  fixed having  regard to the length of service with effect from  the date of his initial appointment by ignoring the  break  in  service  on  account  of  six  months  fresh appointments. The petitioners will be entitled to increments in the  pay scale in accordance with law notwithstanding the break in  service that  might have  taken place.  We further direct that  these  directions  shall  be  implemented  with effect from  September 1,  1985 as directed by this Court in the case  of Bhagwan Das (supra). The petitioners’ claim for regularising their  services In  the  department  cannot  be accepted as  admittedlly the project of Adult and Non-formal Education is temporary which is likely to last till 1990. We accordingly allow the writ petitions partly with costs which

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we quantify at Rs.5,000. R.S.S.    Petitions allowed. 425