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PETITIONER: UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: SANTIRAM GHOSH AND ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT02/11/1988

BENCH: DUTT, M.M. (J) BENCH: DUTT, M.M. (J) NATRAJAN, S. (J)

CITATION:  1989 AIR  402            1988 SCR  Supl. (3) 754  1989 SCC  Supl.  (1)  68 JT 1988 (4)   416  1988 SCALE  (2)1187

ACT:     Civil  Services:  Botanical Survey  of  India-Scientific Assistants-Classification   and  pay   scales-Fixation   of- Scientific  Assistants  Level 1  and  Scientific  Assistants Level-II-Division in grade-Whether valid.

HEADNOTE:     The respondents were working as Scientific Assistants in the office of the Botanical Survey of India in the scale  of Rs. 210-425. The Third Central Pay Commission had considered the  cases  of the Scientific Assistants generally  and  had recommended  different  levels  of scale  of  pay  for  them depending upon their education and job content. On the basis of   the  Pay  Commission  recommendation,  the   Scientific Assistants  in the office of the Botanical Survey  of  India were allocated Scientific Assistants Level II pay-scale with effect  from 1.1.1973. The respondents, on the other  hands, claimed  the  scale  of Rs.550-900 recommended  by  the  Pay Commission   for  Level  I  posts,  which  scale  was   also recommended  by  the  Committee of  the  Joint  Consultative Machinery. The Government referred the matter to a Board  of Arbitrators to Consider whether the Scientific Assistants of the  Botanical Survey of India were entitled to the  revised scale  of  Rs.550-990. The Board, however,  recommended  two levels  of  scale  of  pay, as had  been  done  by  the  Pay Commission.     Feeling  aggrieved  by  the  Award  of  the  Board,  the respondents  filed a writ petition which was transferred  by the  Calcutta  High  Court  to  the  Central  Administrative Tribunal, Calcutta. The Tribunal came to the finding that in recommending  two  levels  of  scale of  pay  the  Board  of Arbitrators  had  travelled beyond the terms  of  reference. Accordingly,  the Tribunal set aside the Award, allowed  the writ petition and accorded to the respondents the benefit of the scale of pay of Rs.550-900.     Dismissing the appeal, it was,     HELD:  (l)  The  terms  of reference  of  the  Board  of Arbitrators was very clear and specific. Under the terms  of reference  there was no scope for prescribing two levels  of                                                   PG NO 754                                                   PG NO 755

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scale.  It was therefore apparent that the Board  had  acted beyond the terms of reference, and its award was illegal and not binding upon the parties.[758-H;759A]     (2)  The Pay Commission had suggested two levels on  the basis  of nature of scientific work and  the  qualifications required  therefor,  the  higher  grade  requiring  a  post- graduate   education   and  calling  for  some   degree   of originality  and capacity for independent work. At the  same time,  the Pay Commission had observed that before  dividing the grade of Scientific Assistants into two levels, the  job content of the post should be taken into  account.[759D;790- B-C]     (3)  The two levels could be brought into  existence  if the  nature  of  work  which  was  being  performed  by  the scientific  Assistants  of  the Botanical  Survey  of  India called  for some degree of originality and carrying  out  of independent  work and investigation, which was  the  guiding factor for such a division.[759F-G]     (4)  It  has  been  found  by  the  Tribunal  that   the Scientific Assistants of the Botanical survey of India  were not  expected  to exhibit any originality  or  capacity  for doing any independent work and that the job contents of  the existing  Scientific  Assistants were similar  to  those  of Level-II  Scientific  Assistants  recommended  by  the   Pay Commission.[760F]     (5)   As   the   job  content  did   not   require   the qualifications  as  prescribed  by the  Commission  for  the Level-l  Scientific Assistants, it would not be  prudent  to divide  the  post of Scientific Assistant into  Level-I  and Level-ll.   At  the  same  time,  the  existing   Scientific Assistants  should  not  be deprived  of  the  pay-scale  of Rs.550-900.   The   appellants  may  give  effect   to   the recommendations  of  the Pay Commission with regard  to  the future  recruitments  after framing rules  in  that  regard. [760G-H; 761B]

JUDGMENT:     CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 6 of 1988.     From  the  Judgment  and Order dated  17.3.1987  of  the Calcutta High Court in T.A. No. .S 16 of 1986.     D.N.  Diwedi, A.K. Srivastava, P. Parmeswaran  and  C.V. Subba Rao for the Appellants.                                                   PG NO 756     P.P.Rao and Amlan Ghosh for the Respondents.     The Judgment of the Court was delivered by     DUTT,J.  This appeal by special leave preferred  by  the Union  of India and Others is directed against the  judgment of  the  Central Administrative  Tribunal,  Calcutta  Bench, Calcutta,  whereby the Tribunal set aside the Award  of  the Board  of Arbitrators and directed the appellants to  accord the  benefit  of  the scale of pay of  Rs.  550-900  to  the Scientific  Assistants  working in the Botanical  Survey  of Indian   with   effect   from  January   1,1973   with   all consequential reliefs.     Before  January  l,  1973,  the  scale  of  pay  of  the Scientific  Assistants in the Botanical Survey of India  was Rs.2  10-425. The Third Central Pay Commission,  hereinafter referred   to   as  the  ’Pay  Commission’,   made   certain recommendations  with respect to the Scientific  Assistants. Clause  (i)  of  paragraph  41 of  the  Report  of  the  Pay Commission reads as follows:     "41(i). In our view, below the gazetted staff there  are

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at least two distinguishable levels of scientific work which require graduates or post-graduates. The higher grade  would require  a post-graduate education and call for some  degree of  originality  and  capacity for  independent  work.  Such scientific  assistants  should,in course of  time,  be  able carry  out independent investigations of the type  conducted by scientific officers. The lower grade could be  adequately manned by the good science graduates. The work at this level would  be  mostly  standardised  and  conducted  under   the guidance of gazetted officers. Scientific Assistants in this grade  should have reasonable expectations of moving to  the higher  grade. Thus a structure of two grades ,instead of  a single  integrated grade, would serve the purpose of  paying for  the jobs at rates appropriate to the  responsibilities, and   at  the  same  time  provide  an  incentive  to   good performance."     The  Pay Commission recommended four levels of  pay  for the Scientific Assistants under Table XI. Level-I and Level- II  under  Table  XI,  with  which  we  are  concerned,  are extracted below:                                                   PG NO 757     TABLE XI     Existing          Proposed        Qualification for     scale (Rs.)       scale (Rs.)     Level     I        550-900        M.Sc./First     Class.                                       B.Sc.   (Honours)   or                                       Diploma             in                                       Engineering/Second                                       Class  B. Sc.  with  3                                       years experience.     Level II           425-700        Second  Class  B.  Sc.                                       (Honours)  or  B.  Sc.                                       with not less than 55%                                       of marks in  aggregate                                       or     Diploma      in                                       Engineers.     The  respondents  Nos. 1 to 8, who are  working  in  the Office  of  the  Botanical Survey  of  India  as  Scientific Assistants, claim that they should be given the pay-scale of Level-l,  that  is, Rs.550-900, as recommended  by  the  Pay Commission. The demand of the respondents was considered  by a  Committee constituted by the Office Council of the  Joint Consultative  Machinery. The Committee, which was headed  by Dr.  A.S.  Rao,  came to the conclusion that  the  posts  of Scientific  Assistants  in  the Botanical  Survey  of  India should be allocated the pay-scale of Rs.550-900 in terms  of the  recommendation  of  the Third Pay  Commission.  As  the Government  did not agree to the conclusion of the A.S.  Rao Committee, the matter was referred to a Board of Arbitrators on  July  17.1980. The terms of reference to  the  Board  of Arbitrators was as follows:    "Whether   the  post  of  Scientific  Assistant  of   the Botanical  Survey of India should be allocated  the  revised scale  of  Rs.550-900  in  terms  of  3rd  Pay  Commission’s recommendations effective from l. l.1973."     The Board of Arbitrators made the following Award:     "All  the  Scientific Assistants who are  continuing  as Scientific  Assistants  since 1.1.1973 and who  possess  the prescribed qualification for Level-I, i.e. M.Sc./First Class B.Sc.(Hons.)/Second  Class  B.Sc. with  3  years  experience                                                   PG NO 758 shall  be placed in the scale of Rs.550-900  with  immediate effect i.e. the date of this Award and shall be deemed to he automatically  absorbed  in the grade of  Senior  Scientific Assistants,  irrespective  of  the fact  whether  there  are

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vacancies in the grade or not.     Government   is   further  directed  to   frame   proper Recruitment  Rules  for  the  posts  of  Senior   Scientific Assistant-Level-I  and Scientific Assistant-Level-II at  the earliest in accordance with the recommendations of the Third Pay   Commission   after  taking  into   consideration   the qualifications prescribed for both levels so that in  future the manning of the majority of the posts in these grades  is by  direct recruitment and rest by promotion form  the  next lower level."     Feeling   aggrieved  by  the  Award  of  the  Board   of Arbitrators,  the respondents filed a writ  petition  before the Calcutta High Court which  was, however, transferred  to the  Tribunal  under  the provision of  section  29  of  the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985.     The  Tribunal  came  to the finding that  the  Board  of Arbitrators  had  exceeded its  jurisdiction  in  travelling beyond the terms of reference. Accordingly, the Tribunal set aside the Award, allowed the  writ petition and directed the appellants  to  accord the benefit of the scale  of  pay  of Rs.550-900  to  the  Scientific Assistants  working  in  the Botanical Survey of India in terms of the recommendation  of the  Pay Commission with effect from January  l,1973.  Hence this appeal by special leave.     The  first  question  that falls  for  consideration  is whether   the   Board  of  Arbitrators  had   exceeded   its jurisdiction in going beyond the terms of reference. We have already  extracted above the terms of reference under  which the Board of Arbitrators was required to give its finding as to whether the revised scale of pay of Rs.550-900 should  be allocated  to  the  post  of  Scientific  Assistant  of  the Botanical  Survey  India. In other words, the Board  was  to consider whether the Scientific Assistants of the  Botanical Survey of India were entitled to the revised scale of pay of Rs.550-900.  The  terms  of reference  are  very  clear  and specific.  Under the terms of reference there was  no  scope for  prescribing two levels of scale of pay and the  minimum qualifications  for each level as has been done by  the  Pay Commission.  There  was  also no  scope  for  directing  the Government  to frame proper Recruitment Rules for the  posts                                                   PG NO 759 of  Senior  Scientific  Assistants  Level-I  and  Scientific Assistants-Level-II,  It  is,  therefore  apparent  that  in making the Award, the Board of Arbitrators has acted  beyond the  terms of reference. There can be no doubt that when  an Arbitrator acts beyond the terms of reference, the Award  is illegal and not binding upon the parties. The Tribunal  has, in  our opinion, rightly come to the finding that the  Board of  Arbitrators did not have any authority to go beyond  the terms  of  reference, and that the Award made by  the  Board cannot   lawfully   bind  the  staff  side   including   the respondents  Nos.  1  to 8.  The  Tribunal  was,  therefore, justified in setting aside the Award.     Now,  the question is whether the Scientific  Assistants of the Botanical Survey of India are entitled to the revised scale of pay of Rs.550-900 with effect from January 1, 1973. It is not disputed that the post of Scientific Assistants in the  Botanical Survey of India has been allocated  the  pay- scale  of Rs.425-700 which is the pay-scale  recommended  by the  Pay  Commission for the post of  Scientific  Assistants Level-II.     Clause  (i)  of paragraph 41 of the Report  of  the  Pay Commission shows that the two levels have been suggested  on the   basis   of   nature  of  scientific   work   and   the qualifications  required  therefore. According  to  the  Pay

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Commission the higher grade, that is, Level-I, would require a  post-graduate  education  and call  for  some  degree  of originality   and  capacity  for  independent   work.   Such Scientific Assistants should, in course of time, be able  to carry  out independent investigations of the type  conducted by  scientific officers. So far as the nature of work  under Level-II is concerned, the Pay Commission took the view that the  work  at this level would be  mostly  standardised  and conducted  under  the  guidance of  gazetted  officers  and, accordingly,  this level could be adequately manned by  good science  graduates.  Thus.  before  dividing  the  grade  of Scientific  Assistants into two levels, it is  necessary  to consider  the  nature of work performed  by  the  Scientific Assistants.  In other words, the two levels, as  recommended by the Pay Commission, can he brought into existence, if the nature  of work which is being performed by  the  Scientific Assistants  of the Botanical Survey of India calls for  some degree  of originality and carrying out of independent  work and  investigations.  In this connection. we  may  refer  to paragraph 44 of the Report which reads as follows:     "44. Posts in all the organisations which are now in the scales mentioned in Table XI should be replaced by the substitutes  which we have indicated against each.  In  case                                                   PG NO 760 the  qualifications prescribed, at present, for any  of  the posts  do  not conform to those which we have  indicated  in that paragraph, then the position should be reviewed;  where a higher qualification has been prescribed, and if the  work a  content  of the post justifies its being  placed  in  the higher   level,  it  should  be  upgraded  to  that   level. Otherwise,   the   qualification   requirement   should   be commensurately    lowered   for   the    future    recruits.     It  is  not disputed that the Pay  Commission  generally considered   the   cases  of  the   Scientific   Assistants. Accordingly,   the  Pay  Commission  observed  t4at   before dividing  the grade of Scientific Assistants into  different levels,  the  Job content of the post should be  taken  into consideration.  It  is  not disputed that the  case  of  the Scientific  Assistants of Botanical Survey of India has  not been specifically considered by the Pay Commission. If, upon such  consideration, the Pay Commission had recommended  the division of the posts of Scientific Assistants into  Level-I and  Level-II, there would not have been any  difficulty  in giving effect to the same. It appears to us that the guiding factor  for  such  division,  as  recommended  by  the   Pay Commission,  is the job content of the post  for  Scientific Assistant.     Before directing the appellants to accord the benefit of the scale of pay of Rs.550-900 to the Scientific  Assistants of  the  Botanical Survey of India, the Tribunal  has  taken into consideration the duties performed by them. The  duties of  Scientific  Assistants  are  "to  assist  in  scientific research, prepare notes after consultation with  literature, identification and cataloguing of flora and studying them in their  various  aspects  In  the field as  well  as  in  the Herbarium  and  the laboratory." It has been  found  by  the Tribunal  that  the Scientific Assistants of  the  Botanical Survey of India are not expected to exhibit any  originality or capacity for doing any independent work and that the  job contents  of the existing Scientific Assistants are  similar to  those of Level-II Scientific Assistants  recommended  by the  Pay Commission. The Tribunal has also noticed one  very significant  fact that one Shri M.K. Deka, a non-matric  has been posted as an Orchidariam Keeper in the scale of pay  of Rs. 550-900. Be that as it may, as the job content does  not

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require  the qualifications as prescribed by the  Commission for  the  Level-I  Scientific Assistants,  it  will  not  be prudent  to  divide the post of  Scientific  Assistant  into Level-II.   At  the  same  time,  the  existing   Scientific Assistants  should  not  be deprived  of  the  pay-scale  of Rs.550-900.                                                   PG NO 761     In  the  circumstances,  we are of  the  view  that  the Tribunal was perfectly justified in directing allocation  of the   revised  pay-scale  of  Rs.550-900  to  the   existing Scientific Assistants of the Botanical Survey of India.  We, however,  make it clear that the appellants may give  effect to the recommendations of the Pay Commission with regard  to future  recruitment’s  after framing rules in  that  regard. But,  so  far  as the  existing  Scientific  Assistants  are concerned, we uphold the judgment of the Tribunal.     For  the  reasons aforesaid, this appeal  is  dismissed. There will, however, be no order as to costs. R.S.S.                                  Appeal dismissed.