In a recent decision, the court dealt with a disagreement over the salary of Dr. B.N.V. Satyanarayana, who wanted the same pay as an Associate Professor under the UGC Pay Scales of 2006. The decision overturned an earlier ruling that had been in favor of Dr. Satyanarayana.
Dr. B.N.V. Satyanarayana was hired as a Coordinator for the 21st Century Gurukulams under the Consortium of Institutions of Higher Learning (CIHL) back in 2007. At first, he was paid a salary equal to the starting pay of a Lecturer under UGC 1996 scales.
"His appointment was on a fixed salary which is equal to the starting pay of a Lecturer in the UGC 1996 pay scales."
The Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) and others challenged the decision to give Dr. Satyanarayana the full salary of an Associate Professor. They argued that his job was purely temporary and didn't deserve the full UGC pay scale.
"The phrase 'equivalent to a UGC scale' was only used to decide on a fixed payment."
The Governing Council had made decisions about pay equality, but these were understood differently by the groups involved. The council had agreed on a fixed salary without including extra payments like housing allowance.
"The decision... set a specific fixed amount for the Directors... not using the entire UGC pay structure."
The court agreed with those who filed the appeal, stressing that Dr. Satyanarayana's job was temporary and did not qualify him for the full UGC pay scale. The court noted that his job did not involve the duties of an Associate Professor.
"It is a well-known rule that a person hired on a temporary basis with no official position cannot demand the regular pay scale as a right."
The appeal was accepted, and the earlier decision was overturned. The court pointed out the temporary nature of Dr. Satyanarayana's job and the specific terms of the Governing Council's decisions.
"The order to give the petitioner the full UGC pay scale of an Associate Professor... is not supported by law."
