Supreme Court: Experience Justifies Pay Differences, Not Equal Pay For Equal Work
The case involves government school teachers in Kerala who challenged a pay scale difference between directly recruited teachers and those promoted from lower schools, arguing equal pay for equal work under constitutional rights.
Appellants: G.P. Sangeetha and others (Higher Secondary School Teachers, Junior1); Respondents: State of Kerala and others; Bench: Dipankar Datta, J.
- The Court held that the 'equal pay for equal work' doctrine cannot be mechanically applied and that experience can justify pay differences.
- The Court reversed the High Court's judgment that had allowed the appellants' claim for full-time pay scale.
- The Court cited precedents showing that pay differentiation based on experience, educational qualifications, and recruitment source is valid.
- The Court noted that the doctrine requires complete parity in qualifications, experience, and recruitment source for equal pay to apply.
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Document details
| Official title | 'Equal Pay For Equal Work' Doctrine Cannot Be Mechanically Applied, Experience Can Justify Pay Difference: Supreme Court |
| Source body | Supreme Court of India — orders & judgments |
| Reference number | SLP against that decision had been dismissed by the Supreme Court. The bench, howev |
| Status | closed (order) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Closing date | — |
| Documents | 1 |