Neutral Citation: 2024 INSC 622
Cause Title: Indian Council of Agricultural Research Through The Director General and Anr. vs. Rajinder Singh and Ors.
Case Number: Civil Appeal Nos. 97-98 of 2012
Judgment Date: August 22, 2024
Quorum/Bench: Hon'ble Justice J.K. Maheshwari, and Hon'ble Justice Rajesh Bindal
Paragraph 10"Merely because Study Leave Regulations, 1991 were extended to technical personnel, this would not entitle them to other benefits which are available to the scientists. The idea of grant of study leave for pursuing Ph.D. to the technical personnel was only to enable them to improve their qualifications."
Paragraph 10.1"Merely after having Ph.D. qualification, the technical personnel will not become eligible for grant of two advance increments when the same has not been recommended for them. In any institution incentives may be given to a particular category of employees to get higher qualifications during service, considering their job requirements. Merely because different set of employees, who may be working in aid but governed by different set of rules and having different duties to discharge also obtain that qualification, will not entitle them to the benefits which were extended to different set of employees by the competent authority."
Appellant's submission
The appellant argued that scientists and technical staff belong to different cadres with distinct rules, and the incentive of advance increments for Ph.D. was specifically for scientists as part of their pay package.
Respondent's submission
The respondents contended that as both scientists and technical staff work for research, and technical staff can now be included in research projects after obtaining Ph.D., they should be eligible for the same incentives.
Decision of the Judgment
The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, setting aside the orders of the High Court and Tribunal. It held that technical personnel are not entitled to the advance increments granted to scientists for obtaining Ph.D. qualifications, as they belong to different cadres with distinct rules and job requirements.
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