Supreme Court rules experience can justify pay differences

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the doctrine of ‘equal pay for equal work’ cannot be applied mechanically based solely on the similarity of job functions. In the case of GP Sangeetha v. State of Kerala & Ors., a Bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu held that differences in experience and recruitment methods can justify variations in pay scales.

The ruling dismissed appeals from directly recruited Junior Higher Secondary School Teachers in Kerala who sought pay parity with colleagues appointed through promotion or transfer. The Court noted that while the doctrine was once viewed as an expansive anti-exploitation principle, it is now applied as a strict test based on service rules. To claim parity, employees must demonstrate complete similarity in recruitment sources, educational qualifications, and experience.

The Court upheld a Kerala High Court decision which found that promoted teachers constitute a distinct class due to their prior service history. The higher pay scales for promotees were deemed a valid recognition of their past service and status protection, distinguishing them from direct recruits who enter the cadre as freshers.