PARESH CHANDRA DAS AND 36 ORS v. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 7 ORS

Court: Gauhati High Court

Bench: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ACHINTYA MALLA BUJOR BARUA

Judgment date: 2020-12-21

Case summary

Gauhati High Court judgment dated 2020-12-21. PARESH CHANDRA DAS AND 36 ORS v. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 7 ORS. Read the judgment and case details on LawSphereX.

Judgment text

Page No. # 1/12 GAHC010187172020 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/5590/2020 PARESH CHANDRA DAS AND 36 ORS S/O. LT. SARAT CHANDRA DAS, I/C HEADMASTER P. P. J. ABDUL KALAM HIGH SCHOOL, VILL. PASCHIM SITARA, P. O. AND P. S. RANGIA, DIST. KAMRUP (R), ASSAM, PIN-781354. 2: CHANDANA MAHANTA W/O. LT. PRABHAT CH. MAHANTA ASSTT. TEACHER DAKSHIN BEJNI ADARSHA VIDYAPITH HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL VILL. UZAN BARBARI P. O. KARDAIGURI DIST. BARPETA ASSAM PIN- 3: SUKUMAR BARMAN S/O. RABI CHANDRA BARMAN A. T. RUPAHI HIGH SCHOOL VILL. LACHIMATTARY P. O. ANANDA BAZAR DIST. BARPETA ASSAM PIN-781317. 4: GIRISH CHANDRA DAS S/O. LT. ARUN DAS I/C HEADMASTER ARKARA HIGH SCHOOL VILL. AND P. O. BAKUA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781327. Page No. # 2/12 5: KULEN CHANDRA NATH S/O. JOLESWAR NATH ASSTT. HEADMASTER BARTARI HIGH SCHOOL VILL. PARTARIY P. O. SONAPHULI DIST. BARPETA ASSAM PIN-781318. 6: GOLAK CHANDRA BARO S/O.

BIPIN CHANDRA BARO POST GRADUATE TEACHERS SALBARI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL VILL. PAKRIGURI P. O. SALBARO DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781318. 7: JADAB NARZARY S/O. LT. KANTESWAR NARZARY A. T. SALABRI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL VILL. SARANIA ULUBARI P. O. SALBARI DIST. BAKSA ASSAM PIN-781318. 8: KHAGEN CHANDRA BASUMATARY S/O. BIRENDRA BASUMATARY A. T. RUPAHI HIGH SCHOOL VILL. BAGHMARA P. O. RUPAHI DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781317. 9: MUKUL DAS S/O. HARICHARAN DAS A. T. SALBARI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL VILL. SALBARI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL Page No. # 3/12 VILL. SALBARI P. O. SALBARI DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781318. 10: KANDARPA KUMAR NATH S/O. HARICHARAN NATH A. T. SALBARI GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL VILL. PATLA P. O. ANANDA BAZAR DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781318. 11: PRADIP KUMAR RAMCHIARY S/O. GHENA RAMCHAIARY A. T. DAKSHIN BIJNI ADARSHA VIDYAPITH HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL VILL. BHIGPUR P. O. BEBARI DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781327. 12: KARIM ALI S/O. JAMIJ ALI A. T.

LAKSHMIPUR HIGH SCHOOL VILL. BHABANIPUR (B) BLOCK P. O. DIGHAL DONGA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781343. 13: KANAK DAS S/O. NABIN DAS A. T. GANDHIBARI HIGH SCHOOL VILL. BHAKATPARA P. O. TAMULPUR DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781343. 14: TILAK CHANDRA HALOI Page No. # 4/12 S/O. RAMESH CHANDRA HALOI A. T. NEHRU ANCHALIK HIGH SCHOOL VILL. BANGALIPARA P. O. NIZ BANGALIPARA DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN-781333. 15: TILAK OLI S/O. BRAHMALAL OLI A. T. BHOLAJHAR HIGH SCHOOL VILL. BANGALIPARA P. O. BANGALIPARA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781364. 16: NARAYAN BASUMATARY S/O. HONJLA BASUMATARY I/C HEADMASTER CHAPAGURI KOKLABARI HIGH SCHOOL VILL. HAZUA P. O. KOKLABARI DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781330 . 17: SHAHJAHAN KHAN S/O. CHAND MAHMUD KHAN A. T. NORTH KHARIZA BIJNI HIGH SCHOOL VILL. KAJIAMATI P. O. MAINAMATA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781315. 18: ISLAMUDDIN AHMED S/O. LT. IDRISH ALI A. T. A. P. J. ABDUL KALAM HIGH SCHOOL VILL. BARGHULI P. O. BARGHULI Page No. # 5/12 DIST.

KAMRUP (R) ASSAM PIN-781354. 19: BANAMALI KAKATI S/O. JAGADANANDA KAKATI A. T. BANGANPARA HIGH SCHOOL VILL. AMGURI (ROUMARI) P. O. MUKTAPUR DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781344. 20: AGWMA BRAHMA S/O. LT. TANGKESWAR BRAHMA A. T. NORTH KAMRUP BETBARI HIGH SCHOOL VILL. PUB KHAGRABARI P. O. JALAHGHAT DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781327. 21: TAZUDDIN AHMED S/O. LT. ZAHAR UDDIN AHMED A. T. KAUBAHA NAVA MILAN HIGH SCHOOL VILL. MADAIKATA P. O. DHEPORGAON DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781354 22: ASFIYA AHMED W/O. SHAJAHAN ALI A. T. HATIGAON HIGH SCHOOL DURGA MANDIR PATH HOUSE NO. 7 HATIGAON CHARIALI DISPUR GUWAHATI-781006 DIST. KAMRUP (M) ASSAM. 23: PABITRA POKHRAL Page No. # 6/12 S/O. LT. DHARANIDHAR POKHRAL A. T. BHOLAJHAR HIGH SCHOOL VILL. BHUTANKHUTI P. O. DIHIRA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781372 24: HEMEN CHANDRA DAS S/O. KHARGESWAR DAS A. T. BARGHULI NEHRU HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL VILL. BARPHUKAN KHAT P. O. GARESWAR DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781366 25: LATIKA RABHA D/O.

BHIBIRAM RABHA A. T. ANCHALIK HIGH SCHOOL VILL. DEBACHARA P. O. DEBACHARA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781333 26: RANJIT BAISHYA S/O. LT. BIREN BAISHYA A. T. KHARUAMILAN HIGH SCHOOL VILL. BANGALIPARA P. O. NIZ BANGALIPARA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781333 27: MINATI DAS RAJBANSHI D/O. BABULA RAJBONSHI A. T. ANGARDHWA HIGH SCHOOL VILL. KHAGRABARI P. O. KHAGRABARI DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) Page No. # 7/12 ASSAM PIN-781344 28: DIPAK KALITA S/O. DANDIDHAR KALITA A. T. ANCHALIK HIGH SCHOOL VILL. TOKANKATA P. O. THANGURI DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781333. 29: RANJIT KUMAR MITRA S/O. NARESH CHANDRA MITRA A. T. BETNA HIGH SCHOOL VILL. SILKIJHAR P. O. SILKIJHAR P. S. GARESWA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781366. 30: MILAN KALITA S/O. PABITRA KALITA A. T. SUKLA HIGH SCHOOL VILL. TENGAJHAR P. O. TENGAJHAR DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781364. 31: S. M. ABDUL KARIM S/O. LT. ABDUL ALI A. T. GURMOW HIGH SCHOOL VILL. MURARA RANGIA P. O. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP (R) ASSAM PIN-781354. 32: ASHIM DEKA S/O. LT.

ANANDIRAM DEKA Page No. # 8/12 A. T. GARESWAR HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL VILL. SHILKJHAR P. O. SHILKJHAR DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781366 33: SUNIL KUMAR BRAHMA S/O. LT. SURJYA KUMAR BRAHMA A. T. APJ ABRUL KALAM HIGH SCHOOL VILL. JURIPAR P. O. MERKUCHI DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781346 34: SANATAN TALUKDAR S/O. DHARANIDHAR TALUKDAR A. T. ANCHAINK HIGH SCHOOL VILL. MURKUCHIAPARA P. O. NIZA BEJULIPARA DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781333. 35: SASIPRAVA DEKA D/O. GOPIKANTA DEKA A. T. BETNA HIGH SCHOOL VILL. DALONGDIA P. O. BETNA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN-781366. 36: RABEN RABHA S/O. LT. SAWNA RABHA A. T. KHATARBARI H. S. VILL. BHAKATPARA P. O. AND P. S. TAMULPUR DIST. BAKSA ASSAM PIN-781367. Page No. # 9/12 37: DINESH CH. KALITA S/O. LT. DHUNA RAM KALITA A. T. SANTIPUR MILAN HIGH SCHOOL VILL. AND P. O. SANTIPUR DIST. BAKSA ASSAM PIN-781367 VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 7 ORS REP. BY ITS COMMISSIONER AND SECY. TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM, EDUCATION (SECONDARY) DEPTT. , DISPUR, GUWAHATI-781006.

2:THE DIRECTOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSAM KAHILIPARA GUWAHATI-781019. 3:THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION BODOLAND TERRITORIAL COUNCIL P. O. AND DIST. KOKRAJHAR ASSAM. 4:THE INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS KAMRUP (M) G. B. ROAD PANBAZAR GUWAHATI-781001. 5:THE INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS KAMRUP (R) DISTRICT CIRCLR DADARA DIST. KAMRUP (R) ASSAM PIN-781104. 6:THE INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS BAKSA DISTRICT CIRCLE P. O. MUSHALPUR Page No. # 10/12 DIST. BAKSA (BTAD) ASSAM PIN-781377. 7:THE INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS BARPETA DISTRICT CIRCLE P. O. BARPETA DIST. BARPETA ASSAM PIN-781315. 8:THE INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS NALBARI DISTRICT CIRCLE P. O. AND DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN-781335 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. S Ali Advocate for the Respondent : SC, ELEM. EDU BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ACHINTYA MALLA BUJOR BARUA ORDER Date : 21-12-2020 Heard Mr. S Ali, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. R Mazumdar, learned counsel for the Secondary Education Department, Government of Assam. 2.

As per the Office Memorandum dated 07. 03. 1998 of the Government of Assam in the Finance (Establishment-A) Department it was provided that if an employee acquires a higher qualification in course of his employment he would be entitled to an advance increment either from the date of acquiring the higher degree or from the date of his next annual increment. On the basis of the Office Memorandum dated 07. 03. 1998, the petitioners claim that they were appointed as teachers in various provincialised schools in the State of Assam and at the time of their initial appointment they did not have the B. Ed degree. It is stated that subsequently the petitioners had acquired their B. Ed degree on Page No. # 11/12 different dates. Accordingly, a claim is made as B. Ed was a higher qualification in respect of their appointments, therefore, in exercise of the provisions in the Office Memorandum dated 07. 03. 1998 they are entitled to an advance increment.

It is stated that in a similar situation this Court had ordered the respondent authorities to look into such grievances. 3. Mr. R Mazumdar, learned standing counsel has raised the contention that if at the time of appointment of the petitioners, B. Ed was an essential qualification, in such event, the Office Memorandum dated 07. 03. 1998 would not be applicable, inasmuch as, B. Ed would not be a higher qualification, but would be an essential qualification. 4. In view of the above, this writ petition stands disposed of by requiring the respective petitioners to file individual representations before the Inspector of Schools of Kamrup district as well as Inspector of Schools, Baksa district stating the relevant facts as to on which date they were appointed, and as to what was the essential qualification as on the date on which they were appointed by enclosing the relevant particulars of obtaining the B. Ed degree.

The Inspector of Schools, thereafter, shall pass a reasoned order in the individual representations to be filed after verifying the date of appointment of the petitioners, as to what was the essential qualification on the date of their appointment, meaning thereby, whether the B. Ed degree was an essential qualification when the petitioners were appointed or it was not. Thirdly, whether the respective B. Ed degrees are valid degrees as per law. If the Inspector of Schools, arrives at a conclusion that on the date of their appointment, the B. Ed degree was not an essential qualification and the B. Ed degree obtained by the petitioners are valid under the law, the Inspector of schools shall pass a reasoned order on the entitlement of the petitioners to the advance increment provided in the Office Memorandum dated 07. 03.

1998 and on the other hand, if the Inspector of Schools arrives at a conclusion that the petitioners are not entitled to any such advance increment, a reasoned order be passed on the individual representation. 5. It is reiterated that the consideration would be made strictly as per law prevailing and taking into consideration all the various notifications that may have been issued from time to time for the purpose. Page No. # 12/12 6. Writ petition stands disposed of in the above terms. JUDGE Comparing Assistant

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