Not offering teachers respectable emoluments lowers value country places on knowledge: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said not offering respectable emoluments to educators diminishes the value a country places on knowledge and undermines the motivation of those entrusted with building its intellectual capital.

A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi called academicians, lecturers and professors the "intellectual backbone" of any nation for dedicating their lives in "shaping the minds and character of future generations".

While applying the principles of equal pay for equal work, the bench directed some contractually appointed assistant professors in Gujarat would be entitled to the minimum pay scale admissible to assistant professors.

The bench delivered its verdict on the appeals filed against two judgements of the Gujarat High Court, including over the claim for parity in pay with assistant professors who were performing identical duties and functions.

The top court said in many contexts, the compensation and recognition extended to educators do not truly reflect the significance of their contribution.

"When educators are not treated with dignity or offered respectable emoluments, it diminishes the value a country places on knowledge and undermines the motivation of those entrusted with building its intellectual capital," the bench said.

The bench continued, "By ensuring fair remuneration and dignified treatment, we affirm the importance of their role and reinforce the nation's commitment to quality education, innovation, and a brighter future for its youth." The top court said it was just not enough to keep reciting the Sanskrit mantra "gurubramha gururvishnu gurdevo maheshwarah" at public functions.

"If we believe in this declaration, it must be reflected in the way the nation treats its teachers," the bench said.

The top court expressed "serious concern" about the way the teachers were treated.

It said more than the justifiable claim for parity, it was rather disturbing to see how lecturers, holding the post of assistant professors in the matter, were continued to be paid and subsist on such low salaries for almost two decades.

"We are informed that, of the 2,720 sanctioned posts, only 923 posts were filled by regularly appointed staff. To address this shortage and to ensure continuity of academic activities, the state government has resorted to ad hoc and contractual appointments," it said.

The bench noted it was disturbing that contractual assistant professors were getting monthly emoluments of Rs 30,000.

"It is high time that the State takes up the issue and rationalize the pay structure on the basis of functions that they perform," it added.