Union of India and Ors. v. Santiram Ghosh and Ors.

DUTT, J. This appeal by special leave preferred by the Union of ~ India and Others is directed against the judgment of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Calcutta Bench, Calcutta, whereby the Tri­ bunal set aside the Award of the Board of Arbitrators and directed the appellants to accord the benefit of the scale of pay of Rs.550-900 to the Scientific Assistants working in the Botanical Survey of India with effect from January 1, 1973 with all consequential reliefs. p Before January l, 1973, the scale of pay of the Scientific Assistants in the Botanical Survey of India was Rs.210-425. The Third Central Pay Commission, hereinafter referred to as the 'Pay Commis­ sion', made certain recommendations with respect to the Scientific Assistants. Clause (i) of paragraph 41 of the Report of the Pay Com­ mission 1·eads as follows: "4l(i). In our view, below the gazetted staff there are at least two distinguishable levels of scientific work which require graduates or post-graduates. The higher grade would require a post-graduate education and call for some degree. of originality and capacity for independent work. Such scientific assistants should, in course of time, be able to carry out independent investigations of the iype con­ ducted by scientific officers. The lower grade could be ade­ qtmtely manned by the good science graduates. The work at this level would be mostly standardised and conducted ~nder the guidance of gazetted officers. Scientific Assis­ iants in this grade should have reasonable expectations of moving to the higher grade. Thus a structure of two grades, instead of a single integrated grade, would serve the pur­ pose of paying for the jobs at rates appropriate to the responsibilities, and at the same time provide an incentive to good performance." The Pay Commission recommended four levels of pay for the Scientific Assistants under Table XL Level-I and Level-II under Table XL with which we are concerned, are extracted below: U.0.L v. SANTIRAM GHOS.H {DUTT, J.J TABLE XI Existing scale (Rs.) Proposed Qualification for scale (Rs.) 757 Level I 325-575 550-900 M. Sc./First Class. B.Sc. B Level II 210-425 425-700 (Honours) or Diploma in Engineering/Second Class. B.Sc. with 3 years experience. Second Class B.Sc. (Honours) or B.Sc. with not less than 55% of marks in aggregate or Diploma in Engineers. The respondents Nos. 1. to 8, who are working in the_ Office of D the Botanical Survey of India as Scientific Assistants, claim that they ·should be given the pay-scale of Level-I, that is, Rs.550-900, as recom­ mended by the Pay Commission. The demand of the respondents was considered by a Committee constituted by the Office Council of the Joint Consultative Machinery. The Committee,_ which was headed by Dr. A.S. Rao, came tci the cortchiSion that the posts of Scientific E Assistants in the Botanical Survey of India should be allocated the pay-scale of Rs.550-900 in terms of the recommendation of the Third Pay Commissio9. As the Government did not agree to the conclusion of the A.S. Rao Committee, the matter was referred to a Board of Arbitrators on July 17, 1980. The terms of reference tci the Board of Arbitrators was as follows: F "Whether the post of Scientific Assistant of the Botahltal Survey of ltidia should oe allocated tlte revised stale of Rs.550-900 in terms of 3rd Fay CommissiOh'S recoi!imetlda­ tions effeciive from l. !. i973." The Board of Arbitrators made the following Award: "All the Scientific Assistants who are cotitinuiilll as Sdert­ tific Assistants since 1. 1. 1973 and who possess the pres­ cribed qualification for Levelci, i.e~ M.Sc./Fitst t:iass l:i.St. (Hons.)ISeeonci Class B.Sc. \Vi!h :i .years expelieilre shaii H 758 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 3 S.C.R. be placed in the scale of Rs.550-900 with immediate effect i.e. the date of this Award and shall be deemed to be auto­ matically absorbed in the grade of Senior Scientific Assistants, irrespective of the fact whether there are vacan­ cies in the grade or not. Government is further directed to frame proper Recruit­ ment Rules for the posts of Senior Scientific Assistant­ Level-I and Scientific Assistant-Level-II at the earliest in accordance with the recommendations of the Third Pay Commission after taking into consideration the qualifica­ tions prescribed for both levels so that in future the manning of the majority of the posts in these grades is by direct recruitment and rest by promotion form the next lower level." Feeling aggrieved by the Award of the Board of Arbitrators, the respondents filed a writ petition before the Calcutta High Court which D was, however, transferred to the Tribunal under the provision of sec­ tion 29 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985. The Tribunal came to the finding that the Board of Arbitrators had exceeded its jurisdiction in travelling beyond the terms of re­ ference. Accordingly, the Tribunal set aside the Award, allowed the E writ petition and directed the appellants to accord the benefit of the scale of pay of Rs.550-900 to the Scientific Assistants working in the Botanical Survey of India in terms of the recommendation of the Pay Commission with effect from January 1, 1973. Hence this appeal by special leave. p The first question that falls for consideration is whether the Board of Arbitrators had exceeded its jurisdiction in going beyond the terms of reference. We have already extracted above the terms of reference ·under which the Board of Arbitrators was required to give its finding as· to whether the revised scale of pay of Rs.550-900 should be allocated .to the post of Scientific Assistant of the Botanical Survey of o India. In other words, the Board was to consider whether the Scientific Assistants of the Botanical Survey of India were entitled to the revised scale of pay of Rs.550-900. The terms of reference are very clear and specific. Under the terms of reference there was no scope for prescrib­ ing two levels of scale of pay and the minimum qualifications for each level as has been done by the Pay Commission. There was also no H scope for directing the Government to frame proper Recruitment , .•. U.0.1. v. SANTJRAM GHOSH [DUTI, J.] 759 Rules for the posts of Senior Scientific Assistants-Level-I and Scien­ tific Assistants-Level-II. It is, therefore apparent that in making the Award, the Board of Arbitrators has acted beyond the terms of re­ ference. There can be no doubt that when an Arbitrator acts beyond the terms of reference, the Award is illegal and not binding upon the parties. The Tribunal has, in our opinion, rightly come to the finding that the Board of Arbitrators did not have any authority to go beyond the terms of reference, and that the Award made by the Board cannot lawfully bind the staff side including the respondents Nos. 1 to 8. The Tribunal was, therefore, justified in setting aside the Award. Now, the question is whether the Scientific Assistants of the Botanical Survey of India are entitled to the revised scale of pay of Rs.550-900 with effect from January 1, 1973. It is not disputed that the post of Scientific Assistants in the Botanical Survey of India has been allocated the pay-scale of Rs.425-700 which is the pay-scale recom­ mended by the Pay Commission for the post of Scientific Assistants Level-II. Clause (i) of paragraph 41 of the Report of the Pay Commission shows that the two levels have been suggested on the basis of natue of scientific work and the qualifications required therefore. According to the Pay Commission, the higher grade, that is, Level-I, would require a post-graduate education and call for some degree of originality and capacity for independent work. Such Scientific Assistants should, in E course of time, be able to carry out independent investigations of the type conducted by scientific officers. So far as the nature of work under Level-II is concerned, the Pay Commission took the view that the work at this level would be mostly standardised and conducted under the guidance of gazetted officers and·, accordingly, this level could be adequately manned by good science graduates. Thus, before F dividing the grade of Scientific Assistants into two levels, it is neces­ sary to consider the nature of work performed by the Scientific Assistants. In other words, the two levels, as recommended by the Pay Commission, can be brought into existence, if the nature of work which is being performed by the Scientific Assistants of the Botanical Survey of India calls for some degree of originality and carrying out O of independent work and investigations. In this connection, we may refer to paragraph 44 of the Report which reads as follows: "44. Posts in all the organisations which are now in the scales mentioned in Table XI should be replaced by the substitutes which we have indicated against each. In case H 760 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [ 1988] Supp. 3 S.C.R. the qualifications prescribed, at present, for any of the posts do not conform to those which we have indicated in that paragraph, then the position should b.e reviewed; where a higher tjtialification has been prescribed, and if the Work content of the post justifies its being placed in the higher level, it Shbtild be upgraded to that level. Otherwise, the qualification requirements should be commensurately lowered for the future recruits. . ...... ; . ; . ; ; ....... . " .... ; .... : : ; . ; ... ; .. ; . it is not displited that the Pay Commission generally considered the cl!ses of the Scientific Assistants. Accordingly; the Pay Commis- t si6ii 6bserved that before dividing the grade of Scientific Assistants into different levels, the job content of the post should be taken into consideration: lt is not disputed that the case of the Scientific Assistatits of l3otankal Survey of lndia has not been specifically con­ sidered by the Pay Commission. if, upon such consideration; the Pay CommisSl611 had recommended the division of the posts of Scientific Q Assistants Into Level-I and Level-II, there would not have been any difficulty in giVing effect to the same. lt appears to us that the guiding factor fOt such division; as recommended by the Pay Commission, is the job content of the post for Scientific Assistant. l3efute directing tlie appellants to accord the benefit of the scale E of pay ot Rs550-900 to the Scientific Assistants of the Botanical Survey of India; the Tribunal has taken into consideration the duties performed by them. The duties of Scientific Assistants are "to assist in scientific research, prepare notes after c<insulta.tion with literature, identification and cataloguing of flora and studying them in their vatlous aspects in the field as weil as in the Herbarium and the iabo- F tatory". lt has been found by the Tribunal that the Scientific Assistants of !lie lfotan!Cal Survey of Ihdia ate iiot expected to exhibit any originality tit capacity for doing any Independent work and that the job coiitents of the existing Scientific Assistants are similar to those of Level-II Scientific Assistants recommended by the Pay Commis­ siiln. The tribunal has also noticed one very significant fact that one (J Shti M.K. Deka, a non-matric has been posted as an Orchidariam Keeper ill the scale of pay of Rs.550-900. He that as it may, as the job content does not require the qualifications as prescribed by the Com­ mission for the Level-I ScientificAssistants, it will not be prudent to divide the post of Scientific Assistant into Level-I and Level-II. At the salile time, the existing Scientific Assistartts should not be deprived H ofthe pay-scale ofRs.55tl-lJOO. U.0.1. v. SANTIRAM GHOSH [DUrt, J.] 761 In the circumstances, we are of the view thai the Tribunal was A perfectly justified in directing allocation of the revised pay-scale of Rs. 550-900 to the existing Scientific Assistants of the Botanical Survey of India. We, however, make it clear that the appellants may give effect to the recommendations of the Pay Commission with regard to future recruitments after framing rules in that regard. Bui, so far as the 13 existing Scientific Assistants are concerned; we uphold the judgment of the Tribunal. · For the reasons aforesaid, this appea:i is dismissed. there will, however, be no order as to costs. R.S.S. Appeal dismissed,