In a brief but significant order, the Rajasthan High Court at Jodhpur has directed the State authorities to decide within a fixed timeframe on grievances raised by a group of teachers regarding denial of salary during summer vacations and delay in their annual increment. The petitioners, led by Meenakshi Pareek and three others, had approached the court alleging discrimination in service benefits.
Background
The case stems from a long-standing issue over how increments and vacation salaries are calculated for teachers who joined service in the middle of an academic session. The petitioners cited the earlier ruling in Yogesh Kumar Pareek vs State of Rajasthan (2014), where the Jaipur Bench had clearly held that teachers appointed on a regular basis, even if after December, are entitled to both vacation salary and timely increment from the date of joining.
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Despite that, the petitioners argued, district education authorities continued to deny them the same benefit. They claimed their increments were wrongly shifted by nearly two months and that they were excluded from receiving vacation pay.
Court’s Observations
Justice Nupur Bhati noted that the controversy was no longer res integra (no longer open to dispute) since the 2014 judgment had already settled the principle. The bench reminded the State of the Education Department’s own circular of 28 July 2003, which clarified that even probationers are entitled to summer vacation salary.
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The officer-in-charge could not justify the action of the respondents, the earlier order had said, a point the present bench also relied upon while examining the limited relief sought by the petitioners.
Instead of reopening the entire matter, the court accepted the petitioners’ submission that they would be satisfied if their representations were considered on the lines of the 2014 ruling.
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Decision
Accordingly, the High Court closed the writ proceedings with clear directions. The petitioners have been asked to submit a comprehensive representation within two weeks. The State, in turn, must pass a reasoned and "speaking" order within twelve weeks of receiving it.
The bench clarified that the relief would be subject to verification of the petitioners' claims. If their submissions are found correct, the government is bound to extend the financial and service benefits accordingly.
With these directions, the writ petition and the accompanying stay plea were disposed of.
Case Title: Meenakshi Pareek & Ors. vs State of Rajasthan & Ors.
Case No.: S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 17076/2025
