Supreme Court says identical duties alone do not guarantee equal pay

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court held that identical or similar job functions do not automatically create a right to equal remuneration, expanding the test to include recruitment origin, academic credentials, professional experience, appointment process, and the scope of responsibilities. The ruling stemmed from a case filed by directly recruited junior higher-secondary teachers in Kerala government-aided schools who argued that their duties matched those of teachers who entered the cadre through transfer or promotion.

The Court concluded that the latter group’s greater experience constituted a legitimate basis for higher pay. It reiterated that pay differentials are permissible when grounded in bona-fide, reasonable classifications linked to job objectives. The judgment also noted that the doctrine of equal pay for equal work must be applied flexibly, with courts intervening only when all relevant factors are identical. The bench affirmed the Kerala High Court’s earlier decision denying the directly recruited teachers’ claim.