Madras High Court
N.Thilagam vs The Director Of School Education on 10 October, 2022
W.P.No.11841 of 2017
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 10.10.2022
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.SUBRAMANIAN
AND
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.KUMARESH BABU
Writ Petition No.11841 of 2017
WMP No.12784 of 2017
N.Thilagam ..Petitioner
Vs.
1. The Director of School Education,
DPI Campus, College Road, Chennai 6.
2. The District Educational Officer,
District Collectorate Building, Salem 636 001.
3. The District Educational Officer,
Sankari, Salem District. .. Respondents
Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India
seeking to issue a Writ of Mandamus, by directing the respondents to
sanction incentive increment for the petitioner from the dated of acquiring
M.Phil degree with arrears of salary with interest, within a time frame to be
fixed by this Court.
For Petitioner : Mr.R.Nalliyappan
For Respondents : Mrs.S.Mythreye Chandru
Spl. Govt. Pleader,
1/6
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
W.P.No.11841 of 2017
ORDER
(Order of the Court was delivered by R.SUBRAMANIAN, J.)
The Writ Petition has been posted upon a reference being
answered by a Full Bench of this Court in WA No.3674 of 2019 etc. batch
dated 29.04.2022. A reference was made to a Full Bench in view of the
conflict between two Division Bench judgments of this Court, one in WA
(MD) Nos.701 and 769 of 2015 etc., dated 15.07.2015 (The Director of
School Education and others v. S.Amalraj) holding that a teacher is
entitled to a third set of incentive increment on account of acquiring higher
qualification and the other in WA No.1664 of 2016 dated 29.06.2018 (The
Director of School Education and others v. V.Dhanapal) taking a contrary
view and concluding that a teacher, during the entire tenure of service,
would be entitled to only two sets of incentive increments and nothing more.
2. Upon a reference being made, the Full Bench had answered the
issue concluding that the judgment of the Division Bench in WA. No.1664 of
2016 dated 29.06.2018 reflects the correct position of law. After considering
the various Government Orders issued on the subject, the Full Bench had
observed as follows:
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
W.P.No.11841 of 2017
“12. A perusal of the above order puts the
issue beyond pale of doubt that as per the policy of the
Government, a teacher for the entire period of his/her
service shall be granted two incentives (four
increments) only. Therefore, there cannot be any
dispute regarding the fact that a Secondary Grade
Teacher or B.T.Assistant or Post Graduate Teacher
during the entire period of service as a teacher, is
entitled to get only two incentive increments. Taking
note of the same only, the Division Bench in
W.A.No.1664 of 2016 dated 29.06.2018 (The Director
of School Education and others v. V.Dhanapal) has
categorically held that the acquisition of an M.Phil.
qualification does not entitle a teacher for a third
incentive increment, in view of G.O.Ms.No.1024,
Education, Science and Technology Department, dated
09.12.1993 restricting the number of incentive
increments to two and therefore, any teacher is not
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
W.P.No.11841 of 2017
entitled to a third incentive increment.”
3. An attempt is made by Mr.Sasidharan and Mr.Ganesan,
appearing for some of the teachers to contend that those teachers who have
obtained the additional qualification prior to 09.12.1993, namely the date on
which G.O.Ms.Nos.1023 and 1024 came to be issued would be entitled to
incentive increments, since the number of increments was limited only by
the said two Government Orders. We are unable to accept the said
contention of the learned counsel appearing for some of the respondents
because the Full Bench has categorically held that any teacher during the
entire period of his/her tenure would be entitled only to two sets of incentive
increments.
4. In view of the categorical pronouncement of the Full Bench
extracted above, we cannot take any other view. Hence the Writ Petition
filed by the petitioner seeking incentive increments will stand dismissed.
There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected
miscellaneous petition is closed.
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
W.P.No.11841 of 2017
(R.SUBRAMANIAN, J.) (K.KUMARESH BABU,
J.)
10.10.2022
Index : Yes/No
Internet: Yes/No
speaking order/non speaking order
jv
To
1. The Director of School Education,
DPI Campus, College Road, Chennai 6.
2. The District Educational Officer,
District Collectorate Building, Salem 636 001.
3. The District Educational Officer,
Sankari, Salem District.
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
W.P.No.11841 of 2017
R.SUBRAMANIAN, J.
and
K.KUMARESH BABU, J.
(jv)
Writ Petition No.11841 of 2017
WMP No.12784 of 2017
10.10.2022
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
