35 years on, Himachal High Court orders equal pay for art teacher hired on lower scale

In 1991, Vijay Rani Gupta, an art and craft teacher in the Agriculture Department, was paid less than her colleagues in other departments despite having similar qualifications and performing comparable duties. After 35 years, the Himachal Pradesh High Court ruled in her favor, ordering equal pay for her. Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj found that Gupta was entitled to parity with junior tailoring mistresses in the Rural Development Department, who earned between Rs 1,350 and Rs 2,400.

The court rejected previous orders that dismissed her claim, stating that the state government's decision lacked legal grounds. The court observed that Gupta was initially appointed as a junior tailoring mistress and was later transferred to the Agriculture Department. She had applied for the position through the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) and performed the same duties as her colleagues in other departments.

Gupta's department had supported her request for equal pay, but the state government rejected it in 1995, 2008, and 2009. The court held that the state government's decision to deny equal pay was illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional. The court ordered the state authorities to grant Gupta the pay scale of Rs 1,350–2,400 from her initial appointment date, along with revised pay scales from January 1, 1996, and January 1, 2006, plus back-arrears and interest.