2026:JHHC:4714 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI W.P.(S) No. 1031 of 2026 ------ 1. Pragya Vedalankar, aged about 50 years, wife of Mrinal Kanti Paul, Resident of Vill. Mahupi, Garhwa, PO & PS-Garhwa, Dist-Garhwa. 2. Jyoti Singha Roy, aged about 35 years, D/o Shibu Singha Roy, R/o Dahigora Ghatsila, PO & PS-Ghatshila, Dist-East Singhbhum. 3. Smita Yadav, W/o Surednra Prasad Yadav, R/o Bansani, Bhawnathpur PO -Jhagrakhand & PS-Bhavnathpur, Dist- Garhwa. 4. Geeta Kumari, D/o Sree Nandlal Mistry, R/o Birsa Mini Chowk, Manoharpur, PO & PS-Manoharpur, Dist-West Singhbhum. 5. Karmeshwar Mahato, S/o Nakul Chandra Mahato, R/o Panchayat Kamalpur, PO-Kendua & PS-Saraikela, Dist- Sariakela Kharsawan. 6. Vandani Mahto, D/o Dinbandhu Mahto, R/o Vill-Binka, PO & PS-Sonua, Dist-West Singhbhum. 7. Pankaj Kumar Pradhan, S/o Radheshyam Pradhan, R/o Balijuri, PO-Balijuri & PS-Gurubanda, Dist-East Singhbhum. Versus 1. The State of Jharkhand. 2. The Chief Secretary, having its office at 1st Floor, Project Building, Dhurwa, PO, PS & Dist-Ranchi. 3. The Secretary, Department of Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority and Backward Class Welfare, Govt. of Jharkhand having its office at Project Bhawan, PO, PS & Dist- Ranchi. … … Respondent(s) ------ CORAM : SRI ANANDA SEN, J. ------ For the Petitioner(s) : Mr. Pratyush Shounikya, Advocate Mr. Shubham Mayank, Advocate For the Respondent(s) : Mr. Kishore Kr. Singh, SC-V ------ 02/ 18th February, 2026 1. Heard the parties. 2. All the petitioners in this writ petition confines their prayer only claiming parity in the pay with the Teachers of “Diwakalin Pahariya Schools” (Pahariya Day School). 3. It is the case of the petitioners that the petitioners were engaged on contractual basis as teachers in the residential schools managed and run by the Department of Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority and Backward Class Welfare of the State 2026:JHHC:4714 2 of Jharkhand (hereinafter referred to as the “Department”). This Department of the State of Jharkhand, manages and runs different type of schools i.e. the residential schools (where the petitioners are working as a Teachers) and “Diwakalin Pahariya Schools” where the other different set of Teachers were appointed. 4. The grievance of the petitioners is their emoluments, which is on per class basis, is much lesser than the Teachers of Diwakalin Pahariya Schools. The Teachers of the said Diwakalin Pahariya Schools approached this Court by filing writ petition being WP(S) No. 6479 of 2016 and analogous cases praying therein to enhance their emoluments. The said writ applications were heard and disposed giving several directions. 5. It is the case of the petitioners that after disposal of those writ petitions, the Government enhanced the salary/emoluments of the Teachers who are working in “Diwakalin Pahariya Schools”. Thereafter also from time to time, the State enhanced their pay, but so far as the Teachers of the residential schools are concerned, they have been ignored, by the State. It is their case that till date they are getting Rs. 200 per class with maximum of 4 class per day, that too, for 5 days a week. It is their grievance that in residential school, they have to attend the school on Saturdays and Sundays also, but their salary/emoluments have not been enhanced. The only prayer which the petitioners makes before this Court in this writ petitions, during the course of argument, is that the State should consider their case and revise the emoluments/salary, as done in the case of the Teachers of the Diwakalin Pahariya Schools, run by the same department. 6. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the State submits that the grievance of the petitioners can be looked into by the higher authority and if it deserves consideration, appropriate order will be passed. He admits that the school where the petitioners are working and the Diwakalin Pahariya Schools are both under the control of the Department of the State of Jharkhand, and the nature of job of the petitioners and the teachers of Diwakalin Pahariya Schools is similar in nature. 7. From the submission of the parties and the limited 2026:JHHC:4714 3 prayer made by the petitioners, I find that it is an admitted fact that the schools where the petitioners are working i.e. residential schools and the Diwakalin Pahariya Schools, are all managed and controlled by the Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority and Backward Class Welfare Department of the State of Jharkhand. There are two sets of Teachers; one in the Diwakalin Pahariya Schools and other set of Teachers who are working in the residential schools. When both classes of Teachers are performing the same work under the control of the same department, there should at least be some parity in the emoluments/salary of both the sets of teachers. It is admitted by the State that the emoluments of the Teachers of the Diwakalin Pahariya Schools have been enhanced after their writ petitions were disposed, and they are getting much more monetary benefit than the petitioners. 8. Thus, I direct the Secretary, Department of Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority and Backward Class Welfare, Government of Jharkhand to take a decision in respect of revising the pay of these petitioners also. If the payment of the similarly situated Teachers who are working under the said department has been enhanced, there is no reason as to why not the same benefit be extended to these petitioners. 9. The decision should be taken within the period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of this order. 10. With the aforesaid observations, this writ petition stands disposed of. (ANANDA SEN, J.) 18.02.2026 S.K.D.Cp-2 Uploaded on 25.02.2026