1 APHC010171352024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3603] MONDAY, THE 27th DAY OF JULY 2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE ALAPATI GIRIDHAR WRIT APPEAL NO: 475/2024 Writ Appeal under clause 15 of the Letters Patent be pleased to issue a writ or order of Writ of Mandamus and declare the action of the respondents in the AP Revised UGC Scales of Pay 2006 to the Department of University It is preferably in the Nature not extending Sciences Instrumentation Technicians who are drawing UGC Scales of Pay of 1986 and 1996 as illegal, arbitrary, violative of Article 12,14, and 21 of Constitution of India, consequently direct the Respondents to extend the AP Revised UGC Scales of pay 2006 to the petitioners herein with retrospective effect with all consequential benefits like arrears of pay, etc and consequently and the conseuential rejection order/ Memo No. SKU/Estt E-3/201 6 dated 16-12-2016 illegal, Centre (USIC) Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur Respondent issued vide Lr No 8842/UE/A1/2015 dated 6- quash the rejection order of the 1 12-16 passed by the 2nd Respondent University rejecting the requests of these Petitioners as arbitrary, contrary to law, wholly without power or jurisdiction consequently direct the Respondents to extend the AP Revised UGC Scales of pay 2006 to the petitioners herein with retrospective effect with all consequentialbenefits like arrears of pending disposal of the above writ petition and pass 2 Between: 1. SRI KRISHNADEVARAYA UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR ANANTHAPURAM 515003. ...APPELLANT AND 1. K A MADHUSUDHANA GOUD, AGED 42 YEARS, S/O LATE SRI K A CHINNAPPA- OCC- TECHNICIAN GRADE I. UNIVERSITY SCIENCE INSTRUMENTATION CENTRE (USIC), SRI KRISHNADEVARAYA UNIVERSITY ANANTAPUR, R/O D NO 13/3-256, SRINIVASA NAGAR,NEAR GANESH TEMPLE, ANANTAPUR 51500 2. G CHANDRA SEKERA RAO, S/O SRI G VENKATANNA AGED 50 YEARS, OCC- TECHNICIAN GRADE-1 UNIVERSITY SCIENCE INSTRUMENTATION CENTRE USIC SRI KRISHNADEVARAYA UNIVERSITY, ANANTAPUR, R/O. D. NO 12135, 2ND CROSS SAI NAGAR, NEAR CENTRAL EXCISE COLONY, ANANTAPUR -51500 3. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, ANDHRA PRADESH SECRETARIAT AT AMARAVATHI. 4. THE ANDHRA PRADESH STATE COUNCIL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, REP BY ITS SECRETARY, OPP MAHAVIR HOSPITAL MAHAVIR MARG MASAB, TANK HYDERABAD -500028 5. THE UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION, BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG, NEW DELHI, REP BY ITS CHAIRMAN 3 ...RESPONDENT(S): IA NO: 1 OF 2024 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased ay be pleased to condone the delay of days in filing the present Writ Appeal and pass such other orders which the Honble Court may deem fit, just and proper in the circumstances of the case. IA NO: 2 OF 2024 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased may be pleased to stay the order dt03.01.2024 in W. P. No. 9433 of 2014 dt.03.01.2024 passed by the Hon'ble High Court of Single Judge pending disposal of the Writ Appeal and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased pleased to vacate the order dated 25-9-24 rendered in l.A No 2 of 24 in WA No.475/2024 and consequently dismiss the WA with costs and pass IA NO: 2 OF 2025 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased pleased to take into consideration the present I.A. and consequently direct the respondents to extend to the petitioners the same pay scale of f2750-5150 (State RPS 1998) as was extended to similarly placed persons pursuant to the Government Memo dated 27- 09-24, pending disposal of the above Writ Appeal, and pass 4 Counsel for the Appellant: 1. O UDAYA KUMAR SC For S K UNIVERSITY Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. K LAKSHMI NARASIMHA 2. GP FOR HIGHER EDUCATION 3. ADDL ADVOCATE GENERAL The Court made the following: 5 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE ALAPATI GIRIDHAR WRIT APPEAL NO: 475 /2024 Judgment: (Per Hon’ble Sri Justice D.Ramesh) 1. Heard the learned counsel for the appellants/respondents and the learned counsel for the respondents/petitioners. 2. The present Writ Appeal is filed aggrieved by the order dated 03.01.2024 passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P. No.9433 of 2014, whereby the learned Single Judge allowed the writ petition with the following observations: “16. This Court has no hesitation to find fault with the respondents in not extending the AP Revised UGC Scales of pay, 2006 to the Department of University Sciences Instrumentation Center of the 2nd respondent to the petitioners. Accordingly, the order issued by the 1st respondent vide Lr.No.8842/UE/A1/2015, dated 06.12.2016 and consequential rejection order/memo No.SKU/Estt.,/E-3/2016, dated 16.12.2016 passed by the 2nd respondent are hereby set aside and the respondents are consequently directed to extend the AP Revised UGC Pay Scales, 2006 to the petitioners from the date they were due for receiving the same. The petitioners shall also be entitled for arrears of pay. The respondents shall pass appropriate orders and extend the AP Revised UGC Pay Scales, 2006 to the petitioners within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of this order. 17. Accordingly, the writ petition is allowed without costs”. 6 3. While considering the present Writ Appeal at the stage of admission, this Court passed the following interim order dated 25.09.2024, which reads as follows: “ Heard learned Additional Advocate General for the appellant University. The issue is, whether non-teaching staff are entitled to University Grants Commission (for short UGC) pay scales? We have perused the order. The only ground envisaged by the learned single Judge is the act of the University itself whereby the University had extended UGC pay scales to non-teaching staff. Learned Additional Advocate General would submit that such benefit was extended on account of a scheme which was in vogue for a period of five years. Now, the scheme having lapsed, the respondents are not entitled to pay scales. In our opinion, matter requires consideration. Hence, Admit. Pending disposal of the Writ Appeal, there shall be an order of staying the operation and execution of the order impugned in the Writ Appeal. 4. During the pendency of the Writ Appeal, the respondents/writ petitioners filed I.A. No.2 of 2025 seeking appropriate directions. In support of the relief sought therein, the learned counsel appearing for the respondents/writ petitioners brought to the notice of this Court the proceedings of the 7 Registrar, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Ananthapuram, vide letter dated 03.05.2023, wherein the University, after examining the issue relating to the pay scales of the Technical Staff working in the University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC), requested the Government to extend the corresponding State Revised Pay Scales to such employees. The relevant portion of the said letter reads as follows: Name of the cadre 1986 UGC scales Proposed State scale in RPS 1998 Proposed State Scale in RPS 2005 Proposed State Scale in RPS 2010 Proposed State Scale in RPS 2015 Proposed State Scale in RPS 2022 Technician Gr-IV 1400-2300 4850-10250 7200-16925 12550-35800 24440-71510 37640-115500 Technician Gr-II 1200-1800 4190-8700 6195-14175 10900-31550 21230-63010 32670-101970 Technician Gr-I 950-1400 2750-5150 4050-9050 8440-24950 16400-49870 25220-80910 5. The learned counsel appearing for the respondents/writ petitioners further submitted that, although the University has recommended the extension of the corresponding State Pay Scales, the proposed State Scale prescribed for the post of Technician Grade-I pertains to employees possessing S.S.C. 8 qualification and working as Attenders. However, in the present case, all the respondents/writ petitioners are Diploma holders and are, therefore, entitled to be considered for the grant of appropriate State Pay Scales commensurate with their educational qualifications. Therefore, it was requested that appropriate directions be issued to the authorities to extend the corresponding State Pay Scales as recommended in the Registrar's letter dated 03.05.2023, with liberty to the respondents/writ petitioners to seek appropriate revision of the said pay scales in future based on their educational qualifications. 6. Per contra, the learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the appellant-University, on instructions, fairly submitted that the appellant-University has no objection to the extension of the corresponding State Pay Scales to the respondents/writ petitioners in terms of the recommendations contained in the Registrar's letter dated 03.05.2023. However, insofar as the request for grant of higher or revised State Pay Scales based upon their educational qualifications is concerned, it was submitted that, if the respondents/writ petitioners make an 9 appropriate representation, the University shall examine the same and take a decision in accordance with law. 7. Considering the submissions made by the learned counsel appearing for both the parties, the Writ Appeal is disposed of by modifying the paragraph No.16 of the order dated 03.01.2024 passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P. No.9433 of 2014, with a direction to the appellants/respondents to consider the case of the respondents/writ petitioners for extension of the corresponding State Pay Scales in terms of the recommendations contained in the Registrar's letter dated 03.05.2023 and extend the same forthwith. Insofar as the claim of the respondents/writ petitioners for revision of the State Pay Scales based on their educational qualifications is concerned, it is open to the respondents/writ petitioners to submit an appropriate representation before the appellant-University. Upon receipt of such representation, the appellant-University shall consider the same and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law. There shall be no order as to costs. 10 As a sequel, miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed. _______________________ JUSTICE D.RAMESH _________________________________ JUSTICE ALAPATI GIRIDHAR Date: 27.07.2026 klk 11 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE ALAPATI GIRIDHAR 85 W.A.No.475 of 2024 Dated: 27.07.2026 klk