The Delhi High Court has affirmed the necessity of a PhD degree for Lecturers (Selection Grade) in government polytechnics to receive a higher Academic Grade Pay (AGP) of Rs 10,000. This decision was made in response to writ petitions filed by senior lecturers without a PhD challenging the requirement set by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The court emphasized that the distinction between PhD and non-PhD holders is not arbitrary or discriminatory. It stated that the prescription of a PhD as an eligibility criterion aims to enhance academic standards and provide better quality education to students.
According to the court, the 2016 clarification by AICTE introduced the distinction between PhD and non-PhD lecturers to encourage higher academic qualifications. The bench ruled that granting AGP of Rs 10,000 only to PhD holders is not unconstitutional, arbitrary, or discriminatory.
The Delhi High Court upheld the rationality and constitutionality of the classification introduced by the 2016 clarification. It supported the decision to incentivize higher academic qualifications and dismissed the writ petitions challenging the requirement.
