Absorbed Panchayat teachers are ineligible for time-bound pay scales applicable to regular government servants.

The 36 appellants were initially appointed as Shiksha Karmi (Grade-II/III) under the Panchayat Department between 1998 and 2008

On 01.07.2018, they were absorbed into the School Education Department of the State Government pursuant to a policy decision dated 30.06.2018

The appellants sought the benefit of Kramonnati Vetanman (time-bound pay scale upgrades) based on a State Government Circular dated 10.03.2017

They challenged the order of a learned Single Judge dated 24.11.2025, which dismissed their writ petition (WPS No. 11663/2025)

The matter was heard by a Division Bench, which also addressed a 34-day delay in filing the appeal

1. Whether teachers originally appointed under the Panchayat Cadre are entitled to the benefit of Kramonnati Vetanman under the Circular dated 10.03.2017 for their service period prior to absorption into the State Government service

2. Whether the appellants are entitled to parity with the judgment in Smt. Sona Sahu v. State of Chhattisgarh (WA No. 261/2023)

State Government Circular dated 10.03.2017, which prescribes time-bound pay scales for Assistant Teachers in regular Government service after 10 and 20 years

Clauses 4 and 5 of the Absorption Order dated 30.06.2018, which stipulate that all benefits and seniority for absorbed teachers would be calculated from 01.07.2018 and explicitly bar claims for arrears or benefits for the period prior to absorption

Principle that employees of a statutory body (Panchayat) are distinct from Government Servants and are governed by their respective recruitment rules, such as the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Shiksha Karmi (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2007

The Court reasoned that the benefit of the 10.03.2017 Circular is reserved exclusively for regular State Government employees

Since the appellants were employees of the Panchayat Department until 2018, their service conditions were governed by Panchayat-specific rules, not the circulars applicable to the State’s School Education Department

The Bench observed that the policy of absorption (dated 30.06.2018) created a clear cut-off, restricting financial benefits for any period prior to 01.07.2018

Regarding the plea of parity, the Court distinguished the precedent of Smt. Sona Sahu, noting it was decided on "peculiar facts" involving different departmental circulars and orders that did not apply to the current appellants

The Court concluded that there was no perversity in the Single Judge’s finding that the appellants were not similarly situated to regular government teachers during the period for which they claimed the benefit

It held that the appellants, having been members of the Panchayat Cadre prior to 2018, cannot claim the status of Government Servants retrospectively to avail benefits under the 2017 Circular

The Court affirmed the Single Judge's order, ruling that the appellants were not entitled to the time-bound pay scale for the period prior to their absorption into the State Government service