Pre-grant service counts for notional pay fixation and consequential benefits, not salary arrears.

The petitioners, employees or former employees of private educational institutions, sought financial and consequential service benefits by counting their service from their dates of appointment, including periods before their posts were admitted to grant-in-aid.

They relied on the decision in W.P. No. 21216/2014 and connected matters, as affirmed in writ appeals, and sought consideration of their representation dated 27 August 2026.

The State submitted that the relief was governed by paragraph 61 of the appellate judgment.

1. Whether the petitioners’ pre-grant-in-aid service should be reckoned for pay fixation and consequential service benefits.

2. Whether that reckoning entitles the petitioners to salary arrears or other monetary benefits for the pre-grant period.

The Court applied paragraph 61 of the judgment in W.A. No. 2476/2015 and connected matters.

Under that ruling, service rendered before a post is admitted to grant-in-aid is to be counted for notional pay fixation as on the date of admission to grant-in-aid and for consequential benefits, including pension and other service benefits.

The State is not liable for salary or other monetary benefits for the pre-grant period; under Annexure I of the Rules, 1999, the liability to pay salary and benefits until admission to grant-in-aid rests with the institution’s management.

The Court treated paragraph 61 of the appellate judgment as controlling the petitioners’ entitlement.

It therefore directed the authorities to reckon the petitioners’ service from their dates of appointment only to the extent necessary to provide the benefits flowing from that paragraph.

This preserves notional fixation and consequential service benefits while excluding any claim against the State for pre-grant salary arrears or other monetary benefits.

Respondents 1–4 were directed to reckon the petitioners’ service from their dates of appointment for the purposes of benefits permitted by paragraph 61 of the appellate judgment, and to complete consideration and pass appropriate orders within six months.

The relief does not include salary arrears or other monetary benefits from the State for the pre-grant period.