India, July 20 -- The high court has slammed the Delhi government for opposing the pleas of 96 part-time Punjabi teachers in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools who are paid Rs.7,000 per month and are seeking a raise. The court said that the state government, as a model employer, cannot justify paying salaries below minimum wages and must not perpetuate such exploitation.

The teachers in this case were employed by the Delhi government's Punjabi Academy in the 1980s to teach Punjabi language in MCD schools at monthly wages of Rs.500-600, which over the years increased to Rs.7,000.

They approached the high court asking that their salaries be increased to 50% of those paid to regularly appointed teachers. They said that they were ...