The Punjab Privately Managed Recognised Schools Employees (Security of Service) Act, 1979

(1) This Act may be called the Punjab Privately Managed Recognised Schools Employees (Security of Service) Act, 1979. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Punjab. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may by notification appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, - (a) "aided post" means the post on the establishment of a privately managed recognised school against which such a school gets grant-in-aid from the State Government; (b) "Director" means the Director of Public Instruction (Schools), Punjab and Director of Public Instruction (Primary Education), as the case may be, and includes any other officer authorised by him in this behalf; (c) "employee" means any person employed on an aided post in any privately managed recognised school for hire or reward (whether the terms of employment be express or implied) and for the purposes of any proceedings under this Act in relation to any employment dispute includes the person dismissed or removed from service but does not include a part-time employee; (cc) “educational institution” shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (f) of section 2 of the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Act, 1974. (d) "existing school" means a privately managed recognised school which is in existence at the commencement of this Act; (e) "managing committee" means the body of the individuals who are entrusted with the management of any privately managed recognised school; (f) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (g) "privately managed recognised school" means a school, which is not run by the Central Government, the State Government, a local authority or any other authority designated or sponsored by the Central Government, State Government or local authority, as the case may be, and is recognised by the State Government for imparting pre-primary, primary, middle, high and higher secondary education or training below the degree level, but does not include an institution which imparts technical education; (h) "Educational Tribunal" means a Tribunal, constituted under section 7-A of the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Act, 1974.

The minimum qualifications for recruitment and the conditions of service of the employees shall be such as may be prescribed: Provided that neither the salary nor the rights in respect of leave of absence, age of retirement and pension of an employee of an existing school shall be varied to the disadvantage of such employee: Provided further that every such employee shall be entitled to opt for the terms and conditions of service as were applicable to him immediately before the commencement of this Act.

(1) Subject to any rule that may be made in this behalf, no employees shall be dismissed, removed of reduced either in rank or within a time scale nor shall his services be otherwise terminated except with the prior approval of the Director. (2) Any employee who is dismissed, removed or reduced either in rank or within a time scale under sub-section (1) may, within three months from the date of communication to him of the order of such dismissal, removal or reduction, appeal against such order to the Educational Tribunal. (3) The managing committee aggrieved with the order of the Director may also appeal to the Educational Tribunal within a period of three months from the date of communication of the order.

No employee shall be kept under suspension for a period exceeding six months without the prior approval of the Director.

Every employee shall be governed by such Code of Conduct as may be prescribed and on the violation of any provision of such Code of Conduct the employee shall be liable to such disciplinary action as may be prescribed.

Notwithstanding anything contained in section 3, the scale of pay and dearness allowance of the employees shall not be less than those of the employees of the State Government holding corresponding posts in the schools run by the State Government: Provided that where the scales of pay and dearness allowance of the employees are less than those of the employees of the State Government holding corresponding posts in the schools run by the State Government, the Director shall direct the concerned managing committee to bring the same at par with those of such employees of the State Government.

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, and in sub-section (12) of section 7-A of the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Act, 1974, the Educational Tribunal shall also have jurisdiction to hear cases of disputes between the Management Committees of all educational institutions and their employees.

No civil court shall have jurisdiction in respect of any matter in relation to which the State Government or the Director is empowered by or under this Act to exercise any power, and no injunction shall be granted by any civil court in respect of anything which is done or intended to be done by or under this Act.

No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the State Government or the Director for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or any rule made thereunder.

Without prejudice to any other action, that may be taken under any other provision of this Act, the failure to carry out any orders of the Educational Tribunal or of any direction of the Director under this Act, the State Government may take such action as it may think fit including stoppage of the grant-in-aid.

Any person who entrusted with the management of the affairs of a privately managed recognised school omits or fails, without any reasonable excuse to carry out any orders made by the Educational Tribunal shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with both.

(1) Where an offence under this Act has been committed by a company, every person who, at the time the offence was committed, was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly: Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any punishment, if he proves that the offence was committed, without his knowledge or that he had exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where any offence under this Act has been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributed to, any neglect on the part of any director, manager, secretary or other office of the company, such director, manager, secretary or other officer shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. Explanation. - For the purposes of this section. - (a) "company" means any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals; and (b) "director" in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.

If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the State Government may by order not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, remove the difficulty: Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiry of a period of two years from the commencement of this Act.

(1) The State Government may, by notification and subject to the condition of previous publication, make rules with prospective effect and with retrospective effect for carrying out the purposes of this Act. (2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely: - (a) the minimum qualifications for, and method of recruitment, and terms and conditions of service of employees; (b) the Code of Conduct for the employees and the disciplinary action to be taken for the violation thereof; (c) the terms and conditions of service of Presiding Officer of the Educational Tribunal; (d) any other matter which is to be, or may be, prescribed under this Act. (3) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be, after it is made, before the House of the State Legislature while it is in session for a total period of ten days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions and if, before the expiry of the sessions aforesaid, the House agrees in making any modification in the rule or the House agrees that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect, only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.

(1) The Punjab Aided Schools (Security of Service) Act, 1969, is hereby repealed. (2) Notwithstanding such repeal, - (i) anything done or any action taken under the Act so, repealed shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act; (ii) any case pending before the Deputy Commissioner under sub- section (2) or sub-section (4) of section 3 of the Act so repealed shall stand transferred to and be dealt with by Director in accordance with the provisions of the Act so repealed and the rules made thereunder as if he were the Deputy Commissioner; (iii) until the Educational Tribunal is constituted under this Act, the Commissioner of a Division shall be deemed to be a Educational Tribunal constituted under this Act, and any appeal pending before him under sub-section (5) of section 3 of this Act so repealed or any appeal preferred under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) of section 4 of this Act shall be dealt with by him under the provisions of this Act; (iv) on the constitution of the Educational Tribunal under this Act, all appeals which could not be decided under sub-clause (iii) shall stands transferred to the said Tribunal and be decided by it under the provisions of this Act and rules made thereunder.