# DR. V.P. CHATURVEDI AND ORS v. UNION OF INDIA AND ORS

- **Citation:** [1991] 3 S.C.R. 595
- **Court:** Supreme Court of India
- **Decided:** 1991-08-14
- **Case number:** Writ Petition No. 917 of 1990
- **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/dr-v-p-chaturvedi-and-ors-v-union-of-india-and-ors-11113
- **Pages:** 5

## Headnote

DR. V.P. CHATURVEDI AND ORS.
v.
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.
AUGUST 14, 1991
[RANGANATH MISRA, CJ., M.H. KANIA AND
KULDIP SINGH, JJ. !
Civil Services: Researchers in medical institutions-Providing
security of service to those who have put in long period of research
work-Building up of core cadre-Absorption in the cadre on regular
basis-Directions issued.
Public Health: Need for continuous research in the treatment of
diseases-Participation of established drug manufacturers-Scheme
suggested.
A
B
0
In the present petitions filed before this Court, the petitioners,
D
Research Scholars connected with Projects entrusted to different
institutions, prayed for security of employment and improvement of
conditions of service. In the earlier writ petitions this Court indicated
that those who have put in 15 years of research work should be
immediately regularised and that a core cadre he built up. The Respon·
dents undertook to submit a comprehensive scheme and this court
E
granted two month's time to the Respondents to file the same.
Passing interim orders pending examination of a comprehensive
scheme to be submitted by the Respondents, this Court,
HELD: 1. The Indian Council of Medical Research (I.C.M.R.) is
F
actually the organisation set up for research purposes and the Union of
India meets the expenditure on research by funding. This Court does
not have the adequate technical knowhow but. is of the view that if
appropriate coordination is made and the Health Ministry, ICMR and
the Institutes where research is carried on tie up their operations, more
useful work can be done and simultaneously the researchers would have
G
better terms of employment. All the Institutes where research is carried
·on may not be at the National Capital. Hence a small monitoring unit
requires to be set up which would finalise the various research projects
well in advance and receive offers of projects from organisations like
World Health Organisation or other bodies. [598B· DI
595
H
A
B
c
D
E
596
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1991] 3 S.C.R.
2. No consideration has been given as to why the drug manufac·
turers in India who have engaged themselves in a very lucrative trade
should also participate in research programmes. Quality of work in
research institutes specialised in their fields Is hound to be better than
research carried on by the manufacturers themselves. A scheme could
be evolved by which established drug manufacturers could be required
to participate in such programmes by supporting particular research
projects which the monitoring body could allot. Continuing research
not only keeps up the level of knowledge but also helps the enhancement
of efficiency of treatment of diseases and in the matter of providing
relief to the patients. [S98E-GJ
3. Once service guarantees are provided and security of service is
available, the flow of inspiration from within perhaps slows down.
However, there is no objection to a core cadre being built up and if the
Health Ministry is of the view that there should be a core cadre, it can
quickly set up the same and such of the researchers who have put in
more or less continued period of work could be brought into .the cadre
at the first instance on regular basis. The Committee which the Union of
India has to set up may look into this matter more thoroughly and give
shape to the idea. [S99A·Cl
4. The Patel Chest Institute seems to be more or less a permanent
feature and researchers therein may be continued against the program·
mes available. The funding of course has to be ultimately done by the
Health Ministry and the manner of funding may be determined by it.
The researchers who have worked in the All India Institute of Medical
Sciences should be continued upon availability of its programmes but
those who have put in longer periods may be absorbed in available
vacancies. The stand taken by Committee that researchers may be
F
treated as in-service candidates when regular vacancies occur for
absorption, Is approved. [S99D, E]
G
ORIGI

## Text

DR. V.P. CHATURVEDI AND ORS.
v.
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.
AUGUST 14, 1991
[RANGANATH MISRA, CJ., M.H. KANIA AND
KULDIP SINGH, JJ. !
Civil Services: Researchers in medical institutions-Providing
security of service to those who have put in long period of research
work-Building up of core cadre-Absorption in the cadre on regular
basis-Directions issued.
Public Health: Need for continuous research in the treatment of
diseases-Participation of established drug manufacturers-Scheme
suggested.
A
B
0
In the present petitions filed before this Court, the petitioners,
D
Research Scholars connected with Projects entrusted to different
institutions, prayed for security of employment and improvement of
conditions of service. In the earlier writ petitions this Court indicated
that those who have put in 15 years of research work should be
immediately regularised and that a core cadre he built up. The Respon·
dents undertook to submit a comprehensive scheme and this court
E
granted two month's time to the Respondents to file the same.
Passing interim orders pending examination of a comprehensive
scheme to be submitted by the Respondents, this Court,
HELD: 1. The Indian Council of Medical Research (I.C.M.R.) is
F
actually the organisation set up for research purposes and the Union of
India meets the expenditure on research by funding. This Court does
not have the adequate technical knowhow but. is of the view that if
appropriate coordination is made and the Health Ministry, ICMR and
the Institutes where research is carried on tie up their operations, more
useful work can be done and simultaneously the researchers would have
G
better terms of employment. All the Institutes where research is carried
·on may not be at the National Capital. Hence a small monitoring unit
requires to be set up which would finalise the various research projects
well in advance and receive offers of projects from organisations like
World Health Organisation or other bodies. [598B· DI
595
H
A
B
c
D
E
596
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1991] 3 S.C.R.
2. No consideration has been given as to why the drug manufac·
turers in India who have engaged themselves in a very lucrative trade
should also participate in research programmes. Quality of work in
research institutes specialised in their fields Is hound to be better than
research carried on by the manufacturers themselves. A scheme could
be evolved by which established drug manufacturers could be required
to participate in such programmes by supporting particular research
projects which the monitoring body could allot. Continuing research
not only keeps up the level of knowledge but also helps the enhancement
of efficiency of treatment of diseases and in the matter of providing
relief to the patients. [S98E-GJ
3. Once service guarantees are provided and security of service is
available, the flow of inspiration from within perhaps slows down.
However, there is no objection to a core cadre being built up and if the
Health Ministry is of the view that there should be a core cadre, it can
quickly set up the same and such of the researchers who have put in
more or less continued period of work could be brought into .the cadre
at the first instance on regular basis. The Committee which the Union of
India has to set up may look into this matter more thoroughly and give
shape to the idea. [S99A·Cl
4. The Patel Chest Institute seems to be more or less a permanent
feature and researchers therein may be continued against the program·
mes available. The funding of course has to be ultimately done by the
Health Ministry and the manner of funding may be determined by it.
The researchers who have worked in the All India Institute of Medical
Sciences should be continued upon availability of its programmes but
those who have put in longer periods may be absorbed in available
vacancies. The stand taken by Committee that researchers may be
F
treated as in-service candidates when regular vacancies occur for
absorption, Is approved. [S99D, E]
G
ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Writ Petition No. 917 of 1990.
(Under Artice! 32 of the Constitution of India).
(With I.A. Nos. 1-3/90 in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 9/88 and
Contempt Petition No. 45/91 in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 602/90).
S.K. Bhattacharya and R. Venkataramani for the Petitioners.
H
Altaf Ahmed, Aclditional Solicitor General, S.K. Mehta. A.
·--"'
DR. V.P. CHATURVEDI v. U.0.1.
597
Mariarputham, Ashok Bhan, Ms. A. Subhashini, R. Ramachandran, · A
S.I?. Kalra and Arnn Madan for the Respondents.
The following Order of the Court was delivered:
The main application is under Article 32 of the Constitution
while the Contempt Petition and the Interlocutory Applications in the
connected Writ Petitfon are for orders and directions. The common
aspects in all the three proceedings are that the petitioners before this
Court are Research Scholars connected with Projects entrusted to different Institutions. They are before the Co"\lrt for security of employment and improvement of conditions of service.
. In Writ Petition 999 of 1988, along with Writ Petition No. 1043 of
1989 we gave our judgment on March 22, 1990. We then indicated:
"The Institute set up by Statute is intended to carry on
research in a continuous way to improve the level of mediB
c
cal knowledge. Under the Act the Institute is an autonoD
mous body though the Chairman thereof is no other than
the Union Minister of Health. It is true that the Institute is
entrusted from time to time with research projects by the
World Health Organisation, the Indian Council of Medical
Research and other government and semi-government
bodies. It is appropriate that a Scheme should be evolved
E
by the Institute in coordination with the Health Ministry
and the Indian Council of Medical Research so that a team
of researchers is built up to meet the general requirements
of research. It is quite possible that certain projects would
require specialised hands and on such occasions a special
team could be set up on casual basis by drawing the compe'
F
lent hands from different institutions for a period but to
keep up the tempo of research if a team of researchers is
built up, it would be convenient for the Institute for
purposes of discipline and control as also for efficiency.
The Health Ministry must also sponsor continuous research
projects in the field of medicine and health and for such
G
purpose several projects should be listed out from time to
time and entrusted to the respondent-Institute as alsq a
similar Institute at Chandigarh and to institutes as and
when set up elsewhere. This would assist in updating relevant medical information and knowledge, apart from building up a scientific tone and temper for general circulation.
H
A
B
c
D
E
598
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1991] 3 S.C.R.
We commend tnat the Institute initiates serious action in
this regard \V,,ho!>t delay and we suggest that the Ministry
of Health a.ic< 1•1e Indian Council of Medical Research collaborate with the Institute to work out the same.
Pursuant to our observations the Ministry of Health appears to
have taken some action and particulars relating thereto have been
placed before us. On that occasion we indicated that those who have
put in 15 years of research work should immediately be regularised and
·core a cadre could be built up. The Helath Ministry has no objection to
a core cadre of researchers being created. The Indian Council of Medical Research ('ICMR' for short) is actually the organisation set up for
the research purposes and as we gather the Union of India in the
relevant Ministry meets its expenditure on research by funding. The
Court does not have the adequate technical knowhow but we are of the
view that if appropriate coordination is made and the Health Ministry,
ICMR and the Institutes where research is carried on tie up their
operations more useful work can be done and simultaneously the
researchers would have better terms of employment. All the Institutes
where research is carried on may not be at the national capital. What is
necessary is the emergence of a small monitoring unit which would
finalise the various research projects well in advance and receive
offers of projects from organisations like World Health Organisation
nr other bodies.
No consideration has been given as to why the drug manufacturers in India who have engaged themselves in a very lucrative trade
should also participate in research programmes. Quality of work in .
research institutes specialised in their fields is bound to be better than
research carried on by the manufacturers themselves. A scheme could
,'
F
be evolved by which established drug manufacturers could be required
to participate in such programmes by supporting particular research
projec.ts which the monitoring body could allot. Continuing research
not only keeps up the level of knowledge but also helps the enhancement of efficiency of treatment of diseases and in the matter of providing relief to the patients.
G
Mr. Venkataramani seriously presses before us that the researchers should have some scheme where within two to three years they
•
could-as in other Government service-be made permanep.t and
given guarantees of service. When we gave our final decision in Writ
Petition No. 999/1988 we had no intention of creating a permanent
H
cadre of the type Mr. Venkataramani argues about. In fact projeet-
)_
DR. V.P. CHATURVEDI '· U.0.1.
599
wise research helps to generate better efficien_cy than caderiscd
research organisation. Once service guarantees are provided and
security of service is available, the flow of inspiration from within
perhaps slows down. We had, therefore, thought that those who had
put in long period of research work should only be provided security so
that in the later part of their service life, they may not be put to
inconvenience.
We have no objection to a core cadre being built up and if the
Health Ministry is of the view that there should be a core cadre,
perhaps, it can quickly be set up and such of the researchers who have
put in a more or less continued period of work could be brought into
the cadre at the first instance on regular basis. The Committee which
the Union of India has perhaps to set up may -look into this matter
more thoroughly and give shape to the idea we have conveyed by our
judgment.
The Patel Chest Institute seems to be more or less a permanent
feature and researchers therein may be continued against the programmes available. The funding of course has to be ultimately done by the
Health Ministry and the manner of funding may be determined by it.
The researchers who have worked in the All India Institute of Medical
Sciences should be continued upon availability of its programmes but
those was have put in longer periods may be absorbed in available
. vacancies. We are aware of the stand taken by Committee that researchers may be treated as in service candidates when regular vacancies occur for absorption. This_ has our approval.
We adjourn these matters by two months to receive a comprehensive response from the Union Government in the Health
Ministry so that we would have the opportunity of examining the comprehensive scheme and then make a final order.
·
Call on 4.10.1991.
G.N.
Matters adjourned.
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c
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