The Supreme Court on Tuesday strongly criticised the Tamil Nadu DMK government for failing to ensure equal pay for nurses employed on a contract basis in state-run hospitals and health centres.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing the state’s appeal against a Madras High Court order in April 2025 that had directed the government to pay contract nurses the same salary as their permanent counterparts.
The judges observed that the state was “exploiting” the services of contract nurses by paying them less despite similar duties. They said the government was “using them for selfish purposes” and questioned why they were not being made permanent.
When the state’s counsel argued that funds had not been released by the Centre, the bench dismissed the explanation, saying, “Don’t keep blaming the central government for everything. Isn’t it your responsibility to pay your employees?” The judges further remarked that Tamil Nadu, which projects itself as one of the most developed states, could not deny frontline health workers their due.
The bench also drew attention to the state’s expenditure on welfare schemes and elections, questioning how money was available for such purposes but not for paying nurses. “There is money to give freebies, but not to pay workers?” the judges asked.
Taking note of the state’s claim of financial difficulties, the court issued notices to the Union government as well as the Tamil Nadu MRP Nurses’ Association to file their responses. The case has been adjourned for further hearing, with the state directed to reply within four weeks.
Meanwhile, nurses across Tamil Nadu have continued demanding permanent appointments and equal pay, arguing that they have been kept on temporary contracts for years despite performing the same work as regular staff.
This order comes after several years of legal proceedings; the earlier Madras High Court directive required the state to grant equal pay and benefits to contract nurses within three months.