GK Question

Answer: True

Article 39(d) equal pay for equal work: (a) Text: State shall direct policy towards securing equal pay for equal work for both men and women, (b) Judicial enforcement: (i) Though DPSP non-justiciable, courts have enforced equal pay principle under Article 14 (equality) read with Article 39(d), (ii) Randhir Singh v. Union of India (1982): Held equal pay for equal work is constitutional goal enforceable under Article 14, even for temporary employees, (iii) Subsequent cases: Courts extended principle to contractual, casual workers, emphasizing substance over form in employment relationships, (c) Operationalization: (i) Equal Remuneration Act, 1976: Prohibits gender-based wage discrimination for same work, work of similar nature, (ii) Code on Wages, 2019: Consolidates wage laws, strengthens equal pay provisions, expands coverage, (iii) Pay commissions: Government pay panels incorporate equal pay principle in salary structures, (d) Applications: (i) Gender pay gap: Despite legal framework, gender pay gap persists; requires awareness, enforcement, cultural change, (ii) Informal sector: 90% of women workers in informal sector; extending equal pay protections requires innovative approaches, (iii) Intersectionality: Women from marginalized castes, regions face compounded wage discrimination; targeted policies needed, (e) Challenges: (i) Measurement: Defining 'equal work', 'similar nature' requires nuanced job evaluation, not just job titles, (ii) Implementation: Weak enforcement, awareness deficits limit Equal Remuneration Act effectiveness; require institutional strengthening, (iii) Global context: International labor standards, corporate practices influence Indian wage policies; require adaptive regulation, (f) Illustrates transformative equality: Article 39(d) operationalized through judicial interpretation, legislation; balance between legal framework, enforcement, cultural change essential for realizing constitutional vision of gender justice in workplace.