SHYLA ABRAHAM Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These Original Petitions arise a common question. With the consent of counsel appearing for the parties on either side, all these cases are disposed of by this common judgment. In some of the cases interim orders were issued directing payment of salary at the higher rate. Counsel appearing for the petitioners in those Writ Petitions submitted that the interim directions thus issued have been complied with. At the time of final hearing, counsel appearing for the petitioners as also Sri.V.K.Beeran learned Addl. Advocate General appearing for the State submitted that, it is not necessary for this Court to examine the individual claims of the petitioners in these matters and that it would be sufficient if the common issue arising in these cases is dealt with. With the consent of counsel appearing for the petitioners in these writ petitions and the learned Addl. Advocate General, I proceed to examine the issue raised in these cases as follows:

(2.) Petitioners are working as Lecturers (Senior Scale) in the various private colleges under the respective Universities, ie. Kerala University, Calicut University and Mahatma Gandhi University. They have approached this Court aggrieved by the refusal on the part of the respective Deputy Directors of Collegiate Education to countersign and pass the bills claiming salary in the revised scale of Lecturer (Sr.Scale), ie. in the scale of pay of Rs.10,000-325-15200 and further revised to Rs.12,000-420-18,300.

(3.) Government of Kerala issued GO.(P).No.171/99/H.Edn., dt.21.12.1999 in the wake of implementing UGC scheme including revision of pay scales of the teachers of Universities and Colleges in Kerala. Paragraph 6.20 of the aforesaid Government Order provides that minimum length of service for eligibility to move into the grade of Lecturer (Senior Scale) would be four years for those with Ph.D., five years for those with M.Phil, and six years for others at the level of Lecturer, and for eligibility to move into the Grade of Lecturer Selection Grade/Reader, the minimum length of service as Lecturer (Senior Scale) shall be uniformly five years. Universities in Kerala have issued orders laying down guidelines for placement of teachers to Lecturer (Sr.Scale) on the basis of GO.(P).No.171/99/H.Edn. dt.21.12.1999. For example, University of Calicut has issued the following guidelines as far as Lecturer (Sr.Scale) is concerned: