(1.) Since the subject matter involved in all these writ petitions is almost similar, they are taken up for consideration together.
(2.) The writ petitioners are all Guest Faculty Teachers in Engineering and Polytechnic Colleges. They have all been engaged as Lecturers/Professors to teach the students in the concerned colleges. They are not in permanent employment. They are appointed as Guest Faculty Teachers for a period of 11 months, discontinued thereafter and subsequently have to once again apply to be appointed as a Guest Faculty.
(3.) They are paid on an hourly basis. They are given approximately 17 hours of teaching per week. Various other conditions exist in the Directives dtd. 27/1/2022. Their grievance is that they have been appointed continuously only for 11 months period and after which their employment becomes doubtful. They are also aggrieved by the clause in the directives that they have to undergo a fitness test every year. Various other clauses affect them.