JUDGMENT

R. M. SAHAI, J.:- Teachers appointed temporarily for three months or less . by privately managed degree colleges receiving cent per cent grants-in-aid, controlled administratively and financially by the Education Department of the State of Karnataka, seek regularisation of their services by invoking principle of equitable estoppel arising from implied assurance due to their continuance, as such, for years with a break of a day or two every three months. Another basis for direction to regularise is founded on denial of similar treatment by the State as has been extended to contract teachers and local teachers appointed in Government or vocational colleges. Payment of fixed salary instead of regular emoluments for eight months in a year and that too for number of years is yet another grievance.

2. Ad hoc appointments, a convenient way of entry usually from backdoor, at times even in disregard of rules and regulations, are comparatively recent innovations to the service jurisprudence. They are individual problem to begin with, become a family problem with passage of time and end with human problem in court of law. It is unjust and unfair to those who are lesser fortunate in society with little or no approach even though better qualified, more meritorious and well deserving. The infection is widespread in Government or semi-Government departments or State financed institutions. It arises either because the appointing authority resorts to it deliberately as a favour or to accommodate someone or for any extraneous reason ignoring the regular procedure provided for recruitment as a pretext under emergency measure or to avoid loss of work etc. Or the rules or circulars issued by the department itself empower the authority to do so as a stop-gap arrangement. The former is an abuse of power. It is unpardonable. Even if it is found to have been resorted to as a genuine emergency measure the Courts should be reluctant to grant indulgence. Latter gives rise to equities which have bothered Courts every now and then. Malady appears to be widespread in educational institutions as provisions for temporary or ad hoc appointments have been exploited by the managements of private aided colleges to their advantage by filling it, on one hand, with persons of own choice, at times without following the procedure, and keeping the teachers exposed to threat of termination, on the other, with all evil consequences flowing out of it. Any institution run by State fund but managed privately is bound to suffer from such inherent drawbacks. In State of Karnataka it is basically State created problem due to defective rule and absence of any provision to effectively deal with such a situation.

3. What is surprising is that till today the State has not been able to bring out a comprehensive legislation on such an important aspect as education and the appointment, selection, promotion, transfer, payment of salary etc. of teachers is regulated by Government orders issued from time to time. Since 1980 it is governed by an order issued by Education and Youth Services Department of the State of Karnataka on 3rd October, 1981. Clause 5 of the Order reads as under :

"Any appointment for a period of three months or less in a College shall be made, subject to approval of the Director within one month from the date of appointment by the Management or such authority as the Management by Order may specify in that behalf. Such temporary appointments may, however, be continued for a further period of not more than three months, with one days break when selection through the Selection Committee is likely to take time. The Director may for reasons to be recorded in writing refuse approval for the said appointment and the services of the person so appointed shall be terminated forthwith."

4. Appointments for more than three months is to be by a regularly constituted selection committee under Clause 4 of the order. But if it is for three months or less then the appointment c