(1) LEAVE granted Leave granted.

(2) WE have heard learned counsel on both sides.

(3) THIS appeal by special leave arises from the order of the division bench of the A. P. High court, made on 11/10/1995 in Writ Appeal No. 1183 of 1988.

(4) THE admitted position is that the first respondent and the second respondent, G. Manohar Rao, Lecturers of Law in the Postgraduation Department of the Faculty of Law of Osmania University had staked their claims for promotion as Reader in the said Department of the Osmania University. The University Grants Commission had recommended the procedure for evaluation of the merits of the candidates for selection as Readers and Professors as under:

"OBJECTIVES 1. The basic objectives of the scheme should be (1 to recognise outstanding work done by the university teachers in the areas of teaching and research (2 subject such work to objective evaluation by experts in the subject areas concerned and (3 to provide for reasonable opportunities for professional advancement to such teachers, who merit academic recognition on a competitive basis. The scheme should, therefore, be appropriately named as Merit Promotion Scheme for