JUDGMENT

ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.

Leave granted.

2. These two appeals have been filed against the identically worded judgments of High Court of Madhya Pradesh dated 05.12.2012 and 17.01.2013 respectively dismissing the writ appeal filed by the State of Madhya Pradesh. The facts and issue in both the appeals being common, it is sufficient to refer to the facts and pleadings in civil appeal arising out of SLP (C) No. 26528 of 2017 for deciding both the appeals. The parties shall be referred to as described in the writ petition.

3. The writ petitioners had passed M.Phil. from different universities under distance education (between the year 2007 to 2009) before 11.07.2009. Writ petitioners were engaged as guest lecturers in different Government/Semi Government Colleges since before the year 2009. Higher Education Department of the Government of Madhya Pradesh issued an order dated 22.02.2012 on the subject “Arrangement of Guest Lecturers in Government Colleges for the remaining period of Academic Session 201112 and upcoming sessions”.

4. The Government order provided for criteria for selection under which various marks were allocated for Ph.D and NET/SET, M.Phil. and NET/SET. Regional Additional