( 1 ) IN this writ petition, the petitioners question the action of respondents 2 and 3 in not admitting the posts, held by them, to grant-in-aid in terms of the provisions of the A. P. Private Educational Institutions grant-in-aid (Regulations) Act, 1988 and seek consequential directions to the respondents to admit the said posts to grant- in-aid and for a further direction to the 1st respondent to pay their salary, as per the scales applicable to aided Lecturers, with effect from 21. 7. 1993, the date of their regular appointment, till such time the posts are admitted to grant-in-aid.

( 2 ) FACTS, to the extent necessary for this writ petition, are that the 1 st petitioner, an M. Sc. in Zoology from Andhra University, and the 2nd petitioner, an M. Sc. m Physics and an M. Phil, possessed the qualifications and were eligible to be appointed as Lecturers in degree colleges. The 1st respondent, an aided private college, established by Sri venkateswara Vidya Peeth, was granted conditional permission to start a degree college by the 3rd respondent in G. O. Ms. No. 550 dated 22. 7. 1980. Among the several conditions, prescribed was that appointment of staff was to be made as per the staff pattern prescribed by the Government and that salaries and allowances must be paid as prescribed by the Government.

( 3 ) SUBSEQUENTLY, the Director of higher Education is said to have permitted the 1st respondent to open an additional section in B. Sc. degree course. Consequent thereto, the 1st respondent appointed the petitioners as Lecturers in Zoology and physics. According to the petitioners, pursuant to G. O. Ms. No. 12 dated 10. 1 1992, the 1st respondent decided to fill up the posts held by the petitioners on temporary basis. Following the procedure prescribed, in G. O. Ms. No. 12 dated 10. 1. 1992, the posts were notified, a Selection Committee was duly constituted and the petitioners were selected by a six member Selection committee. The list of selected candidates was approved by the governing body on 13. 9. 1993, and the petitioners were appointed as Lecturers, in Zoology and physics respectively, vide proceedings dated 13. 7. 1994, with effect from 21. 7. 1993. The Andhra University, vide letter dated 1. 7. 1994, is said to have informed the 1st respondent that the Board of Management of Andhra University, in its meeting held on 11. 3. 2004, had approved the appointment of the petitioners.

( 4 ) PETITIONERS would contend that despite their regular appointment, the 1st respondent was paying them a consolidated salary of Rs. 1,000/- per month and not the government Scales of pay applicable to the posts held by them. They contend that the posts held by them are also eligible to be admitted to aid as per the provisions of the a. P. Private Educational Institutions Grant- in-Aid (Regulations) Act, 1988, and that the 1st respondent is bound to pay them regular scales as per the conditions subject to which it was permitted to be established under G. O. Ms. No. 550 dated 22. 7. 1980. It is contended that the 1st respondent is charging high fees from students undergoing undergraduate courses and, despite there being no dearth of finances, it was contravening the orders/rules and continuing to pay a paltry sum of Rs. 1,000/- per month to the unaided staff, though they were appointed on a regular basis. Petitioners are said to have gone on a hunger stake for 40 days, and the Secretary of the 1st respondent is said to have made them sign an agreement on 14. 9. 1996 under which the unaided staff agreed for payment of consolidated salary of Rs1,800/- per month from 1. 9. 1996 with an understanding that the emoluments would be increased from 1. 7. 1997. Petitioners would contend that such an agreement is opposed to public policy, is unenforceable and that they were lulled into signing the agreement under compelling circumstances and on threat of termination. It is their case that the 1st respondent is bound to pay them the salary payable to aided Le

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