Nagendra Rai, J.

1. The petitioners of the four writ petitions, namely, CWJC Nos. 4538, 4547, 4554 and 4621, all of 2003, are the employees of the Canara Bank, whereas, the petitioner of CWJC No. 797/02 is an employee of the Punjab National Bank..

2. The question involved in all the cases is as to whether the qualification of "Sahityalankar" with English from Hindi Vidyapeeth Deoghar, is equivalent to Bachelor Degree/Diploma or certificate for the purposes of giving promotion, increment etc. in the service.

3. All the writ petitions were placed before a learned Single Judge, who, by order dated 15.9.2003, has referred the matter for authoritative decision by a Division Bench in view of the fact that the said question has wide-ranging effect. That is how the matter has been placed before us for decision.

4. The petitioners of the last four writ petitions are the employees of Canara Bank. They were appointed on daily wages and, thereafter, were appointed as permanent Sub-Staff on different dates. In the meantime, they acquired the qualification of Sahityalankar with English from Hindi Vidyapeeth, Deoghar. They are aggrieved by the decision taken by the respondent-Manager, Sta