Subhasis Talapatra, J.

1. The writ petitions sans some insignificant variations having been founded on identical fact and questions of law; are tied up for the purpose of disposal by a common judgment and order. The essential facts are required to be introduced at the outset for appreciating the controversy involved in these writ petitions.

With the advent of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, which came into force on 01.04.2010, certain authorities have been created for various purposes to provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age group of 6-14-year, meaning thereby the "elementary education" which has been defined in Section 2(f) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (for short 'the RTE Act') as "(f) "elementary education" means the education from first class to eighth class".

2. Section 23 of the said RTE Act deals with qualifications for appointment and terms and conditions of service of teachers. It provides as under:

(1) Any person possessing such minimum qualifications, as laid down by an academic authority, authorised by the Central Government, by notification, shall be eligible for app