JUDGMENT :

ACHINTYA MALLA BUJOR BARUA, J.

1. Heard Mr. D.K. Sarmah, learned counsel for the petitioner and Ms. S. Baruah, learned CGC for the respondent No. 1, being the Union of India through the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Also heard Mr. S.P. Choudhury, learned counsel for the respondents No. 2, 3 and 4, being the authorities under the National Institute of Technology, Silchar (NIT, Silchar).

2. The petitioner was appointed as a Lecturer in the respondent NIT, Silchar on 26.06.1995. The petitioner claims for the benefit of Career Advancement Scheme for Teachers of Degree Level Technical Institution (CAS) provided by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Clause 1.0 of the CAS provides that the minimum length of service for eligibility to move into the grade of Lecturer (Senior Scale) would be four years for those with Ph.D., five years for those with M.Phil. and M.Tech and six years for others at the level of Lecturer. The petitioner belongs to the category of having M.Tech. and therefore, the minimum length of service for moving to the Lecturer (Senior Grade) would be five years. Accordingly, the petitioner made a claim for the benefit of CAS at the end