Asha, J.

1. These cases have come up for consideration before the Full Bench on being referred by the Division Bench by its order dated 7.9.2007 seeing that there is a conflict between the judgment rendered by a Division Bench in Dr.Krishna Pillai v. State of Kerala [1988 (2) KLT 106] and the judgment of another Division Bench of this Court in W.A 1287/2005.

We heard the learned Senior Government Pleader for the appellants and the learned counsel appearing for the respondents in all these cases.

2. The issue relates to the period spent on leave without allowance for the purpose of employment abroad by the Private College Teachers affiliated to the Universities in the State of Kerala, ie., whether the period during which they were on leave without allowance and during which they were employed abroad, are liable to be reckoned for the purpose of (1) pension (2) for grant of benefit of placement under the University Grants Commission (U.G.C) Scheme.

3. All these Writ Appeals are filed by the State of Kerala. The respondents are retired teachers of private aided colleges affiliat