K. Govindarajan, J. - (1.)The petitioner has filed the above writ petition seeking to issue a writ of certiorarified mandamus, to quash the notification dated 12.2.1998 issued by the second respondent in so far as the Assistant Professors are concerned and thereby to direct the respondents to apply rule of reservation and to appoint the petitioner association members as Assistant Professors.
(2.)The second respondent published a notification dated 12.2.1998 calling for application for 17 posts of Professors and 25 Assistant Professors and 14 Lecturers. It is not in dispute that the respondents followed the rule of reservation policy with respect to the post of Lecturers. But nothing has been mentioned in the notification regarding the reservation for scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the cadre of Professors and Assistant Professors. So, on seeing the said notification published in the newspaper, the petitioner association has filed the above writ petition on the ground that the appointment of Assistant Professors and Professors are initial appointments and so the respondent should follow the rule of reservation.
(3.)The respondents filed a counter stating that the Assistant Professors and Professors are in the scales of pay of Rs. 12,000-375-18,000 and they are above the lowest grade in Group 'A' and so reservation is not contemplated with respect to the said posts. It is also stated in the counter that they are guiding research scholars and they them selves do research work and so those posts are considered as technical and scientific for which no reservation is necessary as contemplated in para 14(2) of the Handbook on reservation in services for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.