JUDGMENT : 1. Petitioner admittedly was appointed as Reader in the North Eastern Hill University in the year 1984. Since he possessed Ph.D Degree, therefore, as an incentive, three advance increments were sanctioned in his favour. 2. Petitioner later on has competed for the post of Professor in the same University (direct quota), got appointed as such on 12th July, 1991. 3. With the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission, pay was revised, in the process various pay structures were merged. It is stated by the learned counsel for the petitioner that pay group S-27 and S-29 were merged. Group S-29 being senior, therefore they were entitled to be protected against any indiscrimination in the position of pay scales. According to him after merger, petitioner was entitled to some incentive as being senior. The Note appended to the rules provide that in case after merger pay of the junior is fixed higher than senior, in that eventually pay of the senior has to be stepped up so as to be brought at par. 4. In this connection, learned counsel for the NEHU will file an affidavit so as to indicate as to whether pay of any of the employees under Group S-27 after having been merged with S-29 has been fixed higher than the petitioner. 5. Another contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner is that even though for the post of Professor, Ph.D. is an essential qualification still petitioner is entitled to the incentive of advance increment. Supporting his submission would submit that when the petitioner was appointed as Reader, Ph.D was an essential qualification but three advance increments were sanctioned as an incentive in his favour. 6. Whether for the post of Reader, Ph.D. was an essential qualification is required to be cleared by the learned counsel for NEHU. If yes, then under what circumstances three advance increments were sanctioned to the petitioner, when he was appointed as Reader. 7. Learned counsel for NEHU will also apprise the Court whether any Professor at present is being given any incentive in the form of advance increments for possessing Ph.D. as essential qualification for the post. 8. Copy of the order to be supplied to both the learned counsel for the parties. 9. List again after three weeks.