Gujarat high court seeks salary details of Ashram Shala teachers

The Gujarat high court has asked the Gujarat Rajya Ashram Shala Karmachari Sangh to submit details of the different education schemes initiated by the state government.

The court issued this order while hearing the Sangh's petition seeking job security for Ashram Shala teachers. The court has also asked the Sangh for details of the salary paid to vidhya sahayaks and Ashram Shala teachers.

In its petition, the Sangh had stated that as per a resolution passed by the state government in 1973, Ashram Shala teachers were to be accommodated at other state schools if the Shalas were to close.

The Sangh has demanded that the court quash the notification issued by the state government in 1999 to annul the 1973 resolution.

However, on Friday, the state government submitted before the court that the 1973 resolution had been annulled by another notification issued in 1999. The government further stated that, in 1999, the government had come up with the concept of vidya sahayak for a new scheme introduced that year. It was decided that vidya sahayaks, and not Ashram Shala teachers, would be accommodated in state schools.

The court, which was hearing three petitions together, converted the issued of appointment of Ashram Shala teachers into a public interest litigation. It then asked the Sangh to submit relevant information about all the education schemes of the state government and salary details of teachers and vidhya sahayaks.