Ashram Shala Teacher Moves Gujarat High Court Over Unpaid Salary After School Closure

A regular school teacher has approached the Gujarat High Court seeking her pending salary and alternative posting after authorities suspended her school's operations without arranging placements for the staff.

The petitioner, Vanita Boricha, challenged the administrative gap that left her without pay following the temporary shutdown of her workplace.

Background of the Case

Boricha was appointed as an assistant teacher at a 100% grant-in-aid Ashram Shala on 8 December 2011. She later transitioned to a regular pay scale in 2016.

Trouble began when the Director of Anusuchit Jati Kalyan issued an order on 3 September 2015, suspending the school's operations for the 2025–2026 academic year due to the non-availability of a school building.

While the administration redirected the enrolled students to nearby schools, the suspension order failed to specify any alternative arrangements for the teaching staff. As a result, Boricha, despite holding regular employee status, was left without her monthly salary.

Gujarat High Court Directives

Hearing the petition, the Gujarat High Court laid down a clear timeline to resolve the dispute:

• Teacher's Representation: The court instructed Boricha to submit a formal representation detailing her grievances to the Deputy Director within two weeks.
• Administrative Decision: Authorities have been directed to hold consultations and take a final call on her representation within four weeks of receiving it.

The court specified that the upcoming administrative decision must address two core issues: Boricha's relocation to another institution and the disbursement of her unpaid salary covering the period from the school's closure until she is accommodated elsewhere.

The bench also noted that the petitioner retains the legal right to initiate fresh proceedings if she remains aggrieved by the authorities' final decision.