India, Sept. 7 -- The Bombay High Court on Thursday quashed orders of the additional commissioner of tribal development, Thane, denying regularisation of service to six teachers who served in tribal ashram schools in Shahpur, after serving for a decade or more in a region where other qualified teachers were unwilling to serve.

The court noted that the state tribal welfare department runs ashram schools "to provide essential education to tribal children in the remote, hilly and geographically challenging terrains". Its order mentioned that "due to lack of basic civic facilities in these small villages, qualified staff are not willing to serve, leading to a critical vacancy crisis, where schools are often on the verge of closure".

It was ...