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Warning of further agitation, the DTF said it would launch a statewide protest if the notices are not withdrawn and the department fails to address the staffing crisis.
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Ludhiana
The Punjab school education department has issued show-cause notices to the principals and headmasters of 68 government schools, including 10 in Ludhiana district, for allegedly failing to submit March salary bills of teaching and non-teaching staff to the treasury department within the prescribed timeline.
The move has sparked sharp criticism from teacher unions, which contend that acute staff shortages and mounting administrative responsibilities are the primary reasons for the delay.
Acting on the directions of the secretary, school education, the department has asked the heads of the identified schools to submit written explanations by July 21. According to the department’s communication, the delay in forwarding the salary bills resulted in late salary payments to school employees.
The department has termed the delay a case of negligence and irresponsible conduct, stating that it may attract disciplinary action under Rule 10 of the Punjab Civil Services Rules, 1970. The school heads have been directed to explain why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against them.
Among the 68 schools named in the department’s order, 10 are located in Ludhiana district, including several government senior secondary schools and one government high school.
The department’s action has drawn strong opposition from teacher organisations, which argue that the government is unfairly holding school heads accountable for systemic administrative failures.
Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, district president of the Lecturer Cadre Union, said that a large number of principal posts remain vacant, forcing many principals to oversee five to six schools simultaneously.
“March is the financial year-end, when schools are required to complete multiple financial and administrative responsibilities. Managing several schools at the same time makes it extremely difficult to meet every deadline. If the government expects timely completion of all work, it must first fill the vacant principal posts,” Dhillon said.
The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) also criticised the department’s decision, describing it as “unjustified and illogical.” District president Daljit Singh Samrala alleged that the government was attempting to shift the burden of its own administrative shortcomings onto school heads instead of addressing long-standing staff shortages.
According to the DTF, more than 1,100 of nearly 1,900 sanctioned principal posts in Punjab’s secondary schools remain vacant. The union further claimed that many districts continue to face shortages of block primary education officers (BPEOs), while limited clerical staff are often responsible for preparing salary bills for multiple schools.
The union has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the show-cause notices and called on the government to expedite promotions and direct recruitment to fill vacant posts of principals, headmasters and BPEOs.
