India, July 19 -- akanksha.attri@hindustantimes.com

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 departmen...