Ludhiana, Sept. 7 -- Government school teachers in Ludhiana have opposed the deployment of 686 teachers for ration card application verification, saying the move will further strain schools already facing a shortage of teaching staff as many educators are also engaged in booth-level officer (BLO) and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duties.

The deployment comes just days before mid-term examinations, prompting teachers to question how schools will manage regular classes and examination duties with fewer teachers available. The teachers said they were being assigned responsibilities unrelated to teaching, affecting their primary work in schools.

The office of the sub-divisional magistrate (East), in a letter issued on September 4, has so...