Delayed Salaries, Over-Burdened Teachers & Panjab’s Strained Financial System

April

2026

Nearly 900 Assistant Professors working as guest faculty in 64 government colleges of Panjab have not been paid salary for the past four months. Dr. Hukam Chand, member of the Guest Faculty Assistant Professors’ Association, said despite repeated requests the Higher Education and Finance Departments had failed to come to their rescue. Educators say the delay has pushed them into financial strain amid rising living costs, triggering anger and anxiety. Shivani Arora, faculty from the English department of Government College for Girls, Ludhiana, said, ‘The monthly pay of guest faculty ranges between USD 372–499, out of which nearly USD 117 is paid through the parent-teacher association fund by colleges and the remaining by the state government. We are still waiting for the government’s share.’ Panjab spends about USD 3.2B annually on salaries, averaging over USD 340M per month. According to the State Finances Audit Report for 2023–24, interest payments, salaries and pensions together accounted for 65% of revenue expenditure in 2023–24, down slightly from 69% in 2019–20. Despite the reduction, this category still dominated the state’s spending profile. Panjab’s subsidy bill stands at USD 2.8B and includes free power for farmers, monthly payouts to women, free ration, pilgrimage schemes and free bus travel. The subsidy burden in Panjab exceeds its revenue deficit, estimated at USD 2.6B. Several economists have flagged concerns that a large part of government expenditure is financed through borrowings, adding that rising debt, coupled with high subsidies, reflects structural fiscal stress which could lead to long-term economic stability. Moreover, at least 70% of government school teachers are currently engaged in ‘non-academic’ work—Census 2027, Panjab government’s drug census, Panjab government’s health insurance scheme and working as Booth-Level Officers (BLO) for the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision exercise. A headmaster in a government school in Bathinda district said that of the 10 teachers in his school, three were performing BLO duty and six were on census duty. A headmistress, also from Bathinda district, said that of the 11 teachers in her school, five were on census duty, three on BLO duty and one was sent to another school on deputation. The impact is borne by the students (earlier coverage).