# Punjab teachers’ ration card duty withdrawn after education secy intervenes

2026-09-26T19:46:18+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

The Punjab education department has withdrawn an order assigning ration-card verification work to government school teachers in Ludhiana after education secretary Sonali Giri intervened. The sub-divisional magistrate (Ludhiana East) had issued a directive on Friday extending the verification duty till September 30 and warning of disciplinary action for non-compliance. The September 18 directive from Giri had already called for the withdrawal of teachers from all non-teaching duties, including surveys and verification exercises, saying such deployment affected classroom teaching and academic continuity. Despite that, the SDM office issued the fresh order. It was withdrawn on Saturday after Giri spoke to Ludhiana deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain, who confirmed the SDM had issued it inadvertently. Earlier this month, 685 teachers were assigned to scrutinise new ration-card applications, sparking protests. The issue escalated after 314 teachers were served notices for missing a training session for the verification exercise.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

This is not the first time Punjab teachers have been pulled into non-academic work. In 2023, the state government had to withdraw a similar order assigning teachers to election duty-related surveys after protests. The education department's September 18 directive was itself an attempt to enforce a 2022 Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling that barred using teachers for non-educational tasks except election, census and disaster relief. The real test will be whether the education secretary's directive is consistently enforced across all districts, or whether local officials continue to issue such orders. The Ludhiana episode suggests enforcement remains uneven.

## Coverage

- hindustantimes.com <https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/ludhianaration-card-duty-order-for-teachers-withdrawn-as-education-secy-steps-in-101790442515362.html>

Tags: Ludhiana, Punjab education department, Ration Card, Sonali Giri
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