Ludhiana, Oct. 19 -- Expressing deep anger and frustration, the staff members of government-aided schools, who have not received their salaries for the past eight months, burnt copies of government orders at the Mini Secretariat on Saturday. The orders stated that financial aid for just one month- April- had been released, a move the aggrieved teachers called a "cruel joke" and a complete mockery of their hardship.

Nearly 1,700 teachers working in government-aided schools across Punjab, including around 215 in Ludhiana, have been affected by the delay. Despite months of protests and repeated meetings with senior education officials, the deadlock over the release of grants remains unresolved, pushing many teachers into severe financial di...