Ludhiana: Govt schools’ security guards, campus managers rue pay delay

Allegedly, the staff members have not received their salaries for the past two months, and the amounts are lower than those advertised during the recruitment process

Employees recruited for the efficient management of government senior secondary schools in Punjab, including campus managers and guards, are facing salary delays and discrepancies. Allegedly, the staff members have not received their salaries for the past two months, and the amounts are lower than those advertised during the recruitment process.

The employees claim that there is a lack of communication between them and the service provider, leading to unaddressed issues. (Representative picture)

Campus managers, recruited by Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO), are responsible for ensuring safety and security, implementing on-campus policies, overseeing mid-day meals, managing plantations, maintaining infrastructure, and coordinating civil work in cluster schools. Despite their crucial role, the employees claim that there is a lack of communication between them and the service provider, leading to unaddressed issues.

A campus manager from a Ludhiana-based school, speaking anonymously, expressed dissatisfaction, stating, “According to the government’s advertisement, our salary should be ₹26,200; however, we have received only ₹13,886 for September, October, and November each. Monthly meetings, promised initially, are not happening, making it challenging to resolve our problems.”

Guards appointed by the same corporation body, PESCO, also report facing similar challenges of receiving lower salaries than those advertised. Many guards are ex-servicemen, committed to their job and working extended hours, but they feel undercompensated.

Colonel SP Singh, the spokesperson for PESCO, assured that payments would be made by February 10. He explained, “PESCO is an independent body that generates its revenue. In the first three months, we paid these employees from our own funds, but we cannot continue to do so. For further disbursement, we need our bills cleared from the government’s end. Every new scheme takes a few months to get streamlined, and it will get on track in the coming days.”

Regarding the salary concerns, Singh clarified, “The staff is confusing their salary with CTC. ₹26,200 and ₹21,000 are CTC for the campus managers and guards. From this, 18 % GST, an 8 % service charge levied by the service provider, ESI, and provident fund get deducted before they receive their dues.”