Punjab education dept clamps down on teachers’ childcare, foreign leaves from Jan to March

The official notification states that no form of leave will be granted to teaching and non-teaching staff during this period unless it is deemed an emergency. The directorate of school education (secondary), Punjab, has issued a directive imposing stringent restrictions on teachers’ leave

The directorate of school education (secondary), Punjab, has issued a directive imposing stringent restrictions on teachers’ leave in the state education department from January to March in view of approaching board examinations. The directive, released on November 21, limits childcare and foreign leave from January to March.

The directorate of school education (secondary), Punjab, has issued a directive imposing stringent restrictions on teachers’ leave in the state education department from January to March in view of approaching board examinations. The directive, released on November 21, limits childcare and foreign leave from January to March. (HT File Photo/ Representational image)

The official notification states that no form of leave will be granted to teaching and non-teaching staff during this period unless it is deemed an emergency. Emergency leave, too, must be sanctioned by the head office of the education department, intensifying the approval process.

The decision has drawn criticism from teacher associations, challenging the perception that education is confined to a mere three-month window. The move has been met with resistance from educators who argue that education is a year-round endeavour and limiting leave options to a specific timeframe undermines their dedication.

Digvijay Pal Sharma, president of the Democratic Teacher Front (DTF), said, “This is absolutely contrary to service rules. An employee should have the autonomy to avail their benefits as needed.”

Former state president of the Democratic Teacher’s Front, Davinder Punia, said “Taking leave is a basic necessity, and depriving teachers of it will impact their personal lives, mental health, and work-life balance. Many teachers have children and parents settled abroad; they have applied for ex-India leave, but sudden notifications can hamper their family time.”

Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, vice-president of the Government School Teachers’ Union, questioned the government’s decision to restrict leave only during January, February, and March. He stated, “The school curriculum is a year-long process, so why has the government limited leaves to these three months? If urgency arises for teachers during this period, why should they be deprived of the benefits associated with their job?”

Exceptions to the strict policy are made for officers or employees with children under three years of age or those suffering from a serious illness. Childcare leave in such cases is permitted, subject to verification through a surgeon’s certificate. Foreign leave, under unavoidable circumstances, will also be considered, but decisions will be made at the head office level.

“While some teachers apply for a 15-day childcare leave citing board exams for their own children, sanctioning such long leaves raises questions about who will be responsible for thousands of children studying under them. Although the department has not entirely banned leaves, they can still be availed with solid documents proving unavoidable circumstances,” said DEO Dimple Madan.

Despite repeated attempts, Kamal Kishor Yadav, secretary school education, could not be reached for comments.