Excess Salaries Paid in Error: Punjab Orders Teacher Interns to Refund Amounts

Thousands of School Teacher Interns (STIs) across Punjab have been asked to return additional stipend amounts after an administrative payment miscalculation led to higher-than-approved disbursements. Education authorities revealed that temporary teaching staff received payments covering the entire month of May 2026, despite their service period ending before the commencement of summer holidays. The discrepancy emerged after payroll records showed that payments had been processed beyond the authorized working days, creating an unintended financial burden on the public exchequer. Officials have now instructed district administrations and school managements to recover the excess funds and transfer them back to government accounts within the prescribed deadline. The decision has generated frustration among many interns who claim they accepted the payments in good faith and had already allocated the money toward daily household needs and Eid expenditures. Several affected teachers argue that they should not be penalized for a mistake originating from the payment system and have called on the government to introduce easier repayment options or provide relief. Meanwhile, education officials insist that correcting the error is essential for maintaining transparency, accountability, and compliance with financial regulations governing public-sector payments.