Fact Check of No More MPhil Allowance for Contract Employees in Punjab
Recently, a letter started circulating on social media claiming that the School Education Department, Government of Punjab, has ordered all District Education Authorities (DEAs) to recover the MPhil allowance from contract employees. The letter mentioned that MPhil allowance is “not admissible” to contract staff and must be deducted immediately from their salaries.
This news created worry among thousands of teachers and employees working on a contract basis across Punjab. Many people believed that the government had officially ended the allowance for contract employees.
But after checking the facts, this claim appears doubtful and not supported by any authentic government notification.
The Viral Letter Seems Fake
After reviewing the letter carefully, several issues raise doubts about its authenticity:
- No official notification regarding MPhil allowance cancellation has been uploaded on the School Education Department website.
- No press release has been issued by the Punjab Government, SED, or Finance Department.
- The letter appears to be poorly formatted and does not follow the standard notification pattern normally used for financial policies.
- No other government department has endorsed or verified this order.
Because of these reasons, it is clear that no official decision has been taken to stop MPhil allowance for contract employees. The viral letter seems fake or misleading, and employees should not panic.
Fact: MPhil Allowance Is Allowed for All BPS Employees
As per the existing rules of the Punjab Government:
- MPhil Allowance is admissible to all BPS (Basic Pay Scale) employees, whether they are regular or contract, as long as they meet the qualification criteria.
- The allowance is granted after proper verification of degrees.
- No policy change or amendment has been announced by the Punjab Finance Department.
Therefore, contract employees continue to receive MPhil allowance, and there is no instruction to recover previously paid amounts.
No Official Direction Issued
After verifying the matter:
- There is no authentic SED notification ordering recovery of MPhil allowance.
- No CEO DEA across Punjab has confirmed receiving any such official directive.
- Teachers and staff are advised not to believe unverified circulars circulating on WhatsApp, Facebook, or X (Twitter).
Any change in financial allowances is always issued by the Punjab Finance Department through an official notification published publicly. No such notification currently exists.
Conclusion
The news claiming that “MPhil allowance has been stopped for contract employees” is fake and misleading. The viral letter is not officially verified, and there is no such decision by the Punjab Government.
MPhil allowance remains admissible to all eligible BPS employees, including contract staff.
Employees should rely only on official sources and avoid sharing unverified documents that create panic.
