Under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Punjab's government schools have emerged as a national leader in education, securing the top position in the National Achievement Survey 2024, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, noting that the state surpassed Kerala, while Gujarat ranked 16th and Haryana around seventh or eighth.
Presenting a detailed four-year report card of the Punjab government's "Shiksha Kranti" on Monday, Mann highlighted the achievements of government school students in top entrance exams, revealing that 740 students recently cleared JEE and 1,284 cleared NEET. Punjab's government school students scored 18% higher than the national average in the survey.
"This achievement belongs to our government school teachers and students," he added.
Outlining institutional expansion, Mann said 118 Schools of Eminence are being established, 60 of which are already operational.
"These schools nurture talented students by offering education aligned with their abilities. For the first time, 24 lakh parents participated in mega PTMs," he said.
He further added, "Free uniforms have been provided to 30,000 students in these schools, and all streams, including Medical and Non-Medical, are available. Coaching for exams like Armed Forces Preparatory, NEET, JEE, and CLAT is also being provided."
Since April 2022, 14,525 teachers have been recruited, and the services of 12,316 education department employees have been regularised. Principals and teachers have received world-class training, with batches sent to Singapore, Finland, IIM Ahmedabad, and California State University, USA.
Mann also detailed infrastructure upgrades, including the recruitment of 1,932 campus managers, 1,323 security guards, 7,876 sanitation workers, and 1,792 watchmen; installation of high-speed fiber Wi-Fi in all government schools; construction of classrooms, labs, playgrounds, medical rooms, and separate toilets; and timely distribution of books and uniforms. Twenty-five schools have been named after martyrs and eminent personalities.
Emphasising innovation and entrepreneurship, the Chief Minister highlighted the Business Blaster scheme, which has generated Rs 70 crore, and the introduction of Entrepreneurship as a Class 11 subject. Cultural and linguistic initiatives include the digitisation of 18,550 Punjabi books, the launch of the Shabdmala E-Dictionary, and awards for literary contributions.
Mann also presented the four-year report card of the Punjab government's "Shiksha Kranti" under the "Shandaar Char Saal Bhagwant Mann de naal" series, noting an increase in the education budget from Rs 12,657 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 19,279 crore in 2026-27, marking the largest education reforms in Punjab's history.