Chandigarh, November 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government will provide free online coaching for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination and Punjab Civil Services examinations to 1,000 selected college students, aiming to make civil services preparation accessible irrespective of financial background or geographical location.
Announcing the initiative, the state government said 750 students from government colleges and 250 from private colleges would be covered under the programme, spearheaded by Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Every young person in Punjab carries a dream, and no dream should be held back because a family cannot afford coaching or a student lives far from a coaching centre. We want the children of Punjab to dream without limits and know that their Government stands with them.”
He said the initiative would extend the vision of Punjab Sikhiya Kranti beyond classrooms by opening opportunities for students aspiring to become civil servants and public administrators.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said students from villages and small towns would receive structured preparation, guidance and academic support comparable to that available in major coaching hubs.
Comprehensive Coaching and Mentorship Support
The programme will offer live interactive and recorded lectures, study material, test series, answer-writing practice and evaluation, personalised mentorship, doubt-resolution sessions and interview guidance.
The government said the initiative would help students overcome financial and geographical barriers to specialised civil services preparation.
Two civil services aspirants from Fazilka and Tarn Taran also welcomed the announcement, saying free coaching and access to experienced faculty, regular tests and mentorship would ease the financial burden and help students pursue their ambitions.
58,614 Students Enrolled Under PACE Coaching Programme
The government also highlighted its Punjab Academic Coaching for Excellence (PACE) programme, which provides free coaching for competitive examinations through academic partnerships with Physics Wallah and Avanti.
A total of 58,614 students from Classes 9 to 12 are enrolled in the programme. This includes 3,110 students in Class 9 and 4,279 in Class 10 receiving foundational coaching, while 29,129 students are enrolled for JEE preparation and 22,096 for NEET preparation.
According to the government, 361 students from government schools qualified for JEE Main 2026, 64 cleared JEE Advanced 2026 and 882 qualified for NEET-UG 2026.
The number of NEET qualifiers from government schools increased from 437 in 2024 to 847 in 2025 and 882 in 2026, the government said.
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