Chandigarh, July 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia on Thursday felicitated more than 300 government school principals for their contribution to the state’s improved performance in national-level competitive examinations under the Punjab Academic Coaching for Excellence (PACE) initiative.
Addressing the felicitation ceremony held at Mohali Club in SAS Nagar, Bains said government schools in Punjab had registered significant achievements in JEE (Main), JEE (Advanced) and NEET-UG 2026 examinations, crediting the progress to the collective efforts of teachers, principals and the School Education Department.
Bains said 361 students from Punjab government schools qualified JEE (Main) 2026, marking a 35.2 per cent increase compared to the previous year. He added that 64 students cleared JEE (Advanced), reflecting a 45.5 per cent year-on-year rise.
He further said 882 students from government schools qualified NEET-UG 2026, compared to 847 in 2025 and 437 in 2024, representing more than a two-fold increase in two years.
Highlighting the impact of the Punjab Sikhya Kranti initiative, the Education Minister said government school students were now gaining admission to premier institutions across the country. He said 10 students had secured entry into Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), 36 into National Institutes of Technology (NITs), while more than 90 students had been admitted to government engineering colleges.
“Punjab’s education model is being discussed across the country today. This success is the result of the dedication and hard work of our teachers,” Bains said, adding that the number of government school students qualifying these examinations had increased significantly since 2022.
Emphasising the importance of school leadership, Bains said the role of principals was crucial in transforming educational institutions. “A good principal can turn even a neglected building into a temple of learning. However, without passion for teaching, even the best policies cannot deliver results,” he said.
He informed that the School Education Department had organised four residential coaching camps in June 2026 at Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar and Mohali, benefiting around 3,000 students through academic sessions, mentoring, mock tests, doubt-solving and focused preparation for JEE and NEET examinations.
Addressing the gathering, Manish Sisodia said infrastructure alone does not create successful schools, and teachers remain the key force behind educational transformation.
“Government can build school buildings, but it is teachers who transform them into centres of learning and aspiration,” Sisodia said.
He said Punjab Sikhya Kranti was aimed at creating modern infrastructure in government schools while providing academic support through expert coaching, structured mentoring, continuous assessments and residential programmes.
“Government schools are no longer seen as a compromise by lakhs of students. They are becoming gateways to IITs, NITs, medical colleges and better opportunities,” Sisodia added.
The event was attended by PDC Member Anurag Kundu, Director School Education (Secondary) S.S. Bal and senior officials of the School Education Department.
FOLLOW NOW
