The North News
Chandigarh, June 27
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday hailed a “revolutionary transformation” in the state’s education sector, declaring that out-of-the-box reforms have begun to yield tangible results, with a record 509 students from government schools clearing the NEET exam this year.Speaking at a felicitation ceremony for the successful students, Mann described the milestone as a “red-letter day” for Punjab, symbolising a deeper shift in how education is perceived and delivered. “In over three years, we have seen a paradigm shift. Our students are now proving themselves at the national level, and this is only the beginning,” he said.
Education, along with healthcare, infrastructure, job creation, and the fight against drugs, remain top priorities for the Mann-led government. “We have launched the ‘Yudh Nashesyan Virudh’ campaign to combat drugs and are determined to put all perpetrators behind bars,” the Chief Minister said, framing the fight as part of broader efforts to fix what he called the mess left by previous governments.
Mann credited students’ success to “sheer hard work and perseverance”, adding that they would serve as role models for society. He lamented the lost opportunities of a previous generation of youth, who were left jobless or aged out of eligibility for government posts due to the negligence of past regimes. “It’s unfortunate that political leaders can contest elections at any age, yet there’s a cap for government jobs,” he remarked.
The venue of the event, Municipal Bhawan, might even be renamed ‘Appointment Letter Bhawan’, Mann joked, referencing the 54,000 merit-based government jobs issued under his tenure. He also highlighted a growing trend of reverse migration—young people returning from abroad to take up government roles—owing to restored faith in state systems.
In a move to elevate public education, the state government has revived Parent-Teacher Meetings in government schools—an initiative once reserved for private institutions. “Communication between parents and teachers is key. This simple but profound change is already making a difference,” Mann said.
Libraries too are undergoing a facelift. State-of-the-art facilities with Wi-Fi, solar energy systems and curated collections are being constructed to cultivate a reading culture. Mann called them “true repositories of knowledge,” adding that books spanning literature and academic curriculum are now easily accessible to government school students.
Dismissing tokenistic welfare schemes, Mann declared that “freebies and concession cards cannot eliminate poverty—only quality education can.” He reiterated his government’s focus on lifting the standard of schooling to break cycles of deprivation and empower ordinary citizens.
Mann also celebrated the achievements of women in Punjab, noting a surge in academic and administrative representation. “Girls are now outnumbering boys in many fields,” he said. The state has appointed seven female Deputy Commissioners and eight women as Senior Superintendents of Police—moves Mann described as integral to women’s empowerment.
Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains and other dignitaries were also present at the ceremony.
