Meritorious Students of Amritsar Honoured under ‘Bright Minds Punjab’
Punjab will now be known as ‘Pardhda Punjab’ (Educated Punjab), not ‘Uddta Punjab’: Harjot Singh Bains
5 Dariya News
Amritsar 27-Jun-2026
Under the ‘Bright Minds Punjab’ initiative, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and AAP Punjab Affairs In-charge Manish Sisodia honoured around 332 meritorious students from Amritsar district who secured 95 per cent or above marks in the Class XII examinations. The district-level felicitation ceremony was held at the Dashmesh Auditorium, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
MLA Amritsar West Dr. Jasbir Singh Sandhu, Director School Education (Secondary) Sakkatar Singh Ball, and Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Pallavi Sharma were also present on the occasion. Congratulating the meritorious students, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that these young achievers are the future of Punjab and the nation.
Reiterating the Punjab Government’s commitment to quality education, he said that Punjab has overtaken Kerala to emerge as the top-performing state in school education in the country. He added that according to the NITI Aayog 2026 Report and the PGI 2.0 ranking of the Government of India, Punjab’s school education system has secured the first position nationwide.
The Education Minister further stated that the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has approved an ordinance to amend the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, capping the annual increase in school fees and funds at a maximum of five per cent.
He added that the Government has also decided to take action against schools that imposed unreasonable fee hikes during the past three years, and the excess amount collected would be refunded to parents. Harjot Singh Bains said that along with strengthening school education, the Government is also making sincere efforts to improve higher education.
He shared that he had personally visited several schools in the border district of Amritsar and observed that the district is currently delivering outstanding performance in the field of education. Addressing the gathering, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP Punjab Affairs In-charge Manish Sisodia held an interactive session with the students.
Appreciating the initiative, he said that the progress of any nation is directly linked to the strength of its education system. He remarked that if education is improved, the country will automatically progress.
He stressed that the examination system should focus on understanding rather than rote learning. Manish Sisodia said that the Aam Aadmi Party Government has brought about an education revolution that has transformed government schools.
He stated that government schools now provide education and facilities that are even better than many private schools. He also invited suggestions from students regarding improvements required in the education policy and examination system.
The event witnessed an enthusiastic atmosphere, with students actively participating and sharing valuable suggestions for systemic reforms. A meaningful exchange of ideas took place between policymakers and young learners.
Students of government schools also shared their experiences regarding the revolutionary changes introduced in their schools over the past few years. During the ceremony, 332 students who secured more than 95 per cent marks were felicitated.
Tia, a student of the School of Eminence, Mall Road, Amritsar, who has been selected by ISRO, was also honoured specially. It is noteworthy that ISRO conducted a competitive test involving students from 108 countries, and Tia was selected to represent India.
District Education Officer (Secondary) Kanwaljit Singh, Deputy District Education Officer (Secondary) Rajesh Khanna, principals of various schools, teachers, students and their parents were present in large numbers.