Patiala district tops with 11 JEE qualifiers, says Harjot Singh Bains

Mann Govt’s Sikhya Kranti shatters ‘IIT only for rich kids’ myth: Bains

Education Minister congratulates the successful students and wishes them the very best for future 

CHANDIGARH: In a resounding endorsement of “Punjab Sikhya Kranti” initiative, 59 students from Punjab government schools have qualified JEE Advanced 2026, India’s toughest engineering entrance exam, registering a sharp 34% surge from 44 qualifiers in 2025, informed Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains.

Expressing delight over the achievement, Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains congratulated the 59 successful students, their parents and teachers, whose dedication made this feat possible. 

Sharing the district-wise break-up, the Education Minister said that Patiala district emerged as the top-performing district with 11 qualifiers, followed by Sangrur with 7 students, while Ludhiana, Ferozepur and SAS Nagar secured six selections each. Fatehgarh Sahib saw 5 students qualify, while Amritsar and Jalandhar accounted for 4 each. Bathinda and Gurdaspur secured 3 selection each, Fazilka 2 and one each from Rupnagar and Hoshiarpur.

Calling it a turning point for government school education, S. Harjot Singh Bains stated, “This isn’t a one-time fluke. We went from 44 to 59 in a year. A village kid with grit can now beat the odds and crack India’s toughest exam, no lakhs of rupees spent on coaching bills. That’s what Punjab Sikhya Kranti looks like on the ground. Our students are cracking JEE Advanced from government school benches, not AC coaching centres. That’s the real revolution.”

“This result dismantles the myth that IIT success is reserved for elite private coaching hubs,” Bains said. “Through Punjab Sikhya Kranti’s targeted interventions and merit-based mentoring, our government schools are now producing top-tier engineering talent at scale. Every child in Punjab, regardless of background, can dream big and crack the country’s toughest exams.”

Attributing the breakthrough to systemic reforms, S. Harjot Singh Bains said the success stems from targeted interventions under the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government’s ‘Punjab Sikhya Kranti’. The initiative provides free advanced coaching, upgraded infrastructure and dedicated mentoring for JEE and NEET aspirants in government schools. 

S. Bains said opposition leaders had earlier dismissed the government’s coaching programmes as ‘electoral gimmicks’. “But the steady year-on-year rise in JEE and NEET qualifiers proves otherwise. Numbers don’t lie. Our government school students are now competing with the best in the country on equal footing.”

Behind every successful student lies a story of determination, sacrifice and aspiration, the Education Minister said, while adding that the success of Punjab Government school students in JEE Advanced is not just an examination result but proof of how educational opportunities can transform lives.

S. Bains highlighted the journey of Priya Bhardwaj from School of Eminence Bhagpur Sataur in Hoshiarpur. Raised by her single mother after her father’s death, Priya’s family survives on an annual income of Rs 1.44 lakh from her mother’s job in a private company. Despite financial hardship, she stayed committed to her studies and qualified JEE Advanced with support from the Punjab Government’s coaching and mentoring ecosystem. She now hopes to become an engineer and fulfil her late father’s dream.

Among the achievers is Prabhjot Singh from School of Eminence Mullanpur, SAS Nagar. His father works as a labourer and his mother is a homemaker. From a financially constrained background, Prabhjot prepared through academic support provided by the Punjab Government with constant encouragement from his teachers and principal. He dreams of becoming an engineer and supporting his family.

Similarly, Harsh Madhav from School of Eminence Amloh in Fatehgarh Sahib, said the free coaching, mock tests and mentorship provided by the Punjab Government helped him prepare for JEE Advanced. His father earns Rs 18,000 per month in a private company, and his family could not have afforded private coaching. He now aspires to secure admission to IIT Bombay and build a better future for his family.