Breaking Barriers: Punjab Government Schools Produce 59 JEE Advanced Qualifiers
– JEE Advanced 2026, IIT Selections Rise by 34%
Chandigarh, June 2
In a remarkable achievement for Punjab’s education sector, 59 students from government schools have successfully qualified the highly competitive JEE Advanced 2026, registering an impressive 34 percent increase from the 44 students who qualified in 2025. The achievement marks another major milestone under the Punjab Government’s flagship Punjab Sikhya Kranti initiative.
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Bains congratulated the successful students, their parents, teachers, and school administrations, praising their hard work and dedication.
Patiala Emerges as Top Performer
Sharing district-wise results, the Education Minister said that Patiala led the state with 11 successful candidates, followed by Sangrur (7). Ludhiana, Ferozepur, and SAS Nagar recorded 6 qualifiers each, while Fatehgarh Sahib contributed 5 students. Amritsar and Jalandhar had 4 qualifiers each, while Bathinda and Gurdaspur produced 3 qualifiers each. Fazilka recorded 2 selections, while Rupnagar and Hoshiarpur had one qualifier each.
Government Schools Producing IIT Aspirants
Calling the result a defining moment for public education, Harjot Singh Bains said the achievement demonstrates that talent and determination can overcome economic barriers.
“This is not a one-time success. We have moved from 44 to 59 qualifiers within a year. Students from villages and modest backgrounds are clearing one of India’s toughest examinations without spending lakhs of rupees on private coaching. This is the real face of Punjab Sikhya Kranti,” he said.
He added that government school students are now successfully competing with candidates from elite coaching institutions, proving that quality education can be delivered through public schools.
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Punjab Sikhya Kranti Driving Results
The Minister credited the success to reforms introduced under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s Punjab Sikhya Kranti programme, which provides:
- Free advanced coaching for JEE and NEET aspirants
- Modernized school infrastructure
- Dedicated mentoring and academic guidance
- Regular mock tests and performance tracking
Bains noted that critics had once described these initiatives as political gimmicks, but the steady rise in JEE and NEET qualifiers clearly demonstrates their effectiveness.
Inspiring Stories Behind the Success
Priya Bhardwaj – Hoshiarpur
One of the successful candidates, Priya Bhardwaj from School of Eminence Bhagpur Sataur, Hoshiarpur, overcame significant hardships to achieve her dream. Raised by her single mother after the loss of her father, Priya’s family survives on an annual income of approximately ₹1.44 lakh. Despite financial challenges, she remained focused on her studies and qualified JEE Advanced with the support of the Punjab Government’s coaching and mentoring programmes.
Priya now hopes to become an engineer and fulfil her late father’s dream.
Prabhjot Singh – SAS Nagar
Prabhjot Singh, a student of School of Eminence Mullanpur, SAS Nagar, comes from a humble family. His father works as a labourer while his mother is a homemaker. Benefiting from the academic support and guidance provided through government initiatives, Prabhjot successfully cleared JEE Advanced and now aspires to build a better future for his family through engineering.
Harsh Madhav – Fatehgarh Sahib
Another success story is Harsh Madhav from School of Eminence Amloh, Fatehgarh Sahib. His father earns approximately ₹18,000 per month in a private company, making expensive private coaching unaffordable. Harsh credited the Punjab Government’s free coaching, mock tests, and mentorship programmes for helping him crack the examination. He now aims to secure admission to IIT Bombay.
A New Era in Government School Education
Harjot Singh Bains said the achievement is more than just an examination result—it is evidence that quality education and equal opportunities can transform lives.
“This success proves that every child in Punjab, regardless of background or financial status, can dream big and compete with the best in the country. Punjab’s government schools are producing future engineers, innovators, and nation-builders,” he said.
The Education Minister wished all successful students a bright future and expressed confidence that Punjab’s education revolution would continue producing outstanding results in the years ahead.
