CHANDIGARH: Marking a historic turnaround for government schools in the state, Punjab has been recognized as one of India’s best-performing states in school education, with the NITI Aayog Education Quality Report 2026 placing it ahead of Kerala on key foundational learning indicators.
Sharing details of the report, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, "Punjab recorded 82 per cent proficiency in language and 78 per cent in mathematics in Class 3, surpassing Kerala’s 75 per cent and 70 per cent respectively. In Class 9 mathematics, Punjab scored 52 per cent, significantly higher than Kerala’s 45 per cent.”
Highlighting the impact of the Punjab Government’s reforms, Bain said, "Punjab Government’s post COVID pandemic recovery push through Mission Samarth and the Schools of Eminence programme has yielded tangible results.”
"99.9 per cent of government schools now have electricity, 99 per cent have functional computers and over 80 per vcent are equipped with smart classrooms. Additionally, over 90 per cent of Class 10 students now transition smoothly to Class 11, indicating a sharp decline in dropout rates. The student teacher ratio has also been improved to an ideal 22:1,” he added.
Referring to the report’s observations, Bains said, “The NITI Aayog report specifically praised Punjab for bridging the urban rural divide in education and ensuring equal opportunities for village students and girls. The state’s adoption of global best practices has led to a sharp rise in competitive exam success among government school students. As many as 786 government school students have cleared JEE Main and 1,284 students have qualified for NEET so far.”
Sharing details of teacher training and infrastructure expansion,he stated, “Teacher training programmes in Finland and Singapore, rolled out under the state’s education reforms, have translated into results on the ground. This shows our classrooms can compete with the best. Punjab has recruited 13,000 teachers and staff and rolled out the English Edge Programme for nearly 3 lakh students, besides establishing 118 Schools of Eminence.”
“With the right policy, intent and performance, quality education is inevitable. Our teachers have proved it,” Bains added, while noting that, “NITI Aayog has now validated what the state has been seeing on the ground. Government school children are not just catching up, they are leading."
Hailing the achievement as the beginning of ‘Punjab’s Era’ driven by systemic reforms and grassroots dedication, Bains stated, "This honour belongs to every parent, student and teacher who refused to give up on government schools. This is not a one day miracle. When policy, intent and execution walk together, results follow.”