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Merit alone determining success under AAP govt in Punjab: Mann
Mann said more than 68,000 government jobs had been provided through a transparent recruitment process since his government assumed office
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday felicitated 882 students from state’s government schools who qualified NEET 2026, describing the achievement as a reflection of the state’s education reforms, and asserting that Punjab had established a system where merit alone, not cash or recommendations, determined success in education and government employment.
Addressing a felicitation ceremony in Zirakpur, the chief minister said the number of government school students from Punjab clearing the national medical entrance examination had increased nearly 11-fold, from 82 in 2022 to 882 this year.
He attributed the milestone to sustained investment in government education, free coaching, mentorship and career counselling under the Punjab Academic Coaching for Excellence (PACE) programme.
Mann said more than 68,000 government jobs had been provided through a transparent recruitment process since his government assumed office, maintaining that there was no scope for bribery, recommendations or favouritism. “Merit alone decides government jobs in Punjab,” he said, adding that the transparent system had encouraged many Punjabi youths to return from abroad to seek employment in the state.
Congratulating the students, their parents and teachers, Mann said the graduates would go on to serve society as dedicated doctors. During the event, several students sought his autograph and presented him with hand-drawn portraits, drawing applause from the audience.
Not a single paper leak case during AAP tenure: Mann
Referring to the recent NEET controversy, Mann said nearly 20 lakh students had appeared for the examination across the country and Punjab’s students had excelled despite one of the toughest competitive examinations. However, he alleged that the number of successful candidates could have been even higher had the examination paper not been leaked.
Calling repeated paper leaks a “complete failure” of the Union government, Mann said similar incidents had occurred in 2017, 2024 and again in 2026, leaving many deserving students disheartened. He claimed some aspirants even chose not to appear for the examination because of the controversy, describing the recurrence of such incidents as “condemnable, intolerable and unpardonable”.
Contrasting Punjab’s record with the national situation, the chief minister said not a single examination paper had leaked in the state during the last four-and-a-half years.
Referring to the recent pharmacy officer recruitment examination in Faridkot, he said the government acted immediately after receiving information about an attempt to facilitate cheating. He said 21 accused had been arrested and sent to jail in connection with the racket, reiterating that his government will not allow even a single incident of paper leakage or cheating to jeopardise the future of Punjab’s youth.
Highlighting broader education reforms, Mann said Punjab had risen from the 27th position to the top rank in school education through initiatives such as Schools of Eminence, international teacher training and infrastructure upgrades. He said over 28,000 teachers had been recruited, computer laboratories established in 5,012 government schools and more than 8,200 interactive panels installed to modernise classrooms.
According to the state government, 686 of the 882 successful NEET candidates are girls, while 340 belong to the Scheduled Caste community. Over the past three years, 2,166 government school students have qualified NEET and 786 have cleared JEE, reflecting the growing academic performance of Punjab’s government schools.
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia and education minister Harjot Singh Bains were also present and congratulated the successful students.
