Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Over 2 lakh students apply for 20,000 seats in Punjab Govt Schools
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, January 23, 2026:Punjab’s Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Tuesday highlighted the growing confidence of parents and students in government schools, following the overwhelming response to admissions in Schools of Eminence and Residential Schools for Meritorious Students under the ‘Sikhya Kranti’ (Education Revolution) initiative led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Minister Bains said that over 2 lakh students have registered for Classes 9 and 11, competing for nearly 20,000 available seats, signaling a significant shift towards quality education in government-run institutions.
Providing an overview, the Minister stated that Punjab currently has 118 Schools of Eminence and 10 Residential Schools for Meritorious Students for the academic session 2026–27.
For Class 9 admissions, there are 4,248 seats in Schools of Eminence (36 per school) and 50 seats in Residential Schools, while Class 11 admissions include 11,187 seats in Schools of Eminence and 4,600 seats in Residential Schools. Of the total sanctioned intake of 15,104 for Class 11, 3,917 students will be promoted from Class 10 within Schools of Eminence.
On registration status, Minister Bains said 93,300 students have registered for Class 9, with 74,855 applications submitted, and 1,10,716 students for Class 11, with 92,624 applications completed. A total of 36,537 students across both classes are yet to finalize their applications.
The Minister urged students and parents to complete the process by January 25, 2026, noting that the entrance examination will be conducted on March 1, 2026. Details regarding admit cards and examination centres will be shared through official channels in due course.