Punjab tops school education rankings, surpasses Kerala in NITI Aayog report

Marking a historic turnaround in the state’s government school system, Punjab has emerged as one of India’s best-performing states in school education. The NITI Aayog Education Quality Report 2026 has placed Punjab ahead of Kerala — long regarded as India’s gold standard in school education — on key foundational learning metrics.

Hailing the achievement as the beginning of “Punjab’s Era,” driven by systemic reforms and grassroots dedication, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “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 work together, results follow.”

Advertisement

Sharing details of the report, he said, “Punjab recorded 82% proficiency in language and 78% in mathematics in Class 3, surpassing Kerala’s 75% and 70% respectively. In Class 9 mathematics, Punjab scored 52%, significantly higher than Kerala’s 45%.”

Highlighting the impact of the Punjab Government’s reforms, the minister added, “The post-COVID recovery push led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann through Mission Samarth and the Schools of Eminence programme has yielded tangible results.”

Citing findings from the NITI Aayog report, he further said, “As many as 99.9% of government schools now have electricity, 99% have functional computers, and over 80% are equipped with smart classrooms. Additionally, more than 90% of Class 10 students now transition smoothly to Class 11, indicating a sharp decline in dropout rates. The student-teacher ratio has also improved to an ideal 22:1.”

Referring to the report’s observations, Harjot Singh 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. Punjab’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, while 1,284 students have qualified for NEET so far.”

Sharing details of teacher training and infrastructure expansion, the Punjab Education Minister stated, “Teacher training programmes in Finland and Singapore, introduced 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 members and rolled out the English Edge Programme for nearly three lakh students, besides establishing 118 Schools of Eminence.”

“With the right policy, intent, and performance, quality education is inevitable. Our teachers have proved it,” Harjot Singh Bains added, noting that “NITI Aayog has now validated what the state has been witnessing on the ground. Government school children are not just catching up — they are leading.”