CM Mann inaugurates new block at Ludhiana govt school
Synopsis
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann inaugurated a new Rs 5 crore school block at Lohara, Ludhiana, funded by Vardhman Textile Group, featuring 18 classrooms and 3 staff rooms. He cited 16 Schools of Eminence, 11 Schools of Brilliance, and 35 Schools of Happiness in Ludhiana as proof of the state's ongoing education revolution.
Key Takeaways
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann inaugurated a new block at Government Primary School, Lohara, Ludhiana on 27 July 2026 .
The block was built at a cost of Rs 5 crore by Vardhman Textile Group through CSR funding, comprising 18 classrooms and 3 staff rooms .
Ludhiana now has 16 Schools of Eminence , 11 Schools of Brilliance , and 35 Schools of Happiness under the state government's education programme.
2 new Schools of Eminence are set to be inaugurated at Miller Ganj and Division No.
146 students from Ludhiana government schools cleared NEET and 42 cleared JEE (Mains and Advanced) , according to Mann.
The initiative reflects the Punjab government's model of combining public funds with corporate CSR contributions for school infrastructure.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday, 27 July 2026, inaugurated a newly constructed block at the Government Primary School, Lohara, Ludhiana, built at a cost of Rs 5 crore through a corporate social responsibility contribution from Vardhman Textile Group. The block comprises 18 new classrooms and 3 staff rooms, adding significant capacity to one of the district's government schools.
What Mann said
Posting in Punjabi on X, Mann expressed gratitude to Vardhman Textile Group, writing — 'ਮੈਂ ਵਰਧਮਾਨ ਟੈਕਸਟਾਈਲ ਗਰੁੱਪ ਦਾ ਤਹਿ ਦਿਲੋਂ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ' ('I sincerely thank the Vardhman Textile Group from the bottom of my heart'). He also highlighted the broader education transformation underway in Ludhiana, citing the establishment of 16 Schools of Eminence, 11 Schools of Brilliance, and 35 Schools of Happiness across the district. Mann added that 2 new Schools of Eminence would soon be inaugurated at Miller Ganj and Division No. 3.
Context
The inauguration at Lohara is part of a wider push by the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab to upgrade state-run school infrastructure, a model the party has championed since coming to power in March 2022. The involvement of Vardhman Textile Group — a Ludhiana-based industrial conglomerate — reflects the government's approach of supplementing public expenditure with corporate CSR funding to accelerate school construction. Mann credited what he called an 'ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਕ੍ਰਾਂਤੀ' ('education revolution') for improved student outcomes in the district.
Policy backdrop
The School of Eminence programme is the Punjab government's flagship initiative to create high-standard government schools with upgraded facilities, advanced academic support, and career-oriented infrastructure. It draws from a comparable model of school transformation that the AAP had implemented in Delhi before expanding the approach to Punjab. Alongside Schools of Eminence, the government has also rolled out Schools of Brilliance and Schools of Happiness as tiered upgrades targeting different segments of the state's government school network. Mann pointed to a direct link between these reforms and competitive exam outcomes, noting that 146 students from Ludhiana's government schools cleared NEET and 42 cleared JEE (Mains and Advanced).
Stakeholders and impact
The primary beneficiaries are students enrolled in government schools in Ludhiana, a district with a large working-class and industrial-labour population whose children depend on state-funded education. The addition of 18 classrooms at Lohara directly addresses infrastructure shortfalls that have historically led to overcrowding in government primary schools. For Vardhman Textile Group, the contribution represents a visible CSR commitment in its home city, while the government gains a replicable public-private model for scaling school infrastructure without stretching the state budget.
What's next
The government has indicated that 2 new Schools of Eminence at Miller Ganj and Division No. 3 in Ludhiana will be inaugurated shortly, extending the district's specialised school network further. Statewide, the pace of similar inaugurations and the performance of students from upgraded schools in national entrance examinations will be closely watched as indicators of whether Punjab's education overhaul is producing durable results. The government's ability to sustain and replicate the CSR-partnership model in other districts beyond Ludhiana will determine the programme's broader reach.
Point of View
Mirroring the strategy that gave the party electoral credibility in Delhi. By publicly crediting a major industrial house for CSR funding, Mann is also signalling to other corporates that partnering with the state on education carries reputational value — a soft incentive to widen the funding base beyond the government's own budget. The NEET and JEE figures, if sustained and independently verified, would represent a meaningful shift in the competitive exam pipeline from government schools, historically dominated by private institutions. How the model scales beyond Ludhiana to smaller districts with weaker corporate ecosystems will be the real test of its replicability.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was inaugurated at Lohara Ludhiana by CM Bhagwant Mann?
CM Bhagwant Mann inaugurated a new school block at Government Primary School, Lohara, Ludhiana, consisting of 18 new classrooms and 3 staff rooms built at a cost of Rs 5 crore.
Who funded the new block at Government Primary School Lohara Ludhiana?
The new block was funded by Vardhman Textile Group, a Ludhiana-based company, through a corporate social responsibility contribution of Rs 5 crore.
How many Schools of Eminence are there in Ludhiana?
As of July 2026, Ludhiana has 16 Schools of Eminence, 11 Schools of Brilliance, and 35 Schools of Happiness under the Punjab government's education upgrade programme.
How many government school students from Ludhiana cleared NEET and JEE?
According to CM Bhagwant Mann, 146 students from Ludhiana government schools cleared NEET and 42 cleared JEE (Mains and Advanced).
What is the School of Eminence programme in Punjab?
School of Eminence is a Punjab government flagship scheme to develop high-standard government schools with upgraded infrastructure, advanced academic support, and better facilities, launched after the AAP came to power in March 2022.
