Is Punjab Expanding Its Educational Infrastructure?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Expansion of educational infrastructure in Punjab.
- New government colleges focusing on underserved areas.
- 85% increase in student enrolment across colleges.
- Introduction of new-age courses in emerging fields.
- Creation of over 54,000 government jobs for youth.
Chandigarh, July 11 (NationPress) The government of Punjab is poised to enhance its educational infrastructure by launching new government colleges across the state, particularly targeting border areas and underrepresented regions, as stated by Minister for Higher Education, Harjot Singh Bains, during the assembly session.
While presenting the Rayat Bahra Professional University, Hoshiarpur Bill -- 2025 and C.G.C. University, Mohali Bill -- 2025 in the Vidhan Sabha, Bains emphasized the state's significant advancements in education, reporting an 85 percent increase in enrolment in government colleges.
The Education Minister revealed that all colleges in the state—government, private, and aided—experienced a remarkable jump in student enrolment, escalating from 700,000 in 2022 to 900,000 in the previous academic year.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University in Bathinda observed a substantial rise in enrolment, increasing from 1,400 to 2,480 students.
Additionally, the state has expanded its ITI seats by around 35,000 in the last three years, achieving an impressive 99 percent fill-up rate last year, with intentions to add 5,000-7,000 more seats this year.
Bains credited this growth to the government's dedication to transforming Punjab into a global education hub.
Remarkably, the government has created over 54,000 government jobs for the youth, significantly reducing brain drain.
“The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is unprecedented in the history of our nation for prioritizing education in its agenda during the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections,” Bains remarked, reinforcing that education remains the top priority of the Punjab government.
He also noted that the state has rolled out new-age courses in burgeoning fields such as data science, artificial intelligence, banking, financial services, digital marketing, hospitality and tourism, and event management.
Moreover, the government has ensured the prompt distribution of Scheduled Caste scholarships to guarantee that no student is deprived of quality education due to financial limitations.