PUNJAB BUDGET 2026-27: INVESTING IN MINDS TO SHAPE FUTURE, SAYS HARJOT BAINS
•EM hails ₹19,279-CR allocation for Education sector marks a significant 7% increase to make Punjab Education Hub
• ₹3,500-Cr ‘Sikhiya Kranti 2.0’ to revolutionise education ecosystem: Bains
•Education system catapulted from incremental reform to full-scale structural revolution: Harjot Bains
Chandigarh, March 8 (WISHAVWARTA);- Terming the Punjab Budget 2026-27 as a transformative and historic milestone, the Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains, on Sunday, hailed the record allocation of Rs19,279 crore for the education sector, marking a significant 7% increase over the previous year. He asserted that the state’s education system has catapulted from incremental reform to a full-scale structural revolution.
While giving reaction on the budget presented by Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema in Punjab Vidhan Sabha today, S. Harjot Singh Bains stated, “This budget is a blueprints for Punjab’s future, written in the language of opportunity and excellence. Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, we are translating our promise of ‘Punjab Sikhiya Kranti’ into an irreversible reality. We have secured the nation’s top rank in learning outcomes and now, with this budget, we are equipping our students to compete and win on the world stage.”
Sharing a defining moment for the state, S. Bains highlighted that the state has decided to launch “Sikhiya Kranti 2.0”, a visionary initiative backed by a Rs 3,500 crore investment over six years in collaboration with the World Bank. This represents one of the largest education reform investments in Punjab’s history, and the state is redesigning the entire education ecosystem. From strengthening foundational literacy and empowering our teachers to modernising governance and establishing structured career pathways, this mission will prepare the students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
The Education Minister underscored that the budget builds on a strong foundation of proven success, citing Punjab’s 1st rank in the Government of India’s PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, where the state surpassed even Kerala in classroom learning outcomes.
“The results of our commitment are visible today,” S. Harjot Singh Bains remarked, while highlighting that as many as 305 government school students qualified in the first attempt of JEE Mains. This proves that excellence is not the privilege of a few, but the right of every child in Punjab.
He further informed that Rs 400 crore investment is placing 38,649 desktop computers and 8,268 Interactive Flat Panels into government schools, ensuring every secondary and senior secondary school has a modern computer lab. Punjab Government is not just talking about Artificial Intelligence. The state is putting the future directly into the students’ hands. This builds on achievements where 99% of schools now have boundary walls and over one lakh new desks ensure no child sits on the floor.
Divulging details about a statewide Career Counselling Framework, S. Bains said that the framework, covering around 7.35 lakh students, will be supported by a new dedicated portal to help young minds make informed decisions about higher education and jobs.
Looking beyond school education, S. Harjot Singh Bains informed that a World-Class University in the name of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji will be established at Sri Anandpur Sahib. Furthermore, in the technical education sector, seating capacity in Government ITIs has been expanded from 35,000 to 52,000, with a pioneering initiative to operationalise ITIs in 11 jails, integrating skill development with social rehabilitation. He further shared that 11 ITIs will be upgraded as Centre of Excellence (CoE) across the state.
Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains emphasised that Punjab’s true wealth lies in its classrooms and children’s dreams. The budget for 2026-27 is a significant step towards building a brighter future, with a record allocation of Rs 19,279 crore for education.
