Chandigarh: The Schools of Eminence and Residential Schools for Meritorious Students in Punjab have witnessed an unprecedented surge in admissions this year, with more than two lakh students vying for approximately 20,000 available seats in Classes 9 and 11. This overwhelming response highlights a significant shift in parental and student confidence towards state-run educational institutions.
Growing Confidence in Government Schools
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains emphasized that the massive influx of applications underscores the increasing trust among parents and students in the quality of education provided by government schools. He noted that the intense competition for the limited seats marks a pivotal change in preferences, moving away from private institutions towards publicly funded ones.
Institutional Framework and Seat Availability
Currently, Punjab operates 118 Schools of Eminence and 10 Residential Schools for Meritorious Students, with admissions ongoing for the academic session 2026–27. The minister provided a detailed breakdown of seat availability:
- For Class 9: Schools of Eminence offer 4,248 seats, with 36 seats per school, while Residential Schools for Meritorious Students have 50 seats available through one operational school.
- For Class 11: Schools of Eminence have 11,187 seats available. The total sanctioned intake for Class 11 is 15,104 seats, out of which 3,917 students from Class 10 in Schools of Eminence will be promoted. Additionally, 4,600 seats are available in Residential Schools for Meritorious Students for Class 11 admissions.
Registration and Application Statistics
Sharing the registration status, Minister Bains revealed that for Class 9, 93,300 students registered, with 74,855 applications finally submitted. For Class 11, a total of 1,10,716 students registered, and 92,624 applications were successfully submitted. He added that 36,537 students from both classes are yet to complete their final submission, indicating ongoing interest and potential for further applications.
This remarkable response not only reflects the success of Punjab's educational initiatives but also sets a benchmark for other states aiming to enhance their government school systems. The competition for seats is expected to drive further improvements in infrastructure and teaching quality across these institutions.
