Chandigarh | January 1, 2026
In a significant push toward “democratizing” high-quality education, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced today that over 1,728 government school students have successfully completed intensive training under the Punjab Academic Coaching for Excellence (PACE) Winter Residential Camps.
The initiative, part of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government’s “education revolution,” is designed to provide students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds with the same level of coaching usually reserved for those attending expensive private institutes.
Key Highlights of the Program:
- Targeted Success: The camps focused on preparing students for premier national-level entrance exams, including IIT-JEE (Engineering) and NEET (Medical), to secure admissions in top-tier institutions like IITs, NITs, and AIIMS.
- Three Specialized Hubs: Training was conducted across three residential centers with specific student distributions:
- Bathinda: 601 students (359 girls, 242 boys)Ludhiana: 573 students (327 girls, 246 boys) – exclusively for Class 11.**SAS Nagar (Mohali): 554 students (367 girls, 187 boys) – focused on Class 12 and drop-year aspirants.Rigorous Selection: Participants were not chosen at random; they underwent a multi-stage selection process that evaluated performance in standardized mock tests, conceptual clarity, and academic consistency.
- Expert Partnerships: To ensure top-notch instruction, the Punjab government collaborated with renowned coaching organizations, including Physics Wallah, Vidya Mandir, and Avanti Fellows.
Bridging the Inequity Gap
Minister Harjot Singh Bains emphasized that 20% of the seats at each center were reserved for students from general government schools and “drop-year” aspirants, extending the benefits beyond the flagship Schools of Eminence (SOE).
”This initiative empowers youth and instills confidence in deserving students who might otherwise be held back by financial constraints,” Bains stated. He noted that the residential nature of the camps provided a “distraction-free, high-intensity learning environment” complete with secure accommodation, nutritious meals, and 24/7 medical and counseling support.
Proven Track Record
The PACE program is already yielding results. According to department data:
- Last year (2025): 265 government school students cleared JEE Mains, 45 qualified for JEE Advanced, and 847 cleared NEET.
- Current Goal: With the expanded winter camps, the state aims to double these figures in the upcoming 2026 exam cycle.
The success of these camps signals a shift in Punjab’s educational strategy, focusing not just on school results, but on competitive excellence to ensure government school students are well-represented in India’s elite professional institutions.