Punjab: Over 2 lakh aspirants vie for 20,000 seats across Schools of Eminence, Residential Schools
Urging parents and students to adhere to timelines, Education Minister Bains said January 25 is the last date for submitting applications. The examination is scheduled for March 1, with details regarding admit cards, examination centres to be communicated through official channels in due course.
Punjab’s government schools are seeing an unprecedented surge in demand, with more than two lakh students applying for just around 20,000 seats in the state’s Schools of Eminence and Residential Schools for meritorious students. The massive response underscores a growing shift in public perception and rising confidence in government-run education institutions in Punjab.
Sharing the figures on Tuesday, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the results reflect the success of the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government’s “Sikhya Kranti” initiative, aimed at transforming the quality and reach of public education in Punjab.
According to the minister, over two lakh students have registered for admissions to Classes 9 and 11 for the academic session 2026–27. These applicants are competing for nearly 20,000 seats across 118 Schools of Eminence and 10 Residential Schools for Meritorious Students currently operational in the state.
Minister Harjot Bains shares details of available seats
Providing a breakdown of seat availability, Bains said that for Class 9, Schools of Eminence are offering 4,248 seats, with 36 seats per school. Residential Schools for Meritorious Students are offering 50 seats for Class 9, presently through one operational residential school.
For Class 11 admissions, Schools of Eminence have 11,187 seats available. The total sanctioned strength for Class 11 stands at 15,104 seats, of which 3,917 students from Class 10 within Schools of Eminence will be promoted internally. Additionally, Residential Schools for Meritorious Students have 4,600 seats available for Class 11.
On the application status, the Education Minister said that 93,300 students registered for Class 9, with 74,855 completing final submission. For Class 11, 1,10,716 students registered, of whom 92,624 have successfully submitted their applications. Around 36,537 applicants across both classes are yet to complete the final submission process.
Urging parents and students to adhere to timelines, Bains said January 25, 2026, is the last date for submitting applications. The entrance examination is scheduled for March 1, 2026, with details regarding admit cards and examination centres to be communicated through official channels in due course.
He reiterated that the overwhelming response signals a decisive shift towards quality education in Punjab’s government schools.