ZIRAKPUR, July 27 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann affirmed that the state has established a fully merit-driven system for public appointments, declaring that corruption and political recommendations have been eliminated. Speaking at a felicitation event in Zirakpur to honour 882 government school students who cleared the NEET 2026 examination, the Chief Minister stated that the state’s education reforms and transparent governance are yielding unprecedented results.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the number of successful NEET candidates from government schools rose from 82 in 2022 to 882 this year. He maintained that over 68,000 state government jobs have been granted strictly on merit over the past four and a half years, adding that Punjab has maintained a clean record regarding competitive examination security.
“In 2022, only 82 students from Punjab Government schools had qualified the NEET examination. This year, that number has risen to 882. This is a historic achievement for Punjab and reflects the transformation in our education system,” stated Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Addressing the issue of examination integrity, the Chief Minister asserted that the state administration reacted decisively to a recent cheating attempt during the Pharmacy Officer examination, leading to the arrest of 21 individuals. He contrasted Punjab’s local enforcement with paper leak incidents at the national level, pledging that the state will continue to safeguard the efforts of deserving candidates.
“It has been more than four years since our government assumed office and not a single examination paper has leaked in Punjab. Recently, when an attempt to facilitate cheating in the Pharmacy Officer examination came to our notice, we acted immediately,” stated the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister also noted that state initiatives like the Punjab Academic Coaching for Excellence programme, teacher training at premier management institutes and international centers, and upgraded digital infrastructure in over 5,000 schools have enabled students from all backgrounds to excel in competitive national examinations.
