The Punjab Government is gearing up to enhance its higher education infrastructure by setting up new government colleges, particularly in border and underserved areas, announced Punjab Higher Education MINISTER HARJOT BAINS
While presenting the Rayat Bahra Professional University, Hoshiarpur Bill-2025 and C.G.C. University, Mohali Bill-2025 in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday, Bains spotlighted the state’s significant achievements in education—highlighting an 85% surge in admissions to government colleges.
He shared that overall enrolment across government, private, and aided colleges rose from 7 lakh students in 2022 to 9 lakh in the most recent academic session. Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University in Bathinda alone saw an increase from 1,400 to 2,480 students. Additionally, the number of seats in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) has grown by nearly 35,000 in the last three years, with a remarkable 99% of them filled last year. The state plans to further increase capacity by 5,000 to 7,000 seats this year.
MINISTER HARJOT BAINS credited this progress to the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and the government’s mission to position Punjab as a leading global education hub. He also noted that over 54,000 government jobs have been provided to youth, helping stem the tide of brain drain.
He emphasized that the Aam Aadmi Party is the first in India’s political history to place education at the core of its election manifesto during the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. Education remains the highest priority for the Mann-led government.
The minister further noted that the state has introduced cutting-edge courses in modern fields such as Data Science, AI, Banking, Financial Services, Digital Marketing, Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management. The government has also ensured the timely release of scholarships for Scheduled Caste students, ensuring that financial constraints don’t block access to quality education.
Addressing longstanding challenges, MINISTER HARJOT BAINS stated that just three years ago, nearly 90% of faculty posts in government colleges were vacant, with some teachers earning only ₹20,000 a month. Under the current government, their salaries have been increased to ₹50,000. He reassured guest faculty members that their roles are secure and valued. The recruitment of new, capable faculty members has helped fill decades-old vacancies.
He proudly added that Punjab has now become a favored destination for international students, with learners from 70 different countries enrolled in its institutions.
MINISTER HARJOT BAINS also highlighted initiatives aimed at strengthening academia-industry collaboration to enhance hands-on learning and skill development. One such program, Business Blaster, provides seed funding and mentorship to students, encouraging entrepreneurship and helping transform students from job seekers into job creators.