• ¨     Punjab secured the first rank in the NITI Aayog School Education Quality Index (SEQI) 2026, ahead of states such as Kerala.

    ¨  The ranking was presented by the state government in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Chandigarh, on 6 August 2026.

    ¨    The School Education Quality Index (SEQI) is a performance framework used by NITI Aayog to assess school education across Indian states and Union Territories.

    ¨ SEQI covers parameters such as access, infrastructure, equity, governance, learning outcomes, and teacher-related indicators.

    ¨     Punjab improved its ranking from 27th in 2020 to 1st in 2026.

    ¨     The state recorded 82% proficiency in Class III language skills and 78% proficiency in mathematics.

    ¨     Punjab upgraded infrastructure in 19,125 schools.

    ¨  According to official figures, ₹2,638 crore was spent on school infrastructure upgrades. Some local reports cited ₹3,638 crore for the same exercise.

    ¨ A baseline survey conducted in July 2022 found that 8,000 schools lacked boundary walls, 3,200 schools lacked functional toilets, and around 4 lakh children sat on bare floors.

    ¨   According to the latest figures, around 80% of schools have smart classrooms.

    ¨   In 2026, 882 students from Punjab government schools qualified for NEET-UG, compared with only 80 students in 2021.

    ¨   The state linked this improvement to the Punjab Academic Coaching for Excellence (PACE) initiative.

    ¨  Punjab became the first state in India to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a core subject from Classes I to XII.

    ¨   The state also revised its textbook distribution timeline.

    ¨  Textbooks are now expected to reach district headquarters by 15 February, with complete distribution targeted by 31 March.