Punjab Newsline,Chandigarh :
Over 2 Lakh Applications for 20,000 Seats in Schools of Eminence & Meritorious Residential Schools; Last Date January 25, Entrance Exam on March 1
Punjab is witnessing a strong rise in public confidence towards government schools, and the massive response received for admissions in Schools of Eminence and Residential Schools for Meritorious Students (RSMS) stands as a clear example of this growing trust. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Tuesday said that the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government’s initiatives under ‘Sikhya Kranti’ (Education Revolution) are delivering positive results on the ground.
The Education Minister stated that the record enthusiasm shown by students and parents for admissions in these institutions highlights a major shift towards quality education in government-run schools. He informed that more than two lakh students have registered for admissions to Classes 9 and 11 in Schools of Eminence and RSMS, while nearly 20,000 seats are available across these institutions. This overwhelming response, he said, reflects a significant transformation in Punjab’s government schools.
Sharing an overview of the institutional framework, Harjot Singh Bains said that Punjab currently has 118 Schools of Eminence and 10 Residential Schools for Meritorious Students. Admissions for the academic session 2026–27 are presently underway in these institutions.
Providing details of seat availability, the Minister said that for Class 9, a total of 4,248 seats are available in Schools of Eminence, with 36 seats allotted per school. In addition, 50 seats are available in Residential Schools for Meritorious Students for Class 9 admissions, which is currently being managed through one operational residential school.
For Class 11 admissions, the Education Minister said that Schools of Eminence have 11,187 seats available. The total sanctioned intake for Class 11 is 15,104 seats, out of which 3,917 students currently studying in Class 10 at Schools of Eminence will be promoted to Class 11. Along with this, 4,600 seats are available in Residential Schools for Meritorious Students for Class 11 admissions.
Giving details of the registration status so far, Harjot Singh Bains stated that 93,300 students have registered for Class 9 admissions, out of which 74,855 applications have been finally submitted. For Class 11, he said, 1,10,716 students have registered, and 92,624 applications have been successfully submitted. He added that a total of 36,537 students across both classes are yet to complete their final submission process.
Urging students and parents to complete the admission process within the deadline, the Education Minister said that the last date to submit applications is January 25, 2026, while the entrance examination will be conducted on March 1, 2026. He added that further details regarding admit cards and examination centres will be shared through official channels in due course.