Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains and Aam Aadmi Party Punjab affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia on Thursday felicitated 559 Class 12 students from the district who scored 95% and above in the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations during the Bright Minds Punjab 2026 programme held at Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan.Students during the state event held at Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan in Ludhiana. (HT photo)However, only 24 of the students honoured were from government schools, highlighting the wide gap between government and private institutions despite the state government’s continued focus on education reforms.Of the 24 government school students, 12 were from the Government Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students, seven from Schools of Eminence and only five from other government senior secondary schools across the district. The remaining 535 awardees were from private schools.Addressing the gathering, Bains announced that the Punjab government would introduce an Artificial Intelligence (AI) curriculum in all government schools from next month, saying the initiative was aimed at equipping students with skills required for emerging technologies and future careers.He said the government had been working on the initiative for the past year and Punjab could not afford to lag behind as countries across the world rapidly adopted AI. He also said the government wanted to directly hear students’ suggestions on examinations, curriculum and classroom teaching to help shape future reforms.Congratulating the students, Bains said they had made their families proud and would go on to serve the nation in diverse professions, including the civil services, medicine, engineering and law.Sisodia underscored the need for comprehensive reforms in school education, saying quality education should be accessible to every child irrespective of background. He said AI would create new employment opportunities while transforming several conventional professions and urged schools to prepare students for these changes by adopting modern teaching methods and updating the curriculum. He also called for reforms in the examination system and stronger measures to curb unfair means during examinations.During the programme, Sisodia interacted with students and teachers and invited suggestions on classroom learning, examinations and ways to strengthen public education.Education Secretary Sonali Giri urged students to become responsible citizens and contribute towards addressing social challenges such as drug abuse and unemployment while protecting the environment, preserving Punjab’s cultural heritage and upholding constitutional values.