3 min readChandigarhJan 3, 2026 07:39 PM IST
First published on: Jan 3, 2026 at 07:39 PM IST
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Saturday said the AAP dispensation has provided more than 61,000 government jobs to the youth in four years, and all appointments have been made purely on merit and through a transparent process.
“After assuming office in April 2022, we launched a massive recruitment drive under which 61,281 government jobs have been provided. It is a matter of pride that every single appointment has been made purely on merit and transparency, and not even one has been challenged in court,” the chief minister said.
He was speaking at Tagore Theatre after handing out appointment letters to 606 new recruits of the education department. The recruits include 385 special educator teachers, 157 primary teachers, eight principals and 56 employees appointed on compassionate grounds.
Taking a swipe at his predecessors, Mann alleged that government jobs were earlier distributed among “sons, nephews and favourites”, leaving qualified youth waiting endlessly ‘for appointment letters, anxiously scanning newspapers and postboxes”. “Those days are over. Today, deserving and capable youngsters are getting jobs based only on their capability,” he said.
Mann added that the current system has opened doors for youth from ordinary families across villages, towns and cities. “Traditional political parties treated their families as Punjab. For me, the entire state is my family,” he said.
Announcing a key reform in the education sector, the chief minister said a separate cadre of special educator teachers has been created for children with special needs in government schools. “Around 48,000 children with special needs are currently enrolled in government schools. To ensure quality education for them, we have appointed 385 teachers under this special cadre,” he said.
Addressing the newly appointed special educator teachers, Mann said their responsibility extends beyond teaching. “Your duty is not only to educate these children but also to serve humanity. Your role in shaping their future will be even greater than that of their parents,” he said, urging them to carry out this noble responsibility with complete dedication and commitment.
Highlighting the government’s focus on quality education, Mann said teachers in Punjab government schools are being trained at global standards. “So far, 234 principals and education officers have received training in Singapore, 249 head teachers at IIM Ahmedabad, and 216 primary teachers at Turku University in Finland,” he said.
“We are establishing 118 ‘Schools of Eminence’ in Punjab, which will play a transformative role in securing a bright future for underprivileged children. Free uniforms are being provided, and free bus service for girls has been launched to ensure that no girl is deprived of education,” he said.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, in 2022, out of 28 lakh students in government schools, nearly four lakh had to sit on the ground. “Today, not a single child is without proper seating,” he said, adding that free bus services for girl students are benefiting nearly 10,000 students every day.
Several newly appointed teachers shared their experiences at the event, expressing gratitude for what they described as a fair, merit-based recruitment process.
Bhagwant Mann was speaking at Tagore Theatre after handing out appointment letters to 606 new recruits of the education department. (File Photo) 
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