Bathinda, June 24 -- With artificial intelligence (AI) creating employment avenues, st udents should become active participants in this technological revolution, Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains said on Tuesday. Felicitating 1,050 meritorious students who secured 85% and above in their class 12 examinations, the minister, along with Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Punjab affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia, emphasised the need to equip Punjab's youth with futuristic skills, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of AI. The ceremony was held under the flagship 'Bright Minds Punjab 2026' programme in Muktsar. Bains urged parents to prioritise their children's learning to enable them to scale professional heights. While addressing the gathering, he highlighted an ordinance to amend the Punjab Regulation of Fees of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, limiting the annual increase in fees and funds to a maximum of 5%. The ordinance has been sent to Punjab governor for approval. He said government has also decided to act against schools that made unreasonable fee hikes over past three years. Any excess amount collected would be refunded to parents, he said. Bains also highlighted that Punjab outranked Kerala in school learning and topped India's education index, with NITI Aayog's 2026 report and the Centre's PGI 2.0 ranking state schools first nationwide. "PSEB examination answer sheets will now be made available online, ensuring unrestricted access," he added. Meanwhile, Sisodia said a nation's progress is intrinsically tied to the robustness of its education system. "While several states in India still grapple with severe learning deficits, Punjab is setting a benchmark," said Sisodia, former Delhi education minister....