Chandigarh, March 31 -- Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday claimed that under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Punjab has become the number one state in the education sector by topping the National Achievement Survey (NAS), surpassing even Kerala. Presenting a detailed four-year report card of his government's performance in the education sector, Mann said Punjab secured the top position in the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2024, while Gujarat ranked 16th and Haryana around 7th or 8th. He added that this achievement belonged to the government schoolteachers and students and was made possible through the Shiksha Kranti driven by sustained reforms under the present government. The education budget increased by 52% over the past four years, rising from Rs.12,657 crore in 2021-22 to Rs.19,279 crore in 2026-27, the CM told reporters at a press conference at his residence. Education minister Harjot Singh Bains was also present. Mann claimed that government schools had been developed at par with private ones, giving parents a genuine choice. He said that from April 1, parents would be informed about their child's absence from school and even about teachers' leave, ensuring accountability at every level. "Unlike several other states, especially Gujarat, not a single paper leak has occurred in Punjab in the last four years, which is a matter of immense pride," he added. Referring to the government's flagship Schools of Eminence (SoE) scheme, he said that out of 118 SoEs, 60 were already operational and helping talented students fulfil their dreams by offering education aligned with their abilities and interests. He said that free uniforms had been provided to 30,000 students in these schools, and all streams, including medical and non-medical, were available. "Coaching for exams like Armed Forces Preparatory, NEET, JEE and CLAT is also being provided. Free bus services have been started for government school girls," he said. The CM said that since April 2022, 14,525 teachers had been recruited, and the services of 12,316 education department employees regularised. He said eight batches of teachers had been sent to Singapore for training, benefiting 264 education officers, principals and teachers. Similarly, three batches of 216 primary teachers were trained in Turku, Finland. Highlighting innovation, the CM said the Business Blaster scheme has been launched to promote entrepreneurial thinking among students, who have collectively generated Rs.70 crore through their ideas. He said that Punjab was the first state to introduce entrepreneurship as a subject in Class 11. He also stated that the School Mentorship Programme had been introduced for the first time, where IAS, IPS and senior officers guide students. Former education minister and Congress MLA Pargat Singh rebutted the chief minister's claims, accusing him of misleading the people of Punjab in the name of the National Achievement Survey. He said that Punjab had already secured first position in NAS in 2021, which Mann and his party had dismissed as fake. "Now, Mann is presenting the 2024 survey in a new form under the banner of the so-called education revolution and showcasing it as his own achievement," he said. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring too reminded the AAP leadership that they had dismissed the same survey as manipulated when Punjab topped it in 2021. "You are reaping the harvest of our hard work," Warring said, charging that AAP's education policy is "restricted to advertisements". He highlighted "teacher shortages and infrastructure gaps". Citing official data, he said the number of schools with fewer than 15 students has risen from 237 to 276 at the primary level....