Punjab to hold CET for admissions in meritorious schools

 Patiala: Punjab Education Department will conduct Common Entrance Test (CET) for admissions to meritorious schools in the state and government school students with above 80 per cent marks in the matriculation examination, will be eligible to take test.

Announcing this here today, Punjab Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema said as the performance of the government school students is witnessing an upward trend and number of students getting the stipulated 80 per cent marks has gone up considerably, it has been decided to hold the test.

He said the schedule for this year's test will be announced after the result of matriculation examinations are declared.

The minister further said government is in the process of setting up three more meritorious schools in the state. There are already seven schools functional and with three more, there will be ten.

Besides free residential facilities and coaching for admission to professional courses, government is providing free education to students at these schools, he said.

Cheema said there was an option for the government to use services of teachers available with the department but it chose to pay hefty salaries to see the mission succeed and urged the teachers to work to uplift students.

On status of a regulatory authority for private schools, the minister said the department has sent a draft proposal regarding it for consideration of the cabinet and hopefully it will be passed in the next cabinet meet after which notification will be issued.

Cheema further said it will recruit 16000 teachers soon, after the nod from the cabinet department.

The SAD Secretary also lashed out at AAP leaders for indulging in false, baseless and misleading propaganda and said no where in the state any scam occurred regarding wheat but they are claiming of Rs 12,000 crore wheat scam.