By Deepali Samaniya
In the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2024, Punjab has emerged as a top performer, Harjot Singh Bains, Minister of School Education, said on Wednesday. NAS is labelled as the most trusted and prestigious survey for evaluating students鈥 academic milestones and selects students from Classes 3, 6, and 9 as samples to assess overall education outcomes. While sharing Punjab鈥檚 outstanding performance in NAS (PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan), Bains said that Punjab bagged 1st place with 80 marks in the Class 3 ranking, outshining Himachal Pradesh (74) and Kerala (73). For Class 6, both Punjab and Kerala topped with 67 marks each, whereas in the Class 9 ranking, Punjab again outdid other states and Union Territories (UTs) with 57 marks to secure the first spot, Bains added. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) carried out the countrywide survey in partnership with the states and UTs to gauge learning outcomes and identify areas for improvement. Thousands of students participated in the survey from across the nation. 鈥淧unjab鈥檚 stellar performance in the NAS underscores the AAP government鈥檚 dedication to ensuring quality education and improving student learning outcomes,鈥 Bains said. He further added that the Punjab government will build on this success and continue to raise the standards of the education system to provide students with the best education. Bains said that 845 government school students cleared one of the toughest competitive exams 鈥 the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 鈥 while 265 students successfully passed the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains this year, displaying the Education Department鈥檚 determination to promote academic excellence and empower students to qualify in the country鈥檚 most challenging competitive exams. The Punjab government has given top priority to education, he added.