Punjab Scraps Age-Based Tie-Breaker in Board Exams After Student Questions CM

Chandigarh: A question raised by a schoolgirl before Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has led to a change in Punjab’s board examination ranking system. The state government has ended the date-of-birth based tie-breaker, and students with the same marks will now be awarded the same rank.

What the girl had said?

The change came after a direct exchange at 'Sitare Zameen Te', a state-level felicitation function held on May 31, 2026. The event was organised to honour district toppers of Classes 8, 10 and 12. A girl student from Amritsar stood up and questioned the Chief Minister. She said she and two classmates study together, work equally hard and had scored the same marks in board exams. Yet they were ranked first, second and third based on their age. Only the student ranked first was called to the stage. She asked Mann why that was fair.

Mann replied on the spot. He said all three of them held the first position for him. AAP leader and former Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia, who was present at the function, said he was moved to see a student openly tell the Chief Minister that his system was wrong.
Within days the government acted on it.

What is the new rule?

Education Minister Harjot Bains confirmed the change officially. All students with equal marks in PSEB board examinations will now receive the same rank. The old system, which gave priority to the youngest student among those with identical scores, stands abolished.

Bigger changes in the pipeline?

Bains also spoke about broader reforms in the examination framework. Board question papers will move away from rote learning. Future assessments will focus on competency-based questions that test understanding and analytical thinking rather than memorization.

Punjab climbing up in education rankings?

The timing of this change comes as Punjab is being recognized nationally for its progress in school education. The NITI Aayog Education Quality Report 2026 has placed Punjab ahead of Keralam on several foundational learning indicators. Punjab recorded 82 percent proficiency in language and 78 percent in mathematics among Class 3 students, against Keralam's 75 percent and 70 percent. In Class 9 mathematics Punjab scored 52 percent compared to Keralam's 45 percent. Bains called this the beginning of Punjab's era in education.