*34 Technical Education Leaders Complete 5-Day Institutional Leadership Programme, Furthering Bhagwant Mann Govt’s Vision Of World-Class Education*
*IIM Ahmedabad Training Strengthens Punjab’s Mission To Build Future-Ready Technical Institutions: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*
*Empowered Principals Are Backbone Of Successful Technical Education System: Harjot Singh Bains*
*Punjab’s Education Reforms Opening New Avenues For Faculty, Students And Industry Partnerships:: Raksha Kiran, Principal, Government Polytechnic College, Khunimajra*
*Stronger Leadership, Better Planning To Transform Punjab’s Technical Education Ecosystem: Kuldeep Singh, Principal, Government ITI, Bassi Pathana*
CHANDIGARH; 8th August 2026:
Punjab Sikhya Kranti under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has taken another significant step towards strengthening leadership and governance in technical education, with 34 officials from the Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training (DTEIT) completing an intensive five-day residential Institutional Leadership and Performance Excellence Programme at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad from August 3 to 7, 2026.
The programme brought together Principals and Heads of Department from Government Polytechnic Colleges and Government ITIs, along with senior officers from the Directorate of Technical Education and Industrial Training.
The initiative was part of Punjab Sikhya Kranti, the State Government’s wider education reform agenda aimed at creating world-class learning ecosystems across schools, polytechnics and ITIs. Under this vision, the State has introduced a semester-long internship for diploma students to bridge the industry-academia gap and provide sustained, on-the-job exposure in modern workplaces; rolled out a minimum of 40+ hours of annual faculty training in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to strengthen pedagogy and academic leadership; and started strengthening polytechnic education through Centres of Excellence and machinery upgradation, with six Government Polytechnics already modernised and more to be covered in a phased manner. Building the leadership capacity of Principals and senior officials has been identified as a key pillar of these reforms so that government technical institutes are led by confident, data-informed and future-ready institutional leaders.
The IIM Ahmedabad programme formed an important part of this leadership-focused approach under Punjab Sikhya Kranti. The five-day programme was specially designed for Principals and Heads of Department of Government Polytechnics and ITIs. Participants underwent 20 intensive teaching sessions delivered by IIM Ahmedabad faculty using interactive methods such as case-based discussions, real-world institutional examples, simulations, group projects and practical reflections.
The sessions covered institutional leadership and governance in public technical education, data-driven decision-making and performance management, building stronger industry linkages and placement ecosystems, strengthening student employability and workplace readiness, and leading change by motivating faculty and building high-performing teams.
On this, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann highlighted that exposure programmes for educators and institutional leaders were an important pillar of Punjab’s education reforms across both schools and technical institutes. “When principals and senior officials learn from globally recognised institutions such as IIM Ahmedabad, they return with new ideas, innovative practices and renewed motivation, strengthening the mission to build world-class government polytechnics and ITIs and ensuring that students receive training that matches international standards,” he said.
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “This initiative reflects the vision of CM Bhagwant Mann and our belief that empowered principals and institutional leaders are the backbone of a successful technical education system. By giving our Principals and Heads of Department the opportunity to learn at an institution of global repute like IIM Ahmedabad, we are investing in their leadership, confidence and capacity to bring real change to our classrooms, workshops and training labs,” he said, emphasising that such national and international training programmes are crucial for developing global perspectives in education leadership.
Participants described the IIM Ahmedabad programme as a milestone in their professional journey, similar to earlier cohorts of school principals and headmasters. Raksha Kiran, Principal, Government Polytechnic College, Khunimajra, shared that the sessions on institutional leadership and industry partnerships would give them new strategies to motivate faculty and students and deepen collaboration with companies for internships and placements, calling the experience at IIM Ahmedabad “a turning point” in her understanding of leadership.
Kuldeep Singh, Principal, Government ITI, Bassi Pathana, emphasised that exposure to real-world problem-solving, data-led institute planning and case-based learning at a premier management institute would help them lead more accountable, student-centred institutions and take these lessons back to their entire training ecosystem in Punjab.
The training was part of a broader series of faculty and leadership development initiatives being undertaken during the academic year 2026-27 at institutions such as IIT Ropar, IIM Amritsar, IISER and NIFT, along with industry exposure opportunities with organisations such as Tata Steel. These partnerships are helping build a cadre of visionary leaders across Punjab’s 26 Government Polytechnic Colleges and 137 Government ITIs, who can drive institutional improvement and ensure that students receive training aligned with modern industry requirements.
With this initiative, the Government of Punjab has reiterated its commitment to nurturing visionary institutional leadership in technical education and building a modern, efficient and student-centred polytechnic and ITI system that reflects the true spirit of Punjab Sikhya Kranti.
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