Guwahati, Dec 23 : Punjab has launched a pilot initiative of 25 AI-enabled Career Guidance Labs across government and Punjab School Education Board–affiliated schools to help students make informed career choices at an early stage.
The initiative, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and guided by Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, is being implemented by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) in collaboration with education technology firm Beyond Mentor. The programme is being offered free of cost to students and the state government.
The pilot was inaugurated at Government Senior Secondary School, Nangal, and Government Senior Secondary School for Girls, Anandpur Sahib, marking the operational rollout of the project. According to officials, the pilot phase will be used to assess impact, scalability and student outcomes before expanding the programme statewide.
As part of the structured, student-centric process, students undergo AI-enabled aptitude and interest assessments through Beyond Mentor’s digital platform. Individualised career reports are generated based on the results, followed by one-to-one counselling sessions conducted by trained counsellors, including joint sessions with parents to support informed decision-making.
The Career Guidance Labs aim to help students explore a wide range of academic, skill-based and vocational pathways, gain access to AI-driven aptitude analysis, and receive professional counselling within the school environment.
“Career guidance is as important as academic instruction. By introducing structured counselling within government schools, we are ensuring that students receive timely exposure to careers, skills, and opportunities,” Bains said, adding that the government plans to gradually expand the labs and welcomes support from NGOs and other partners.
PSEB chairman Amarpal Singh said the initiative reflects the board’s commitment to moving beyond examinations and marks by helping students identify strengths and translate aspirations into achievable goals.
Beyond Mentor CEO Saurav Kumar said the programme is designed to build clarity, confidence and self-awareness among students through early assessments and structured counselling involving parents.
Students and parents participating in the pilot welcomed the initiative, noting that systematic career counselling, often limited to private institutions, is now accessible within government schools.
The state government said the pilot would serve as a scalable model for equitable, technology-enabled career guidance aligned with the needs of 21st-century learners.
