The Punjab government is set to implement a comprehensive state-wide career counselling framework across all government high and senior secondary schools, with a special emphasis on the critical transition stages of Classes X and XII. This initiative aims to provide continuous career counselling support to students, ensuring they receive guidance during pivotal academic junctures.
Hybrid Service Delivery Model
The project will be executed through a hybrid service delivery model that integrates multiple levels of support. This includes school-level counselling assistance provided by trained teachers, district-level in-person counselling services, and centralized remote counselling services accessible beyond regular school hours. The model will be bolstered by digital tools, including psychometric assessments and a centralized technology platform, to facilitate data-driven decision-making and monitoring.
Implementation and Human Resources
To bring this project to life, Punjab's school education department has initiated the process of engaging a firm responsible for operationalizing the model in an integrated manner. This firm will handle the deployment of human resources, establishment of counselling infrastructure, development and management of digital systems, capacity building of school-level stakeholders, and delivery of counselling services. At least one dedicated counsellor will be deployed in each district. Additionally, a buffer pool of two to three counsellors will be maintained to ensure service continuity, support high-demand districts, and enable rotational deployment across locations.
Centralized Helpline and School-Level Coordinators
A centralized counselling helpline will be established, staffed by a dedicated team of at least four to six qualified counsellors. The helpline will operate from Monday to Saturday between 2 pm and 8 pm. In case of higher call volumes, the number of counsellors will be increased. The remote counselling team will provide real-time support to students, address queries, and escalate complex cases for further intervention when necessary.
At the school level, at least two teachers in each school will be identified, trained, and supported to act as School Counselling Coordinators. They will serve as the first point of contact for students and will be equipped with basic counselling skills and knowledge of career pathways.
In-Person Counselling Services
In-person counselling services will be delivered through district-level counsellors. One designated counselling day per week, either Saturday or Sunday, will be fixed for open counselling sessions from 9 am to 3 pm, with the venue determined by the District Level Committee. Counsellors will also conduct cluster-based field visits during weekdays on a rotational basis to cover all blocks within the district. A monthly counselling schedule will be prepared for each district, detailing block and cluster coverage, school visits, and the designated weekly counselling day.
Psychometric Assessments and Digital Platform
The project will include psychometric assessments for students using a standardized, scientifically validated framework. These assessments will be conducted primarily through digital tools, with reports generated and made available on the digital platform within seven working days from the date of completion. The assessment tools and outputs will be available in Punjabi, Gurmukhi script, and English. They will evaluate students' aptitude, interests, and behavioral attributes, with automated scoring and reports interpreted by qualified counsellors for personalized guidance.
A secure and scalable digital platform will also be deployed. This platform will facilitate student registration, counselling request management, psychometric assessments, session tracking, reporting, and monitoring. It will maintain a digital profile for each student, including basic details, academic information, counselling history, psychometric assessment results, stream preferences, and final selection. Each counselling interaction will be recorded as a case entry, with tracking of open, in-progress, and closed cases.
