Punjab Launches ‘Punjab Da Crorepati’ Youth Quiz With Rs 1 Crore Top Prize

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has launched a statewide youth quiz competition titled "Punjab Da Crorepati," offering a grand cash prize of Rs 1 crore to the ultimate winner. Modeled broadly after the television game show "Kaun Banega Crorepati," the initiative is aimed at steering young people toward books, general knowledge, and structured learning across the state.

In addition to the Rs 1 crore top prize, the state administration announced substantial financial rewards for runners-up and top performers. Four runners-up will each receive Rs 10 lakh, while eight leaderboard toppers will take home Rs 5 lakh each. The administration confirmed that more than 10,000 participants will receive varying cash rewards throughout the multi-stage tournament.

The contest is open to youth aged between 15 and 30 who are residents of Punjab or are currently enrolled in educational institutions across the state. Officials noted that registration is free of charge and can be completed through a dedicated online portal and mobile application. By keeping entry cost-free, the government aims to encourage wide participation across rural and urban demographics alike.

The competition draws from a vast question bank comprising approximately 50,000 multiple-choice questions, each presenting participants with four options. The syllabus heavily emphasizes Punjab's history, culture, geography, and governance, alongside general knowledge and basic mathematics. Organizers noted that the questions mirror the difficulty and format used in state recruitment examinations for posts such as Patwaris, police constables, and Punjab Civil Services officers.

The tournament unfolds across 11 distinct stages designed to test participants under progressive levels of scrutiny. The first nine rounds will be conducted virtually through the contest’s digital platform, allowing candidates to compete from their homes or schools. The tenth round will shift to an in-person format held across all 23 districts in Punjab, culminating in an eleventh grand finale round.

Addressing the launch event, Mann emphasized that placing books and pens into the hands of youngsters remains the most reliable path to securing the state's future. The Chief Minister noted that intellectual empowerment helps channel youthful energy productively and builds the confidence required to crack competitive examinations. He reiterated his government's stated priority of fostering an environment where merit and academic effort are directly rewarded.

The launch comes amid broader efforts in Punjab to address youth engagement, employment aspirations, and competitive exam readiness. Many aspiring candidates spend years preparing for government recruitment drives with limited access to structured coaching or interactive learning modules. State officials project that the gamified format will serve as an accessible preparatory benchmark for thousands of prospective public sector applicants.

District authorities across Punjab have been directed to facilitate logistics for the physical rounds and promote outreach in local schools, colleges, and youth clubs. The inclusion of district-level stages is intended to ensure that students from remote and agricultural belts have equal footing with competitors from major urban centers such as Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Jalandhar.

Online registration and preliminary virtual testing rounds are scheduled to roll out following the formal launch, with the digital portal tracking contestant scores on a live leaderboard. Organizers expect high participation numbers as academic institutions incorporate awareness campaigns into their daily schedules. State authorities have indicated that successful execution of the tournament could pave the way for regular academic quiz circuits in the future.