17 corporates give assent

The corporate list for the project, which will function on the private-public partnership model, is also getting bigger. Official sources said construction major Ansals, DLF and Emaar MGF too were likely to participate in setting up of the schools.

The government has also set in motion the process of transferring land for schools from panchayats. An official said, "The process will be completed in the next about two weeks. The laying of foundation stones for all the 17 schools is planned in October."

A Delhi-based private architecture firm has been engaged to suggest a uniform design for schools, each of which would be spread over 10 to 15 acres. Three designs have been shortlisted, sources said.

Career Launchers will set up two schools, Khalsa Diwan Society three and Educom one.

Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral told The Indian Express that Trident, Oswal and some other companies have also shown keenness. "The board has decided to run the project on first-come-first-serve basis. Our target is 108 schools," Gujral said.

Earlier, the response to advertisement for the project was not encouraging, and the last date for submission of requests had to be extended.

At present, about eight schools are being run by the Punjab School Education Board.

The idea is to have quality schools for the poor students in rural areas.

On the 14-member board of the Adarsh Schools are corporate heads, including Sunil Munjal of Hero Honda, Arun Kapoor, Director of India Today Education Trust, Harpal Singh, Chairman of Ranbaxy, Rakesh Mittal, Joint Managing Director of Bharti Group, and Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University Jaspal Singh. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal heads the board.