For years, one sentence defined the aspirations of countless Punjabi households: “Bas bahar chale jao.”
From Canada to Australia, moving abroad was seen not just as an opportunity, but almost as a necessity. In many families, staying back in Punjab was considered a compromise.
But across cities like Mohali, that conversation is slowly beginning to change.
Talk to students preparing for competitive exams in Phase 7, freelancers working from cafés in Aerocity or young entrepreneurs running digital businesses from shared offices in Sector 74, and a different sentiment is beginning to emerge. Many now believe Punjab — especially Mohali — is finally creating an environment where staying back can also mean growth, stability and ambition.
This shift has not happened overnight. Over the past few years, Mohali has evolved into one of Punjab’s most active urban economies. Better roads, expanding commercial sectors, startup culture, IT investment and rising private business activity have together created new forms of employment that were limited earlier.
Under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann, the Punjab Government has consistently attempted to position youth employment and transparent recruitment as central governance priorities. Government job drives, anti-corruption messaging and investment-focused policies have especially resonated with first-time voters and educated youth who earlier felt disconnected from the system.
Many students in Mohali say the atmosphere today feels different from what it did five or six years ago. Coaching centres remain crowded, but alongside traditional government exam preparation, there is visible interest in entrepreneurship, digital work, startups and private-sector opportunities within Punjab itself.
Local residents also credit Kulwant Singh for maintaining a strong focus on development-oriented politics in the constituency. Road infrastructure, civic upgrades and continuous urban expansion have helped Mohali project itself as a city where educated youth can realistically imagine a future.
For young professionals, Mohali’s biggest strength is balance. Unlike bigger metropolitan cities, it still offers relatively manageable living costs, cleaner infrastructure and proximity to family support systems. At the same time, improving commercial activity is beginning to create opportunities that earlier existed only outside Punjab.
The impact can be seen in small but important ways. New cafés are opening faster than ever before. Coworking spaces are seeing increased occupancy. Creative agencies, digital firms and consulting startups are emerging across sectors once dominated only by residential housing. Even local markets are adapting to a younger consumer base with different expectations and aspirations.
Importantly, the emotional relationship between youth and Punjab is also changing. Many young Punjabis no longer want to leave simply because “there is no future here.” Instead, they are beginning to compare opportunities more carefully and evaluate whether migration is still the only path to progress.
That does not mean the challenges have disappeared. Concerns around long-term private-sector expansion, industrial growth and large-scale employment generation remain significant. Punjab still needs deeper economic transformation to fully retain its talent pool.
But what has undeniably changed is confidence.
In Mohali especially, there is a growing feeling that the city is moving forward — economically, socially and psychologically. And for the first time in many years, a noticeable section of Punjab’s youth is beginning to believe that ambition does not necessarily require leaving home behind.