PM Youth Chromebook Scheme Launched
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched the PM Youth Chromebook Scheme, which will give 500,000 Chromebooks and internet devices to students across Pakistan over two years. He announced the scheme at a launch ceremony in Islamabad on Sunday.
The prime minister said it was the state’s collective responsibility to provide young people with modern technology. He called students the true assets of Pakistan, and said the devices would go to students on the basis of hard work and ability alone.
“Our boys and girls are the true assets of Pakistan,” he said. He added that the Chromebooks would help students attend school remotely and stand among the most educated people.
At the ceremony, the prime minister also distributed laptops and internet devices to high-performing Grade 9 students and students of religious seminaries. He stressed that the facility was open to seminary students, as it had been in the past, and that poverty should not limit intelligence and hard work.
“These wonderful instruments will be in your hands so that you are not lagging in intelligence and skills,” he said.
PM Youth Chromebook Scheme Details
The scheme marks a sharp step up from earlier laptop programmes. Shehbaz Sharif recalled that previous PML-N governments distributed 600,000 laptops within a decade. The new plan aims to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks in just two years.
In August, speaking on International Youth Day, the prime minister had said 250,000 high-achieving students would receive Chromebook laptops this year. The launch on Sunday turns that announcement into a full scheme with a two-year target and a nationwide rollout.
Geo and The News describe the devices as refurbished Chromebooks supplied with MiFi internet connectivity. Last year, Pakistan launched its first Google Chromebook assembly line, which Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said laid the foundation for jobs, supply chains and future tech exports.
Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Chairman Rana Mashhood said the Tokyo Technology Care Foundation had taken practical steps to provide digital facilities to 500,000 Pakistani students.
Shehbaz Sharif also stressed that education should be the priority of any government. He recalled the recent inauguration of a Daanish School in Islamabad, and said at least 27 Daanish schools were being built across the country to offer excellent facilities and free services.
“Education is a jewel; regardless of where you are from, it will always make you distinguished in society,” he said.
Province-Wise Quotas for the Chromebooks
Bloom Pakistan has reported the province-wise allocation of the 500,000 devices. Punjab receives the largest share, while Islamabad receives 100,000 devices, reflecting the federal capital’s large student population in the scheme.
| Province or region | Chromebooks |
|---|---|
| Punjab | 181,090 |
| Sindh | 85,925 |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 51,170 |
| Balochistan | 31,815 |
| Islamabad | 100,000 |
| Azad Jammu and Kashmir | 25,000 |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | 25,000 |
| Total | 500,000 |
Under the reported framework, four out of every five devices in each province or region are earmarked for school students, while the remaining one-fifth is reserved for students of religious seminaries. Of the school share, 70% is designated for science students and 30% for arts students.
Distribution will use verified academic records and merit lists, with devices reaching selected students directly through courier services. Grievance committees at board and provincial levels will handle complaints about merit rankings, eligibility and non-delivery.
What Students Should Do Next
Students who want to check eligibility and the application process can start with Feature Pakistan’s guide to the scheme, which explains how to apply through the IBCC portal. As merit lists are published, students should check their board’s announcements and keep academic records ready.
Who can get a Chromebook under the scheme?
The scheme covers students across Pakistan, including school students and students of religious seminaries. Devices are distributed on merit, based on verified academic records and hard work, not on wealth or background.
How many Chromebooks will each province get?
Punjab will receive 181,090 devices, Sindh 85,925, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 51,170 and Balochistan 31,815. Islamabad will receive 100,000, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will each receive 25,000, making 500,000 in total.
Are seminary students included?
Yes. The prime minister said the facility is available to students of religious seminaries, as it was in the past. One-fifth of the devices in each province or region is reserved for seminary students under the reported framework.
Related coverage: PM Youth Chromebook Scheme: how to apply via the IBCC portal, Punjab laptop and scholarship schemes phase two, Dr Alina: Daanish School’s first female doctor, Scholarships for Balochistan and FATA students, phase two.
