ISLAMABAD: The federal government has announced plans to distribute 500,000 refurbished Chromebooks among high-achieving Grade 9 students across Pakistan under the Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebooks Scheme, aimed at expanding digital access and supporting online education.
The initiative will be implemented by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme. The Tokyo Technology Care Foundation (TT Care Foundation) will provide the devices under a letter of understanding.
Eligibility Criteria
Students who secured at least 50 per cent marks in their most recent Secondary School Certificate-I (SSC-I) examinations, equivalent to Grade 9, will be eligible for consideration.
The Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) will verify examination results, while final selection will be made strictly on merit within each province or region, educational board and academic stream.
Eligible candidates may belong to public-sector schools, private schools supported by provincial governments or educational foundations, and registered religious seminaries (madaris).
Provincial and Regional Quotas
The government has allocated the following quotas for the distribution of 500,000 Chromebooks:
Punjab: 181,090
Sindh: 85,925
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 51,170
Balochistan: 31,815
Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT): 100,000
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK): 25,000
Gilgit-Baltistan (GB): 25,000
Under the allocation policy, 80 per cent of each province or region’s share will go to school students, while the remaining 20 per cent will be reserved for madaris students.
The academic-stream distribution will allocate 70 per cent of the devices to science students and 30 per cent to students in the arts stream.
Verification and Delivery Process
Before distribution, schools will verify students’ mark sheets, current enrolment and the institution’s affiliation. The devices will then be dispatched through a courier service equipped with a tracking system.
Complaint committees will also be established to address grievances relating to eligibility, verification, selection and failure to deliver the promised devices.
Additional Benefits Under the Scheme
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the initiative in Islamabad on October 25, 2026. Along with a Chromebook, each selected student will receive a backpack and a MiFi internet device to facilitate access to online educational resources, digital learning materials and electronic libraries from home.
The prime minister said the distribution would be based entirely on merit, adding that talented students should not be deprived of educational opportunities because of financial constraints.
Recalling previous laptop distribution initiatives by PML-N governments, Shehbaz said approximately 600,000 laptops had been distributed over the past decade.
He said the new programme aimed to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks over the next two years, with internet connectivity expected to benefit around 2.5 million people.
“The real purpose of the Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebooks Scheme is to bring the digitally unconnected students into the online economy,” the prime minister said.
How to Apply for the PM Chromebook Scheme 2026
Students can check their eligibility and application details through the official IBCC portal: pmychromebooks.ibcc.edu.pk.
According to the provided scheme details, applicants will be able to review their academic records and upload the required documents, including a recent photograph, mark sheet and B-Form or CNIC copies, once their board results are available.
Students should verify the application procedure and submission deadlines through the official portal before applying.
Editorial note: The quota figures provided add up to 500,000 devices, but the allocation of 100,000 Chromebooks to ICT is unusually high compared with the other regions. It would be advisable to verify this figure and the application portal before publication.
