Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched a scheme to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks and provide internet access to students at schools and madaris across Pakistan over three years.

The launch ceremony was held in Islamabad. The government described the initiative as an extension of its earlier laptop distribution programs for students selected on merit.

Who Is Eligible for the Chromebook Scheme?

The Prime Minister’s Youth Chromebook Scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Youth Program.

Under the scheme, 500,000 refurbished Chromebooks will be distributed to high-achieving Grade 9 students over three years.

Students must have secured at least 50 percent marks in their SSC-I examinations. Their results will be verified by the Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC), and devices will be allocated according to merit.

Eligible applicants include students enrolled in public schools, private schools supported by provincial education foundations, and registered madaris.

The allocation within each province will reserve 80 percent of devices for school students and 20 percent for madaris students. Of the school students’ share, 70 percent will be allocated to science students and 30 percent to arts students.

Province-Wise Chromebook Allocation

Punjab has been allocated 181,090 Chromebooks, followed by Sindh with 85,925, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 51,170 and Balochistan with 31,815.

Islamabad will receive 100,000 devices, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have been allocated 25,000 each.

The devices will be delivered directly to verified students through courier services. A central monitoring system will track distribution, while grievance committees at the provincial and board levels will address complaints.

The government had announced plans to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks earlier this week.