Pakistan launches scheme to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks to students

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched the PM Youth Chromebook Scheme, an initiative to distribute 500,000 refurbished Chromebooks and internet devices to talented students across Pakistan over the next two years. The program aims to bridge the digital divide by providing high-performing students from government schools and religious seminaries with access to modern technology, e-libraries, and remote learning tools.

Eligibility for the scheme is based on academic merit. In Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, high-performing Class 9 students are eligible, while students in Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan may include Class 10. Students from private schools are not eligible. Along with the devices, selected students will receive school bags and MiFi devices to facilitate internet access.

The registration process is managed through the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) portal. Students must verify their details using their B-Form, CNIC, or roll numbers. The initiative is supported by the Tokyo Technology Care Foundation and aims to empower the nation's youth regardless of their financial background.